Why We Climb

Book excerpt: Why We Climb is a celebration, in word and image, of those aspects of the climbing life that are most universal, meaningful, and long lasting— the strong connection to partners and nature; the physical and mental mastery required (and how to achieve it); the rewards of exploring oneself and the world through climbing. Through interviews with some of North America’s most notable climbers the book undertakes a quest to find the soul of climbing— asking what compels men and women to dedicate their lives to the challenges and deprivations of living in a vertical world? What are the sacrifices and what are the rewards? And most importantly, can the lessons learned on cliff faces, frozen waterfalls, and alpine peaks— lessons of respect, discipline, commitment, humility and simplicity—be brought home and used to benefit society as a whole?