Favorite thing about climbing besides the fitness/expertise?

It's great to push yourself and gain accomplishments. It's one of the big things I love about climbing. But this pushing can easily creep into comparison and a toxic mindset of preforming.

I'm trying to just "be" more, preform less, take off a pressure to prove myself. Work hard for yourself, but don't push this mindset on others, encourage people but don't push them. Balance effort + ease.

So what are things you love about climbing that have nothing to do with the fitness or expertise aspect?

For me, it's being in nature, moving my body + breathing fresh air, it puts me at ease, calms my IBS, anxiety and helps me sleep better. I love seeing the nature of this planet we call home. I love the community + connection it gives, it's more bonding to do an activity like climbing with a friend than it is to just eat meals or watch movies with. I love the creativity of the movement, how it makes me think about the body in a 3D way (proprioception). I love the learning opportunity it brings, about places, their history, their geology, wildlife, etc. I'm a cheeseball having a moment haha!! Indulge me     

Climber babes

Besides some of the other stuff you mention, it's how great it makes beer taste. And the chicks.

Rock climbing is largely an excuse for me to explore new areas.  But there's also something fun about the science/engineering/problem-solving of building anchors and belaying safely.  Sometimes I find myself getting as much pleasure from building a nice trad anchor as I do from the movement of the climbing or the views.  Also: pink tricams.

Having weird looking hands

Hacky sack

Walking around in climbing-specific attire and getting the nod from the cognoscenti.

The feeling of moral superiority over hikers 

As a trad/alpine climber - the insanely cool adventures that it's opened up to me. Being able to explore and see things from a perspective very few can. I will forever think it's the coolest thing in the world to be able to do this stuff for fun

The best thing from climbing is the day-after aches and pains. Rolling out of bed and hearing the internal squeaks, cracks, and screams. ... mmmm... yummie!

B Stonebreaker wrote: But this pushing can easily creep into comparison & a toxic mindset of performing.

I have always thought of climbing as a "game"/"combat"/"fight"/"competitive dance" ... between me and the rock. Sometimes I "win", sometimes the rock "wins". So the only "comparison" I ever do is between me and myself at some other point in time. This has never turned "toxic" for me. I have never compared myself to any of my climbing buddies. Yes, I'm climbing "better" than some other climbers and some (most!) other climbers climb better than me. But I simply do not care. At all.

Luigi Mwrote:

The feeling of moral superiority over hikers 

It’s more than a feeling 

Adventure!

I don’t know if this is true, but I like to imagine that some subset of people are naturally drawn to adventure. Maybe it’s an evolutionary thing, maybe you want some of your tribe to be willing to leave and find new areas with more resources. Humans did leave Africa, after all. 

I always feel like I’m scratching some deep urge for adventure when I do big climbs or bag peaks. I know people who satisfy the same urges with traveling. I don’t know if it’s a genetic thing or if I’m just drawn to it due to my life circumstances/upbringing. 

In any case, we have thousands of years of history of humans who explore. I’m always happy to put my helmet on and do my little rock climbs to get the feeling that I’m one of them :)

This might fall under “fitness” so maybe it doesn’t count, but when I find myself in a furniture moving situation (usually helping friends or family) it’s always fun to watch them struggle to hold/carry odd or smooth shaped items, while I’m crimping a little bead or edge, acting all cool and casual. Actually, that usually pisses people off, but hey they asked for my help so I’m going to show off.

Flow state.

Clean falls are pretty cool!

I also enjoy the team work, it’s amazing to be completely in sync with someone in such a high stakes environment (especially talking bigger routes here).

The history and lore of climbing is pretty awesome.  I definitely read the rock warriors way this year and am applying it over abundantly in my life lol.

But mostly I just love wearing climbing shoes.  Sometimes, when I’m trying to really relax, I put in a nice new pair of double sized down solutions and do jumping jacks.  

A 35-year climbing partnership, brothers of the stone. Lifelong friends, a circle around the campfire, laughter, howls, bullshit and companionship. A day in the open, a night on the ground. And occasionally, every now and then, a direct connection to the circuitry of life itself.

I have always thought that climbing was sort of like being an astronaut. A different world we get to visit. Sometimes alone, mostly with friends.
Knowing the tricks of the trade do set US apart from the people who have never been lucky enough to get their. It’s a beautiful thing. 

Not looking like (as much of) a sack of shit like my other friends of the same age that don't have quirky pastimes that require hauling weight through the woods to needlessly scale a vertical face.

Also, the lessons one learns about attention to detail, self-reliance and fear management are invaluable.

Being part of a group of people who mostly don't know one another but are unique in our application of outdoor recreation feels noteworthy, because collectively, we go places physically that the vast majority of other people who don't belong to our user group never will.

Looking down, literally, at raptors in flight, instead of from the ground is something I've never experienced outside of climbing.  Seems silly, but I get a kick out of it every time it happens.

Knowing that people trust me enough to try things that they'll likely fail and fall on while I'm holding their rope is also a pretty good feeling.

Those hot tubs in the BnBs and cabin rentals are clutch when you're getting older. 

Other than all other cliches (good friends, good view, good memory), I am also fond of surviving some runouts and choss during a long day, which cures constipation, legitimize the guilty pleasure of greasy food, beer and hot tub. 

Most importantly, it puts adversaries in daily life and career in perspective. Important deadlines at work stop stressing me out. It only requires some days of crunching, and it's ok even if it's not 100% perfect. It's still way less stressful than climbing above ancient piton on some choss. This gives me a calm aura and (un)ironically makes me better at my day job.

In the world of video games, I've always loved RPGs & Puzzle games.

Rock climbing gives you the satisfaction of "leveling up" when you discover a new technique, or get stronger, send a higher grade, or send a route that used to be too hard for you.

Figuring out routes can also feel like solving a puzzle, which I love.

Plus, ever since I was a kid, I just loved the feeling of grabbing onto rocks or tree branches and moving upward. Something in our DNA that draws us to it, I think. 

All these things combined keep me hooked.

Daaaang there’s a lot of ego in this thread. I guess I’ve been climbing wrong.

I have a three-year-old nephew who has never climbed anything more than playground equipment. Every time he’s out here he’s like “climb that” at every rock or mountain he sees. I feel like “I must go up that” is a pretty basic drive that doesn’t admit of further subdivision. “Why climb?” is like asking “why eat?”