Mountaineers - are they all stark, raving mad?

Mountaineering and insanity

Ahhh, the cool mountain air. The rush of adrenaline coursing through your body as you ascend the mountain. The feeling of your muscles tensing up and the thrill of holding on for dear life. The sound of your body hitting the ground after falling to your death. Welcome to the wonderful world of mountain climbing.

Sorry to all you mountain climbers out there, but is this really something someone with a sense of sanity takes into consideration? Okay, everyone understands the idea of thrill seeking and adding some excitement to your life, but perhaps something a little more logical is in order. Think about it for a minute. What is at the top of the mountain? Is it any different than standing on solid ground? Actually, isn't it the same thing except for the fact that you're really high? Or maybe it's the fact that you're really high that made you try to scale the mountain in the first place. Wait a minute, let's take that back. Anyone whose really high likely wouldn't want to scale a wall, never mind a mountain, so it must be something else.

Perhaps there's something to think about here. If someone who is in a state of mental impairment finds it illogical to try mountain climbing, what is that saying about someone who is totally coherent and wants to give it a go? A new study between the correlation of mountain climbing and insanity may just be in order.

Since we're on the subject of safety; how about looking at insurance? If you're a UK resident and your idea of fun is freezing your b******s off in the snow, ice and raging gales of a deadly precipice you may be turned down by direct line insurance and let's face it you're hardly likely to want to know about something as pansy as hairdresser insurance, and don't even think about using your tattered tent on the Eiger for home office insurance.

For some odd reason, it seems that man has been fascinated by this wacky activity for centuries. Many have fallen to their death, while a lucky few have completed their journey and reached the peak. Was there a magic pot of gold waiting for them? Was there some mountain fairy awaiting their arrival wanting to grant them three wishes? Was the hardest thing that they likely have ever done in their lives able to give them the sense of accomplishment that can change their life? All valid questions for trying to come up with a reason for this insanity.

Did you feel the same sense of accomplishment watching your partner fall to his death? When the body hit the ground, did it make a thud or a splat? No, climbing a mountain isn't going to change your life.

Depending on the situation, however, it could make you want to change your underwear.

Sense of accomplishment, you say. Try a crossword puzzle, or for something a little more exciting maybe you could try and make it home as quickly as possible in rush hour traffic. You could have an accident, but at least you won't have to worry about plunging to your death off the side of a mountain.