[wildernessed]

What fuels you ?, there are alot of peakbaggers, scramblers, and climbers on the board and here is an interesting article. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8558837/

[MtnGoat]

One thing I've noticed about the super intense variety is they are generally extremely goal driven, to the point of monomania in some cases, and to the exclusion of family and relationships as well. I can't imagine how folks with spouses and kids justify going to risk their lives on Everest for example. I'm sure spouses either deal with it or knew going in who they were marrying, but the idea of the person even choosing to take those risks when they have other responsibilities kinda floors me a bit. Doing a long trip somewhere benign, well, that I can understand, risking a mountain that kills constantly, that's a whole nother ballgame.

[Hiking Tuque]

Climbing is a drug - any serious climber will tell you this. The more you do it, the more you need it. In the summer of 2003 I probably climbed 5-6 days a week and felt like I was wasting the day if I wasn't on the rock. During that intense period, it made me a very different person too - a huge risk taker - anything to satisfy the need to test the limits of my abilities. The riskier the better and the closer you come to serious consequences, the better the "high". Luckily, my partner was more conservative and he said no to a lot of things I wanted to try. Hard to explain but yeah, probably like drug addiction. I had to stop the more you do it, the more addictive, and the more it dominates your life.

[hikerjo]

I don't think climbing is like a drug.

[wildernessed]

I don't think I fall into that grouping, I consider myself a backpacker, but since I have been out here, everything is so close, especially right now because I am new to the area that I find myself dayhiking the majority of the time, but I do push it and many dayhikes could easily be overnighters. I have always liked the "full package" trips the rivers / streams, waterfalls, ridges, peaks, wildlife if you can get it and was never solely interested, obsessed with, or focused on, making a peak, a point, a summit. One thing I have noticed since hiking by myself and with others in Washington is that I use to look at mountains as objects of beauty and I still do, but now I find myself evaluating the best way to get on the top. Strange how insidious these things seem to occur.

[dicey]

[hikerjo]

If I were to answer that question it would be a lie. The truth is I have never tried to stop. But, I immagine I could if I wanted to.

[Dean]

Peakbagging, lakebagging, backpacking, hi mountain fishing have one thing in common. They all beat golf.

[Stefan]

[hikerjo]

[Malachai Constant]

[Tazz]

I have tried to stop...... I just can't. More more more!!!!!!!!! hmmmmm.... that sounds like addiction to me.

[Dean]

"So many mountains, so little time"

[Riverside Laker]

I used to be addicted to mountain travel, until I discovered the internet. Man I can't stay away from this website for more than 26 minutes! Well, during the daytime. At night I can last 4 hours 17 minutes max. (no comments from the opposite sects please)

[Snowshoe Hare]