Does Climbing Hard Matter?

In his latest TNB, Andrew Bisharat asks if hard climbing matters. You know, all those folks out there crushing routes that are impressively difficult. It’s easy to dismiss his question with a simple no, all that matters is having fun, but I think there’s more to it than that, and to pass it off so easily does a disservice to what you can get out of actually trying to climb “hard.” **

Trying hard in climbing is one of the more incredible experiences you can have. Drawing upon all your skill, your strength, your mental fortitude to move yourself up a rock, it’s so meaningless, and yet can be profound on so many levels.

How we climb is often a reflection of how we react to many things in life, and in that sense, perhaps climbing hard can help us improve upon certain character flaws that are holding us back, both on the rock and in life itself. I used to have a big hang up with climbing in front of other folks, how my friends at Rifle might see me struggling on their warms ups, and oh no, what will they think? That’s some heavy baggage to be carrying around, and was an energy sink that wasn’t making getting up said “warm ups” any easier.

Once I learned to cast off that baggage, and focus instead on the process of figuring out a new route, my enjoyment of climbing greatly improved. I stopped worrying about what others thought, and instead focused on my experience, pushing myself harder, and learning new things about what I’m capable of. And in that sense, climbing “hard” helped me move past this thing that was not just weighing me down in climbing, but probably in other areas of life as well.

We live a safe and comfortable existence as Americans, but climbing hard gives us a chance to step outside that comfort, and that’s where real learning and discovery can occur. It can, of course,  be scary and unnerving, and there’s nothing wrong with going out and keeping things mellow, and enjoying the simple act of climbing for what it is. But for me, climbing “hard” is where I learn the most about myself, and in that sense, yeah, it matters.

How about for you, does climbing “hard” matter?

** “hard” is obviously relative to each individual, and I’ve put it in quotes to denote that “hard” is whatever level you personally find challenging or difficult.