Equipment Checklist - Hands and Head

I finally arrived at the important bits of the body that keep me alive - me hands and head.  

The Head

The head is fairly self-explanatory in terms of its importance.  Freeze your head, freeze your body.  Thus, I have a fair bit of head and neck protection to not only protect my head from injury but also keep the heat in my body.  Here are my head items:

From the top left and rotating clockwise, I have my tuque (beanie, watch cap, or whatever you wish to call it) that sits atop me head pretty much all day and night.  I love this hat.  It doesn't do much for my ears but it sure keeps the heat from escaping through my noggin'.  Next, I have my climbing helmet (with attached headlamp).  You all know the purpose of a helmet so I will move on.  The attached light comes off but I figured I would strap it on in the picture to show you that the helmet does accommodate a head light.  You'll see next to my helmet is another light just in case the first one dies.  A head lamp is essential for night climbing and a mountaineer caught out without one is often a former mountaineer; thus, I bring two.  These LED lights are light and relatively tough.  Better safe than sorry.  Just below my helmet are my goggles.  These are really comfortable when it is cold but they are next to useless when it is warm and the climb is challenging.  They fog up and drive me nuts.  I prefer my sunglasses (below and to the right of the goggles) for most conditions.  Those glasses have seen me through thick and thin.  What makes them really functional on the glacier is the Beko.  If you have not seen the Beko, I strongly encourage you to check 'em out.  This contraption fits on the sunglasses and protects your nose.  I prefer the Beko to constantly lathering on sunscreen (or sun block - if you prefer that wording) because this thing just works and I don't need to fuss with getting white stuff all over my climbing gear.  It is one thing to get a little zinc oxide on your gear if you are out for a few days but when you are out for weeks, the white mess gets irritating.  So, check out the Beko in action:

Next, to the far right is my extreme weather face mask.  I only resort to this thing when the winds are extreme (greater than 40 mph) and I need to get someplace.  Usually, this thing stays in my bag for all but the craziest conditions.  To the left of the heavy-duty face mask is my balaclava.  I use this when I need to keep my ears, head, heck, and face protected.  In other words, rarely do I need it but when I do, it is unbeatable for true warmth.  My every-day preference is the Buff.  I own two types, the thin, standard one (bottom) and the thicker, insulated one (bottom left).  I like the insulated one because of the furry inside but it often keeps me too warm; the light buff is just right.  Together, all these items allow my body to retain heat and protect me from falling objects (helmet), the sun, and the wind.  

The Hands

My hand covers

We humans have an unmistakable advantage over other species in that we have hands with opposable thumbs.  I prefer to keep that advantage by protecting my hands as much as possible.  In fact, without hands and functioning digits, I might find it hard to write this blog.  Hand protection comes in multiple forms.  Above is a picture of my assorted items I find useful (and intend to pack for this trip).  Top left sits my summit mitts (OR Alti mitts).  Those puppies are warm - in fact too warm for my hands under most conditions.  I prefer my fleece gloves (top right) for most chilly and dry conditions.  My hands - like my feet - run warm.  Below my fleece gloves are my workhorse gloves.  These are useful in temperatures between -20 and 10 degrees F; colder than -20 and my finger tips get cold and warmer than 10 degrees and my hands are sopping wet from sweat.  My real favorites are split at the bottom.  These MH gloves - not sure the name - are my trusted companions.   I ski with these and wear them to about 10 degrees.  They breath, keep my hands dry, and allow me full dexterity - or what little I usually maintain.  Finally, the mitts below my summit mitts are just backups.  I actually prefer these to my OR ones for almost all conditions - save for the extreme cold.  Warm hands might sound comfortable but they are not.  When my hands get too warm, they sweat and the sweat turns to ice.  I prefer a slight chill to ice-encrusted hands any day.

That is all for this morning.  Stay tuned for my last preparation email regarding my exercise, mood, and sleep.  Not much to report but enough to finalize my preparation history.  See you soon....

Equipment Checklist - Upper Body

The next post covers my upper body.  I decided to put a few things in this section that may easily fit into lower body.  Here goes...

The first item is my down suit.  I have yet to wear something so extensively insulated as this suit but if it insulates as well as my sleeping bag, I expect to be toasty warm.  Here is a picture of the suit laid out on my office floor (see photo to the right).  Next to my down suit is my stretch thermal suit (mid-weight intermediate layer).  Together, they make a mighty combination to fend off the cold.  I chose the suit based upon many reviews and friends' suggestions.  The stretch suit was recommended by Alan Arnette - via his great equipment review blog post.  I have yet to wear either of these but I look forward to their cold-fighting power.  

Next, I have my base layers and mid-weight layers.  The base layer top (bottom of the picture to the left) is the complement to my X-bionic bottoms.  I love this top.  Yep, just as pricey as the bottoms but well worth it.  The middle, black top is my middle-weight REI layer that I love to wear between the X-bionic base layer and my hard shell top (pictured below).  Together, these three layers can easily take me down to about zero degrees when I climb.  I love how light they are and how they wick the sweat from me.  Not sure I have ever been sweaty or cold with those three layers.  Finally, the top purple top is my Patagonia Nano Puff pullover.  The color ain't my choice but this top keeps me toasty warm after climbing.  I throw this over my hard shell jacket when I come into camp.  If it is not terribly cold, this pullover keeps the warmth in and even allows the sweat to escape.  

The next two layers - pictured above - are critical to almost all high-alpine climbs. When the going gets cold, there is nothing better than a big ol' puffy down jacket.  This MH parka served me well for many years.  I love it.  It comes in handy when I roll into camp after a long hard day of climbing.  The best part is it stuffs down into a grapefruit size ball - via a compression sack.  Next to my down parka is my new GoLite hard-shell.  I wore it for a few days in Utah recently and it performed as well if not better than anything I wore in recent memory.  Best of all, the jacket is extremely light.  I will let you know how it performs later.  

That about wraps up my upper body.  The next post provides details about what covers my head and hands.

Equipment Checklist - Lower body

The two previous equipment posts covered my climbing gear and then my footwear.  Here, I show you what I pack for my lower body.  Let me begin with the layers I plan to spend most of my time wearing (see Figure to the right).  My Patagonia R1 pants sit at the top of the picture.  These mid-weight pants sit over my base layer (at the bottom of the picture) and underneath either my hard shell pants (to the right) or my insulated (not down) pants that sit to the left of my hard shells.  I just purchased these hard shell pants and love 'em.  They are from GoLite and live up to their name - light.  I already climbed once in them and found them to be as comfortable if not more so than any other hard shell pants I previously owned.  One huge benefit is the built in suspenders and full side zips.  I can take these off with my crampons without having to fuss with anything else; the suspenders even open up so I can fish them from underneath my top layers.  

The most important piece in this picture is what sits at the bottom - both in the picture and on my body.  The pants at the bottom are my X-bionic base layer and these things rock.  I cannot recall how much they cost but I can assure you that I (and my tent mates) can attest to the fact that they keep me warm and do not stink.  The former I know full well; the latter, you might need to ask some of my current and former tent mates.  I can wear these things for weeks on end and they never stink.  Plus, they keep me warm, wick the sweat off me, and never bunch up.  I might sound like a sales rep for X-bionic but if you saw the price tag you might realize why I feel compelled to sell 'em.  Yeah, long underwear shouldn't cost $250 but these do and they are well worth it.  I bring these and only these while others shell out $100 each for smart wool base layers that bunch up, die after a few climbs, and do not insulate as well as these things.  OK, enough selling.

That just about covers my legs.  There are a few other minor pieces that may be classified as feet/leg like my gaitors or just usual lower body clothing (e.g., underwear).  I am not sure I need to detail those.  Suffice it to say that I plan to take 6 pairs of Ex-Officio boxers so I do not put off that many fellow climbers.

Equipment checklist - Feet

The previous equipment post covered climbing gear.  I left off with a nice picture of my toes and that setup this follow-up on what protects them.  So, without further adieu, here goes...

First, the technical footwear.  From left to right, we have my overboots - made of neoprene and add insulation to my already insulated mountaineering boot (third from left).  The next item is my inner boot or boot liner that provides a nice cushion to my soon-to-be banged up feet.  I sleep in these to dry them out and keep 'em warm.  If they are too wet, I just put them in the bottom of my sleeping bag to dry out.  Wearing wet boots gives you what is often referred to as trench foot - an unpleasant decaying of your foot skin.  I highly recommend avoiding trench foot if at all possible.  My feet stink enough already; having my skin fall off will only make matter worse.  Next in line is the outer boot that easily slips over the boot liner.  These boots have a rigid sole that enable me to put my crampons on almost like ski boots clip into ski bindings.  I love these boots.  They fit me.  The last in this lineup is the full assembly.  You can see the overboot snugly placed over the outer boot that houses the inner boot.  This three layer system is guaranteed (yeah, right) to keep my feet toasty - even in the harshest environments.  Actually, the truth of the matter is that my feet run extremely warm and I doubt I will ever resort to using the overboots.  They are useful as backups.  

Next, I want to show you what I wear inside the mountaineering setup above and alternative footwear (see Figure to the right).  From top left and clockwise, I have my approach shoes.  These are good hiking shoes that allow my feet to breath while also offering me support.  I like these shoes because they have a stiff sole and can be used up to pretty good pitches without needing to swap out footwear.  Next (top right) are my down booties.  These things are heavenly.  While hanging out in my tent in storm conditions, I love putting these puppies on and letting my feet recover from the abuse they take while in my mountaineering boots (with crampons).  Nothing feels better than putting these on after a hard day.  The middle row consists (from left to right) of light to heavier socks that give me plenty of choices throughout the climb.  I prefer the light socks for almost all climbs because they allow my feet to cool off.  The higher altitude on Everest, however, mandates that I do everything in my power to keep my feet warm.  Thus, I have warmer, thicker socks to accompany the thinner ones.  On the bottom row are my trusty flip-flops.  I wear flip-flops year round and I intend to wear them for most of my trek up to basecamp.  As I noted above, my feet run warm and I want to preserve my feet and let them breath for as long as possible.  

Hotronics e4

Finally, just in case I run into problems with cold feet, I just purchased the Hotronics e4 boot warmers.  I have yet to install them but intend to do so in the next day or so...whenever I have some free time.  Many people struggle with cold feet and swear by these warmers.  Amazon has a fair number of negative reviews too so I will keep you posted on their functioning.  

Well, all done with this post.  Back to work and time to pack some more.  Next up...lower body.

Equipment checklist - climbing gear

With only six more days until I depart, I am starting to pack.  There are plenty of days and time to pick up anything missing plus I can always grab some last-second things in Kathmandu.  The point of this post and many that follow is to document what I intend to pack.  I have pictures and explanations of all the equipment.  Today's post or at least this post covers my climbing gear.  
Index:

Crampons - close-up view

1.  Crampons with anti-bailing plates (orange things) and tip covers (black/grey things on the pointy ends).  These puppies go on my climbing boots and keep me from slipping on firm snow/ice.  Crampons are the most important pieces of equipment for safety - at least as far as the lower body is concerned.  I also have the tip covers on my crampons and use these throughout the expedition because they protect my pack from getting pierced and they weight much less than an crampon bag.  Highly recommended.

Ice axe

2.  Ice axe (piolet) with leash and tip covers:  The ice axe is to the upper body as crampons are to the lower body.  I use the ice axe for upper body purchase and for self-arrest (stop yourself from sliding down the mountain).  The tip protectors are used for transit and get left in the expedition bag once I am on the hill.  They add unnecessary weight but they sure do save bags.  

3.  Climbing harness:  I use a standard alpine bod harness because it is relatively light, easy to put on and take off, and I can use it with mittens without having to take them off.  This harness has four accessory loops that I find particularly useful - especially when I am a little light-headed and cannot locate a carabiner with ease.  

4.  Ascender (jumar) with two locking carabiners:  The ascender is for ... you guessed it .... ascending (going up) the fixed ropes.  A cam mechanism with sharp pointy teeth clamp down on the rope and only allow the device to slide up the rope.  Think of shark teeth.  If you pet these teeth one directly they are merely bumpy - petting them in the wrong direction causes some slight pain.  Any pressure in the downward direction causes the teeth to bite into the rope and for the device to stop (along with you).  The two locking carabiners keep you attached to the 

5.  Figure Eight (8) with locking carabiner:  This device enables the climber to clip into a rope and abseil (rappel) down without a huge hassle.  Many times high up on mountains, fixed ropes are frozen and cannot pass through the usual rappel device.  A figure 8 makes the rappel easier to setup.  I have mine clipped into the short end of my cow's tail.

Cow's Tail

6.  Cow's Tail:  There are many renditions of this setup but the one I found most useful was depicted by the simple diagram below.  As you will see, the two tails have locking carabiners that connect to the ascender.  The short tail connects to the bottom of the ascender (and to you) and the long tail gets connected to the top of the ascender and holds the fixed rope in place.  As you see from the diagram to the right, I have my figure 8 connected to my abseiling loop already.  I would not climb with that complete setup - too heavy.  Instead, I would either use only the carabiners if there were little chance of a fall or I would use the two carabiners with the ascender for steeper ascents.  For easier descents, I would merely clip in with the carabiners for safety and abseil with the fixed rope wrapped around my arm.  On steeper, less safe descents, I would use the figure 8.  For a really thorough discussion, I recommend you visit this page. <----click font="" left.="" text="" the="" to="">

7.  "Double" Dynex runner:  This cord is for attaching my ascender under some conditions that do not warrant the cow's tail.  Actually, I bring this along regardless of it's intended use.  These runners are almost always useful at some point in some situation.  They weight next to nothing and offer backup for my cow's tail.

8.  Wire (non-locking) carabiners:  Now is a good time to introduce the difference between locking and non-locking carabiners.  Locking carabiners have various mechanisms that "lock" the device from opening.  Under conditions where you life depends upon the carabiner to hold you, locking it makes the most sense.  Non-lockers are good when speed is the most pressing issue and safety - although unimportant - becomes less relevant in terms of the carabiner than the safety that comes from descending quickly.

9.  Trekking poles:  I usually find these helpful when I am carrying a heavy pack.  The trek into the south base camp may require some hefting, I decided to take these along.  The sharp points can be saved by tip-savers (i.e., rubber cups that fit snugly onto the sharp ends).  

10.  Climbing gear bag:  A very light mesh bag is useful to keep all these elements - save for the sharp objects - together in one nice neat location.  Scattered gear gets beaten up and that beating can shorten the life of these critical, safety tools.  I love this mesh bag because it weighs nothing (maybe an ounce) and stores a ton of gear without holding water/ice/snow.  

A final note.  Just for accounting purposes after the trip,  I included a picture of my 10 toes - partly by accident.  Note that I will come back with all of them because of the equipment I packed for my feet.  Expect that in my next post.   

That one thing

Six days to go until I take off.  Today, I have some thoughts to post about the upcoming climb.

Imagine waking up, stumbling out of bed, tripping on a shoe, and hitting your shin on the end of the bed frame.  I occasionally do that after a long night in the tent.  How do I feel?  Not good.  That feeling then extends to other aspects of my day - slowly gaining momentum until I start feeling frustrated with everything.  Sound familiar?  Well, maybe you are better than me.  That scenario didn't happen to me today but it paints the perfect picture of a series of events that often color my days.  The events are singular and intrusive;  they change the way I view myself, others, or the future.  I call it "that one thing."

I am not a sensitive guy nor am I terribly grumpy but many events nudge me toward a mood or outlook.  A colleague may compliment me, another driver may cut me off, or I may read something inspiring.  These "things" affect me - sometimes against all my willful efforts to resist them.  Climbing seems to amplify that "one thing" more than any other context.  Climbers experience setbacks and triumphs.  How we respond to those experiences often sets up a series of events that color our view of the climb.

Many of you probably appreciate the fact that I am a preparer.  I try to over-prepare for most major things in my life.  When I trained for competitions, I often thought about what else I could do to address a concern, a worry, or a weakness.  I read.  I train.  I think.  That is just who I am.  Preparation includes both the physical and the psychological.  Today's post is about preparing for the psychological problems I am certain to encounter while I climb.

Consider a few relevant "things" that will certainly color my days ahead.

1. Slow acclimatization:  Every climber acclimatizes to high altitude at a different rate.  Predicting who acclimatizes quickest remains one of the big questions in high altitude medicine.  Several promising biomarkers exist but we never use them nor would we climbers offer our blood for inspection before an expedition.  Instead, we all work at roughly the same rate up the hill with the aim to adjust to the higher altitudes.  Many of us experience minor setbacks in the process; in fact, I doubt anyone is immune to these setbacks.  I recall on Denali that my spO2 fell below 70% after a particularly hard (and memorable) day.  That low level spooked me and I considered slowing down or taking a day off.  Fortunately, I recovered quickly and went on to summit two days later.  I was surrounded by a strong team and their strength gave me strength.  Not everyone was so fortunate.   Several people I chatted with in the high camps became so focused on their slow acclimatization that they focused on the spO2 level and failed to do something more productive.  How we react to the acclimatization signs can color not just a day but many days following.  What am I going to do if I am slow to acclimatize?  Relax.  There are many rest days built into the itinerary.  I plan to focus on acclimatizing for the real summit push and not worry about setbacks along the way.  Avoiding HAPE and HACE are my goal so I have no problem taking my time.  Acclimatizing can be a slow process.  I know I have already put in enough time in my tent; now I need to put in time on the hill.  Relaxing along the way will increase my chances of a successful acclimatization routine.
2. Expedition conflict:  Climbers tend to be strong individuals; group activities rarely fall into their comfort zone.  Big climbs like Mt. Everest require big teams or expeditions.  The logistics and sheer magnitude of the effort cannot be practically managed without numbers.  Some people - particularly the elite - perform well enough in small groups but it is so rare for anyone to climb solo.  What happens when you mix the rugged individualist with forced team membership?  Conflict.  I have been on expeditions where conflict was the primary memory that lasts well after the climb.  That conflict just drains the energy from the team.  In many instances, every team member strives to distance him or herself from the rest of the team.  A huge blowout may affect the team's performance.  The "one thing" could be a comment or even a sideward glance that trips off further conflict.  Avoiding conflict by discussing differences may reduce the total impact but conflict seems unavoidable up high.  Our brains do not function well and emotions often get the best of us.   I plan to read my books and keep at peace with all around me.  Being a good citizen helps reduce the conflict.  I can only control one side but I will control my side.  Peace.
3. First signs of illness:  Everyone gets some sort of bug while climbing.  Apparently, Everest offers us a whole host of bacteria and virus that afflict us all.  Those first signs often precede thoughts of dread and hopelessness.  If I know I will get sick, how will I prepare for it?   Prevention:  a) reduce my exposure to these pathogens by trekking a bit faster through the lower, crowded sections of the approach, b) washing my hands religiously before all meals and after all washroom breaks, c) avoid uncooked foods that contain these beasties.  Treatment:  I intend to treat any problem early with the appropriate medication.  Focus:  Finally, I will remind myself that almost all successful climbers experience AND overcome illness.  Getting sick is not a knockout punch for an expedition.  
4. Speed and social comparison:  Most of us are competitive.  Yep, competition brings out the best and worst in climbers.  Many people compare their times to others.  Mountaineering is not a race.  Anyone who gets caught up in comparing their performance to others loses focus on what matters most - acclimatization.  A poor day climbing (slow up the hill to a pre-defined objective) can send some climbers into a tailspin of self-doubt.  I am not immune to this potential.   We all experience the pangs of doubt.  My plan?  Control the controllables.  A bad day is simply a bad day.  Getting caught up in the potential implications only robs me of important energy resources that could be used in a more efficient manner.  

The "one thing" often shifts our focus to being more future oriented and catastrophic - altitude does not help the process either.  We get caught up in these early signs and over-interpret them to mean something more than what they really signal.  My aim is to BE HERE NOW.  Laurence Gonzales wrote several great books on survival and resilience.  He stressed the importance of being present - "in the moment" - and focused on controllable objectives.  That focus often eliminates the impact of the "one thing" and enables me to move forward without problems.  

Altitude and Attitude

The past few weeks were extremely busy and left me little free time to post much. I had a few updates if you recall but nothing on working out. Well, I'm not working out. My only focus is to gain a little weight and get strong. I feel great. The point of this post is to show you a trajectory of where I have been - in terms of altitude - and where I plan to go. Every data point up to about April 10th is fairly accurate and after that date I used many different (past) climbing reports to cobble together an expected schedule. So here goes….

You'll notice that Everest is one tall mountain. Yep, the tallest of course. Another thing that becomes readily apparent from the figure above is that acclimatization is a process. We climb high, sleep low. Or, in my case, I sleep high and train low. In just 7 days, I leave for the real acclimatization process; it all begins in Kathmandu (KTM). The past few days are a blur. I slept an average of 4 hours each night. Between the altitude and the deadlines, I just cannot stay asleep. The lone positive from the pressure is that I am getting a ton done. Can't wait until I get on the plane for KTM. Seven days and counting….

See many of you shortly at the pub (Auld Shebeen from 3-9pm today) Bring the kids!

There is no such thing as a true catastrophe....a quick change of plans

One of the people I admire most in life - Lee Sechrest - patiently advised me through graduate school and often said "there is no such thing as a true catastrophe."  Those words had little impact on me then but they ring true today.  I believe it now - not just as a trite saying to brush off unforeseen problems but really as a truism in life.  Today, I got a simple message from Dan Mazur that read......

"We are very sorry to have to inform you that due to unforseen circumstances, you will not be allowed to go to Tibet this spring. I am very sorry about this. The Tibetan mountaineering government authorities informed us of this today, and the reason they gave is that they are unable to grant entry permission to Americans who have never been to Tibet before now. This seems like an extremely lame reason to not allow you in. We are very upset about it. We spent all day on the phone with the Tibet office and they are not going to budge on this. They are unable to grant entry permission to Americans who have never been to Tibet before now. This is not their choice and is being forced on them by other branches of government. We are very sorry."

Dan went on to say that he would welcome me on the Nepal Everest expedition for a hugely discounted price (a small additional charge from my current expedition fee).  I jumped at the chance so I am now climbing the South Col with the hordes of others.  Summit Climb is a first class outfit and I am thrilled to be part of Dan's climbing expedition.

Am I disappointed?  Nah.  I still get to climb.  Was I looking forward to Tibet and the North Col?  Sure.  I wanted less crowded climbing conditions.  The upside is that I get to climb with my pals John Carney and Dan Mazur.  I see this change as a net gain.  If the Chinese government doesn't want my money then I will gladly part with some fun coupons to benefit the Nepalese.  There are far more near-catastrophic things in life than having travel plans change.

The climb is on!  The party is on too.  Come join us at the Auld Shebeen this Saturday from 3-9pm.

Thanks Lee for giving me the right perspective.

Success is a round-trip

After chatting with several friends, I kept reminding them about what climbing success means or rather how to gauge success.  My reminder was that success is simply a round trip.  Upon my return, regardless of the outcome, I will be successful.  Some may hold a different opinion or view my definition as a defeatist mentality where I built in failure from the start.  I hold no such view.  My aim is to summit.  I will summit if allowed by luck, weather, and fitness.  Overall, however, my climb will only be successful if I am able to return home to my family and friends.

Nothing wrong with a dash of realism sprinkled onto fanciful dreams.

Expect another update shortly....

Climbing for fame or self-discovery?: The trappings of classifying climbers based upon inferred motives

Thanks to Dr. Mardy and his weekly quotes, I was inspired to post these thoughts as I prepare for my climb.

Climbers are often classified by their goals.  Some seek fame while others appear to seek some other ephemeral outcome.  Those who classify the climbers do so at a distance and then value the accomplishments of others based upon this classification.  

Fame

Fame is the perfume of heroic deeds.  -- Socrates

Fame drives many people to endure the extremes.  The goal is not necessarily fame but the perks that go along with being a "known" person.  What people want before becoming famous often turns into a burden.  They want attention perhaps or to be the "talk of the town."  I get it.  It is far better to be talked about favorably than to be ridiculed.  The difference between the two, however, might be razor thin.  More often, those who seek fame only find themselves at the mercy of public opinion.  

Self-Discovery

While some adventurers may seek fame, others seek appreciation of the unknown and perspective of the known.  The fruits of these labors offer little other than the possibility of self-discovery and, perhaps, distance from contemporary society.  I intend to explain the second possibility later; for now, I want to focus on the self-discovery.  George Mallory's oft-quoted line that climbing Everest is "of no use" was even further clarified by "[t]here is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever."   I beg to differ.  We gain by these endeavors by understanding ourselves.  Maybe we become more patient.  Perhaps the opposite.  Any time a person endures some hardship - whether self-imposed or imposed by others - the impact remains.  

Classification and Values

Drives or motivation appears to be an important variable when we differentiate climbers.  There are those who want the fame that may accompany great adventure.  These people often pay attention to the "famous" and treat them with special attention or respect.  The people who seek self-discovery ignore others and focus on themselves.  More often than not, the fame seekers have a low regard for the self-discoverers and vice versa.  I have no earthly clue why but that appears to be the case.  Evidence to the contrary would be welcomed.

The purpose of my post is simple.  Neither motivational extreme contributes positively to an expedition team.  We adventure seekers come together in these large expeditions - like on Everest - and that merger does not always produce the most amicable conditions.  I believe the friction comes from different drives or motivation.  We each see others as odd or difficult to understand.  I find it odd that some people collect peak "summits" (aka peak baggers) like others collect stamps.  My views do not render their accomplishments any different from those who have other motives.  I yearn to be out in the wilderness and summit if/when possible.  Still, I have the same objectives as the peak baggers; the fact that I find them odd only communicates my lack of understanding or a lack of agreement with our climbing motives.  Our objectives are the same.  Our motives differ.

One major advantage of not seeking fame or a check-off for my climbs is that I enjoy the outcome no matter what happens.  I am no different than most people.  If I compete, I want to win.  When I climb, I want to summit.  Sure, the objective remains no matter what the situation.  If I fail to win, summit, or achieve an objective, I am bummed but there is more to the process than the outcome.  Those who seek the outcome for others must answer to those "others" when things do not go as expected.

One important caveat to my post is that I hold no value judgments on anyone who seeks adventure.  The drives are immaterial.  Adventurers are adventurers.  It is more often the non-adventurer who places values on the adventurers.  Firsts are almost always lauded and seconds, thirds, and later are considered mere minor accomplishments.  Think about the runners who now break the 4-minute mile.  Many people who hear of a 4-minute mile runner shrug it off as if it were common.  

Adventures, however, are not the same for everyone.  Similar to the 4-minute mile, we must all work to overcome our own weaknesses.  The process is what matters.  We seek adventure for whatever reason but we all ought to value one another regardless of the motive.  Find peace within your own motives and climb on!

If you cannot find peace in yourself, it is useless to look for it elsewhere.  -- La Rochefoucauld