climbers and mountaineering
[Anyone who’s actually done any mountaineering might relate to this more… Also maybe mountaineering is an exaggeration, I might consider changing it to hiking 😉 Actually these are just unstructured initial thoughts, I suppose this post will probably get edited over time – but no idea when… and below please regard him = him/her]
Mountaineering can be quite an educational experience…
A mountain can have different levels, kind of like layers. While going upwards, a climber may see only one or two levels which deceptively look like the summit. He feels encouraged to climb faster thinking he’s almost there. But when he reaches that point, he is confronted with almost exactly the same view again! The slope goes further and this time it looks like it has to really be the summit!
I suppose a climber who comes across this time and again requires a certain amount of faith that this will not go on forever – there really is a summit at the end 🙂 Though there are plenty of times this can get hopelessly tested, its up to the climber on how much he can motivate himself to keep going!
Nevertheless, there are some who climb straight up a mountain with a pointed single-mindedness and reach the top straightaway. Very serious. No wastage of time. No dilly dallying for any kind of nonsense.
There are others, lets call such a climber a SeasonedClimber, who after climbing upwards for sometime, come downwards or sidewards again once in a way to walk alonside different other climbers [LearnerClimbers], or to get a different view or take pictures or countless other totally inane reasons. Who don’t feel that the top of the mountain is necessarily better than these other places, even though the view keeps getting better as one keeps going higher [except if one walks through some clouds at higher altitudes where visibility becomes really low. This makes a beautiful view by itself, but most people don’t seem to agree.].
Sometimes such a SeasonedClimber climber may get stuck in a lot of bushes or in dangerous precarious territory and may find it hard to work his way out of it. Finds out the hard way that there’s not much value in the learning from the previous such situation, because the next one is totally unique and more difficult. However, takes delight in discovering or creating new paths out of every such situation. Then maybe goes back down the same place again to share the discovery with anyone else down there who may be interested. A lot of time and energy is wasted in such situations especially in going back to find that a majority of LearnerClimbers aren’t even interested that a further way exists. But still he does these things time and time again – believing that he’ll get the hang of it, may [or may not] be enough to some day totally overcome the space and time constraints of the mountain itself.
By the time the SeasonedClimber reaches the top, he typically has the least time for rest and relaxation there because effectively he has climbed up twice and is among the last ones. When he reached there it was almost time to go back down again. But somehow he is one of those who was most enthusiastic and least tired as well.
Some LearnerClimbers are better off left to themselves; they prefer to just be alone and not being helped. In some occasions, the SeasonedClimber may decide its better the other person struggles and discovers the way out by himself, so that he gets a chance to discover the same delight as the original climber had got earlier. This requires a bit of patience and maturity on behalf of the SeasonedClimber.
Some other LearnerClimbers are simply pessimistic, or whose optimism eventually breaks down, saying that theres no point in going up, their legs %$&@@!!! ache and so on. These are the LearnerClimbers who seem to most greatly appreciate a SeasonedClimber’s company – even if he doesn’t say anything, but simply climbs quietly along with them when all others have left them behind. Sometimes he may offer to take some weight off their backs, or share some water (a very precious commodity).
Then there are some LearnerClimbers who simply give up and sit down saying the rest of you carry on, I’ll just stay here or go back. Typically because he may be convinced that he is not progressing at all. However some with patience and persistence after some cribbing, keep going, without any expectations, inspite of the lack of immediate visibility of progress… it requires a certain amount of trust to continue to do this! “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!” For the rest, there may not be much value in anybody trying to convince them beyond a certain point, though some try!
The same climber who is a LearnerClimber struggling hard on an intimidating mountain with rough terrain may on another climb surprisingly find himself being an effortless SeasonedClimber on a relatively simpler mountain (though it looks equally intimidating for others).
Important: Even a SeasonedClimber is as vulnerable to slipping, skidding or tripping as much as anybody else, any time.
In fact as SeasonedClimbers came across different levels, they might start taking things for granted thinking that this is just one more level like the countless I’ve scaled so far, and they may fail to notice some subtle differences in terrain that are to be treated with a little more respect.
Mountains are extremely unforgiving. Overconfidence or lax in alertness for a SeasonedClimber is as disastrous as fear, uncertainity or indecision for a LearnerClimber – it might well meet with disaster! More than the physical injury itself, one may end up with a kind of regret [totally unnecessary in hindsight actually] for burdening others with supporting them.
However, it may happen, or perhaps it is almost inevitable, that either a Learned or SeasonedClimber at times falls from a great height, goes tumbling down and finally stops bruised and frustrated *”Oh I was all the way up there, just because of one foolish blunder, I’ve ended up coming back to such depths!”* Among those who fall, some may retire from climbing alltogether, since it has proved to be a total waste. While there are others who start again with renewed determination. And those that start again, discover with delight that their previous climb was not a waste, because though their body might have temporarily weakened because of the fall, their *ability to climb* that lies *within them* has strengthened! And they end up reaching the same height as earlier much easier, and continue from there to keep going further!
Note: I think anybody can end up being in any of the above roles in different situations.
Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding others that they know just as well as you. You are all learners, doers, teachers …
– Richard Bach
Another Note: All this is just a retrospective reflection of past mountaineering experiences. Its important to note that whenever I’ve actually been mountaineering – in any of the roles, I was only doing the mountaineering, I was never looking at any bigger philosophical aspects behind it 😉 but purely following whatever I felt like doing!
See also:
The Mountain
Hill Walking In Snowdonia
Recently came across the following article by Paulo Coelho: (I particularly liked the last line!)
source: “Warrior of the Light, a http://www.paulocoelho.com.br publication.”
Manual for climbing mountains
A] Choose the mountain you want to climb: don’t pay attention to what other people say, such as “that one’s more beautiful†or “this one’s easierâ€. You’ll be spending lots of energy and enthusiasm to reach your objective, so you’re the only one responsible and you should be sure of what you’re doing.
B] Know how to get close to it: mountains are often seen from far off – beautiful, interesting, full of challenges. But what happens when we try to draw closer? Roads run all around them, flowers grow between you and your objective, what seemed so clear on the map is tough in real life. So try all the paths and all the tracks until eventually one day you’re standing in front of the top that you yearn to reach.
C] Learn from someone who has already been up there: no matter how unique you feel, there is always someone who has had the same dream before you and ended up leaving marks that can make your journey easier; places to hang the rope, trails, broken branches to make the walking easier. The climb is yours, so is the responsibility, but don’t forget that the experience of others can help a lot.
D] When seen up close, dangers are controllable: when you begin to climb the mountain of your dreams, pay attention to the surroundings. There are cliffs, of course. There are almost imperceptible cracks in the mountain rock. There are stones so polished by storms that they have become as slippery as ice. But if you know where you are placing each footstep, you will notice the traps and how to get around them.
E] The landscape changes, so enjoy it: of course, you have to have an objective in mind – to reach the top. But as you are going up, more things can be seen, and it’s no bother to stop now and again and enjoy the panorama around you. At every meter conquered, you can see a little further, so use this to discover things that you still had not noticed.
F] Respect your body: you can only climb a mountain if you give your body the attention it deserves. You have all the time that life grants you, as long as you walk without demanding what can’t be granted. If you go too fast you will grow tired and give up half way there. If you go too slow, night will fall and you will be lost. Enjoy the scenery, take delight in the cool spring water and the fruit that nature generously offers you, but keep on walking.
G] Respect your soul: don’t keep repeating “I’m going to make itâ€. Your soul already knows that, what it needs is to use the long journey to be able to grow, stretch along the horizon, touch the sky. An obsession does not help you at all to reach your objective, and even ends up taking the pleasure out of the climb. But pay attention: also, don’t keep saying “it’s harder than I thoughtâ€, because that will make you lose your inner strength.
H] Be prepared to climb one kilometer more: the way up to the top of the mountain is always longer than you think. Don’t fool yourself, the moment will arrive when what seemed so near is still very far. But since you were prepared to go beyond, this is not really a problem.
I] Be happy when you reach the top: cry, clap your hands, shout to the four winds that you did it, let the wind – the wind is always blowing up there – purify your mind, refresh your tired and sweaty feet, open your eyes, clean the dust from your heart. It feels so good, what was just a dream before, a distant vision, is now part of your life, you did it!
J] Make a promise: now that you have discovered a force that you were not even aware of, tell yourself that from now on you will use this force for the rest of your days. Preferably, also promise to discover another mountain, and set off on another adventure.
L] Tell your story: yes, tell your story! Give your example. Tell everyone that it’s possible, and other people will then have the courage to face their own mountains.
Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
by Dr. Seuss
Excellent thinking, Sanjay. Having done a bit of mountaineering/trekking myself, I can relate to what you are saying.
One more observation, from my personal experience 🙂 For the LearnerClimber, the attitude of the people around influences him to a great extent. If everybody around is cribbing, and complaining of pain, you can be sure that he will also start feeling tired in no time at all. But if everybody is enthusiastic, then in spite of being really tired, the enthusiasm which would have rubbed off on him, will urge him to go on.
So the moral of the story – choose good companions 😀
Thanks Shruti.
Sometimes the people who are cribbing are the ones who suddenly when motivated or in the right situation, walk much more than expected. And the ones who were spirited may suddenly lose their spirit later on. So in my opinion we shouldn’t get too involved with choosing companions, but rather see whatever positive things are there in the current companions provided by circumstances, and maybe try to be the change one wishes to see in them.
Of course that’s just a generic opinion, in many situations what you’ve said is on the dot, beyond a certain extent, one definitely can get demotivated as well! So given the choice might do much better to switch to (or look for) better companions 🙂
Sanjay,
Never climbed a mountain in my life. But I have heard stories by those who have been in some precarious situations and some wonderful ones.
Liked the quote by Richard Bach.
And is it true that coming down is more difficult than climbing up?
~ Warrior of Light, Paulo Coelho
Btw Bellur had missed the question in your comment earlier… is it more difficult to come down than climb up… heh heh I think it depends sometimes that’s true if its a really steep precarious descent. The hands are facing the mountain while going upwards so its easier to grab a handhold if foothold is lost, but not the same while going downward. The balance is better while going up than down. Posture is an important factor, and once I was advised to walk sideways so that I get a better grip.
this article is so boring! Some good points here and there but bit diluted – needs some – er – lots of editing (trimming) 🙂 Apologies for any unfortunate readers who wasted their precious time here, but hope atleast few points here and there provided some ROI of your time 🙂