would you die for a climb?

Hank Caylor wrote:Yeah, I did one particular route in Eldo for all the wrong reasons. Almost fell twice and would be dead or mangled forever without a doubt. Edit to add: It was worth it in the end.

Is that like a lottery winner saying that it's worth it to play? The objective view that sees all the losers concludes that it's not...

Here is a photo of me a few years back dirt-baggin it.

Rob Slater headed off to K2 and was quoted as saying, "Summit or death. Either way, I win."
Well, he won. Both ways. After summitting, he perished.
Be careful what you wish for.
Occasionally climbing does attract those with suicidal tendencies, but more often that not, such talk is merely a climbers bravado and black humor.
Yeah, climbing is great, but worth dying for? You've got to be kidding me. How shallow can one be to be willing to die for a climb, as if some slagheap is worth more than a fine meal enjoyed with friends, playing with your child or grandchild, or living to climb another day with your pals?

"The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one"....applicable from a certain point of view

perhaps it is,
that you could die
is why you are
there at all.

or how did the bird put it?

"a normal person would've died up there."

Is it true that when one free solos,
they are climbing in that mindset??

"No more boom boom for this mamasan."

I kind of don't think it's the climb people are dying for, but the getting away from themselves. Lots of other things can offer that sort of escape, and they probably won't kill you right away.

Leah Miller wrote: I disagree that it's about ego - to me it's more about obsession and passion. Of course I wouldn't consciously go up to a climb with the intention of dying for it - I'm not suicidal - however, if, in my mind, it was so important to get up a certain climb no matter the consequences, I'd try it.

Fair enough I will adjust my wording from ego to egocentric.

I have always said that, while I recognize I might die in the mountains, I just don't want it to be doing something where other competent climbers could legitimately say: "that was pretty stupid.". So, demonstrably, I would not head up into certain death - though sometimes that may only be determinable in hindsight unfortunately

That said, there are some routes/climbs/mountains that, by their nature, require higher acceptance of objective or other hazard e.g. Slipstream, Reality Bath, etc. Some of these lines are nonetheless so appealing that I would be willing to, or even seek to, attempt them - though I would still try to do them under the "safest" conditions possible.

I have also been in situations when, in the moment, I was certain that I was about to die - and I can tell you it's not much fun. So I don't make the above statement lightly.

I have, and then I thought about it for a little bit and still thought so, but my car broke down. Stupid car, I could have been a memorialized hero. I have a better car now.

Thought that going into a climb, but realized I wanted to live when things got real. An avalanche will wake you the f*** up and reconsider nhilism.

Robin like the bird wrote: Is it true that when one free solos, they are climbing in that mindset??

Definitely not.

Nick Stayner wrote: This reminds me of that scene in Point Break where Bodhi and crew and hanging out outside of his house party talking about this very thing (in surfing context). I don't know anyone who consciously says "this is a climb I'm willing to die for", but I know plenty that have an easier time accepting long runouts or shoddy gear as a mandatory part of the game. Same goes for backcountry skiing. Some people are just better at not considering things. Pushing you forward like a hood ornament on a freight train!

You know how people say "there is no such thing as a dumb question"? This one is. (and it's nine years old)

A wise man once said "No single climb is worth dying for, but climbing as a whole is certainly worth dying for"

That's where I stand, at least at the moment.

Full disclosure: The wise man who is quoted is also dead now and died prematurely, although not from climbing.

Death is a possibility every time you go climbing so yes I would die for a climb but I never go out planning to die. If you don't want to die for a climb you should not go out climbing at all... guess short boulder problems and top roping may be pretty safe but even those you could die on if the rope cut or you just landed bad.

Live to climb another day

Nope.

The risk is always there; bad belaying, rockfall, lightning, poor pro, bad bolts, bad rock.  Shit, I've been dropped in the gym.  By definition, any climb where one climbs to a deadly height is one where you could die.  We try to calculate and mitigate risk, but in the end climbing is a dangerous activity, so in a way we're all willing to die for a route (just never quite sure which one it will be!)

PS  yer all gonna die

to put it more succinctly, any climb that kills you makes it so.