Rock climbing is super low risk. Especially if you do it indoors.
Mountain climbing and cave diving have so many factors outside your control it might as well be flipping a few coins and if they all come up heads, you die. At least in more controlled environments, even if that environment is still outside but in a well used rock climbing spot, your chances of death and/or dismemberment are much lower.
Every public crag sign and responsible gym will tell you that climbing is an inherently dangerous sport. We’ve had people die at the very “safe” gyms here. They make you sign wavers for a reason.
The point is those sentiments you’re espousing invite risk. Every action is mitigation, not assumption of safety. I don’t climb with people that talk like this for a reason.
my point, which spawned the conversation, was that mountain climbing and cave diving are far far more dangerous than rock climbing, which I don’t really think is up for debate. Someone just took that to mean “rock climbing is not dangerous as all” which is a separate statement.
You never let anyone who you don’t trust belay you ever, that’s given.
I like auto-belays, since those are guaranteed to be serviced regularly in good gyms. But at one point they are not enough, and you need a partner that you can trust your life with.
But I keep telling people that climbing reponsibly indoors is safer than many other activities, simply because you are aware of risks and are equiped to handle almost everything. Which is not the case for many outdoor activities.
I’ve seen a rock fall next to the belayers from the top, and only survived because the climbers fall pulled them closer to the wall, narrowly missing the head. They did not have a helmet on.
“Mountain climbing” is a generic term. It doesn’t refer to a specific activity. I’ve climbed plenty of mountains. Half of them were a nice, leisurely 1-3 hour hike requiring nothing more than a free afternoon, a water bottle and a day pack with a couple snacks.
I’m kind of confused by the responses here. Idk if you guys just need to go outside more, or maybe I’m just spoiled, as at least half of the cities and towns where I’m at have at least one local peak. A lot of them are glorified hills with a good view. Many of them don’t even have a view, but it’s still fun to go up, be in nature, and see the different habitats, zones, and natural features as you go up. This is a casual activity for a great number of people. Some mountains even have actual paved roads/paths that gently take you up, but I prefer trails, unless I’m on my bike.
“Mountain climbing” doesn’t have to equate to Everest/K2/etc. There are a vast number of levels to it. There are still dangers to what I do at my preferred level, but the life-threatening stuff typically only happens on much bigger mountains.
Maybe it’s just me, but when someone says “mountain climbing” I assume actual climbing takea place.
Not a leisurely stroll on a hiking trail.
I think the fact that most people are acting as though they expect actual climbing as well is enough to say the general thought of mountain climbing is not to hike a trail to the top.
Correct.
Rock climbing is super low risk. Especially if you do it indoors.
Mountain climbing and cave diving have so many factors outside your control it might as well be flipping a few coins and if they all come up heads, you die. At least in more controlled environments, even if that environment is still outside but in a well used rock climbing spot, your chances of death and/or dismemberment are much lower.
Every public crag sign and responsible gym will tell you that climbing is an inherently dangerous sport. We’ve had people die at the very “safe” gyms here. They make you sign wavers for a reason.
Mostly when you fuck up.
Very, extremely rarely is it due to the equipment.
But you can die thousands of ways even inside your home.
Climbing if done responsively is safer than walking in some parts.
The point is those sentiments you’re espousing invite risk. Every action is mitigation, not assumption of safety. I don’t climb with people that talk like this for a reason.
my point, which spawned the conversation, was that mountain climbing and cave diving are far far more dangerous than rock climbing, which I don’t really think is up for debate. Someone just took that to mean “rock climbing is not dangerous as all” which is a separate statement.
Kind of like that “oh so you hate waffles” meme.
You never let anyone who you don’t trust belay you ever, that’s given.
I like auto-belays, since those are guaranteed to be serviced regularly in good gyms. But at one point they are not enough, and you need a partner that you can trust your life with.
But I keep telling people that climbing reponsibly indoors is safer than many other activities, simply because you are aware of risks and are equiped to handle almost everything. Which is not the case for many outdoor activities.
I’ve seen a rock fall next to the belayers from the top, and only survived because the climbers fall pulled them closer to the wall, narrowly missing the head. They did not have a helmet on.
That’s nice, but I was saying it’s less dangerous, and not insane. Not that it’s not dangerous at all.
“Mountain climbing” is a generic term. It doesn’t refer to a specific activity. I’ve climbed plenty of mountains. Half of them were a nice, leisurely 1-3 hour hike requiring nothing more than a free afternoon, a water bottle and a day pack with a couple snacks.
I’m kind of confused by the responses here. Idk if you guys just need to go outside more, or maybe I’m just spoiled, as at least half of the cities and towns where I’m at have at least one local peak. A lot of them are glorified hills with a good view. Many of them don’t even have a view, but it’s still fun to go up, be in nature, and see the different habitats, zones, and natural features as you go up. This is a casual activity for a great number of people. Some mountains even have actual paved roads/paths that gently take you up, but I prefer trails, unless I’m on my bike.
“Mountain climbing” doesn’t have to equate to Everest/K2/etc. There are a vast number of levels to it. There are still dangers to what I do at my preferred level, but the life-threatening stuff typically only happens on much bigger mountains.
Maybe it’s just me, but when someone says “mountain climbing” I assume actual climbing takea place.
Not a leisurely stroll on a hiking trail.
I think the fact that most people are acting as though they expect actual climbing as well is enough to say the general thought of mountain climbing is not to hike a trail to the top.