Why don't more people do outdoor activities such as climbing, hiking?

Ive been climbing, backpacking and enjoying the outdoors for the greater part of my life and when I'm not out climbing  I'm usually wishing I was. I try to get everyone i know to give it a shot even if its just climbing in the gym or doing a single day hike yet most people aren't interested. Why would people shy away from partaking in these activities??

Fear and laziness.

its all relative.  on the front range of CO, the majority of people do the things you mentioned...regularly...with a good percentage executing at a high level. if you really do live in miami, your reference population is different.

Tons and tons of people hike. As far as climbing outdoors, it's typically fear and lack of technical skills. Even something as simple as setting a top rope can be terrifying for beginners and without proper instruction even moreso. 

It takes a tremendous amount of time away from responsibilities compared to most other hobbies. That requires strongly formed priorities, habits, or privilege.

I would wager many who don't, don't know how accessible it can be. I sure as hell didn't know people East of the Mississippi could be rock climbers and I grew up backpacking.

I've been stamp collecting, making homemade stamps and enjoying stamp conventions for the greater part of my life and when I'm not out collecting stamps I usually wish I was. I try to get everyone i know to give it a shot even if its just looking at stamps or going to a single stamp party yet most people aren't interested. Why would people shy away from partaking in these activities??

Just because you enjoy and find satisfaction in certain activities does not mean the greater population does. Yes climbing and being outside is fun, but that is just your opinion. My buddy loves going metal detecting and gets a hard on whenever he finds something, but I think it's boring as hell.

Also, I don't really care about stamps.

Give it time and you will be absolutely stoked that more people aren't into hiking and climbing.

Guaranteed.

Think how stoked you are that gun-toting rednecks don't hike the next time you find some roadside plinkers playing with their shotties and ARs like the ignorant chimps they are...a hootin' and a hollerin' while chopping down saplings with their guns.

I just wish I can get more people to try it and enjoy the beauty nature has to offer. Here in miami all everyone wants to do is hang out in the beach drinking mojitos. 

I used to want to encourage more people to climb, because I love it so much.  
Now I'd rather not encourage anyone to get out, because I love it so much.
Seriously though, have you been to a popular area recently?  The crowds are out of control.  Everyone: there's so much good stuff on TV! 

where is that graph of Joshua tree visitors per year?  I think that would answer your question

Your stoke is not their stoke? How dare they!

Cocoapuffs 1000 wrote: where is that graph of Joshua tree visitors per year?  I think that would answer your question

Ugh. This is the trend for a lot of national parks - a crazy increase in the past handful of years. Please stay indoors (preferably on the east cost).

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote: Give it time and you will be absolutely stoked that more people aren't into hiking and climbing.

Guaranteed.

Think how stoked you are that gun-toting rednecks don't hike the next time you find some roadside plinkers playing with their shotties and ARs like the ignorant chimps they are...a hootin' and a hollerin' while chopping down saplings with their guns.

Interesting. I feel this way about many groups of climbers...

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote: Give it time and you will be absolutely stoked that more people aren't into hiking and climbing.

Guaranteed.

Think how stoked you are that gun-toting rednecks don't hike the next time you find some roadside plinkers playing with their shotties and ARs like the ignorant chimps they are...a hootin' and a hollerin' while chopping down saplings with their guns.

What constitutes a gun-toting redneck? I know some backcountry hunters you might call "redneck" that hike much harder than any climber that I know. 

Guaranteed. 

Packing, waking up early, driving, parking, and unpacking suck. Some approaches, too.
If I didn't do cool stuff occasionally, that would be the reason

Also, shit is expensive and for a recreational class who probably does very little physical activity all week...  Maybe more people want to but it is just not accessible to them .

Brandon Arrastia wrote: Ive been climbing, backpacking and enjoying the outdoors for the greater part of my life and when I'm not out climbing  I'm usually wishing I was. I try to get everyone i know to give it a shot even if its just climbing in the gym or doing a single day hike yet most people aren't interested. Why would people shy away from partaking in these activities??

Because there are other activities?

Ohh and clearly because of spiders, snakes and rabbits with huge fangs

Maybe because you live in Miami? Just a thought...

Brandon Arrastia wrote: Ive been climbing, backpacking and enjoying the outdoors for the greater part of my life and when I'm not out climbing  I'm usually wishing I was. I try to get everyone i know to give it a shot even if its just climbing in the gym or doing a single day hike yet most people aren't interested. Why would people shy away from partaking in these activities??

Probably for the same reasons that you don't engage in any of the infinite number of hobbies or uses of time that you choose not to engage in:

• Your friends don't
• Your family didn't when you were a kid
• Your time is full with activities you already know you enjoy
• You tried it a little and didn't get much from it
• You don't have the physical capacity

People are people. Other people don't do "your" thing for the same reasons you don't do "their" thing.

Brandon Arrastia wrote: Here in miami

This, right here, is  your whole answer.  (Lived there for 6 years, never have I been so glad to flee a city).  Hang out other places, find kayakers, divers etc.  There is outdoor culture there, you will just have to look harder to find it (and get out of the city, there's more of it in the Keys/Everglades/Gulf)