I appreciate Will's words and this conversation. I used to live and climb in the same Rockies as him and I was so obsessed that I started to do some extremely risky things regularly, like every weekend. When you live in canmore your normal becomes very different. And I knew I could die at any moment during these big rock ice and alpine climbs but just did it anyways. Told myself I was managing the risk, which was a complete lie. But then I stopped climbing for many years and have come back to it wanting to get on the same routes and bigger and I couldn't believe the risk I used to take on regularly. Trad climbing in the Rockies is no joke and you're often running things out with bad gear for 20m at a time, no problem. What I learned about risk was that you will never be in control ever, you will never manage all the risk, you will likely never even know or understand all the risk you take on, and that nobody can make the decision for you about what risk is or isn't ok for you. It's an entirely personal decision. The scary part though is what I've come to learn about human nature over these years. There's no such thing as objective logical thinking. you can logic your way into either side of an argument and call it true, but really what all of us humans are doing all the time is trying to find evidence to back up our beliefs, a story to tell about it (ie were managing the risk appropriately so it's actually low risk and fine, or were actually very conservative risk takers while you're out climbing something you're not allowed to fall on) and a life that allows us to feel how we want to feel. Our feelings and subconscious are always running the show and that's the part we need to get honest with ourselves about.
Really awesome conversation to hear. My g/f and I are going to the Wind River Range to alpine climb 1,200ft to 1,800ft climbs. I’ve tried to prepare for everything possible. It’s really important to evaluate the complexity and your skill level and understand you’re still doing something wild. This is great material!
Man - listening to these guys talk, really makes me want to go climbing outside. Working in an office is great career experience but the outdoorsman lives these guys live does sound like it’s full of adventure.
Always great to hear from the Gadd-Fly! Especially after all these decades since the Seventies in Boulder! 🙏🏾 I wrote in my first book (THE OUTDOOR ATHLETE - in which Will was interviewed) my version; Prepare for the worst, Expect the unexpected, Visualize the best
Will, you may be more conservative than you are taking credit for. You stayed on your beginner wing for two seasons where the yahoos would be on un-certed death wings after six months.
Risk entails freedom and passion for what you do and how you do it, regardless of the level of risk. Every choice in your life is a risk no matter how safe you feel. Everyones personal level of risk is different.
Insane that this podcast doesn’t have more views, this is some of the best climbing content on youtube
I appreciate Will's words and this conversation. I used to live and climb in the same Rockies as him and I was so obsessed that I started to do some extremely risky things regularly, like every weekend. When you live in canmore your normal becomes very different. And I knew I could die at any moment during these big rock ice and alpine climbs but just did it anyways. Told myself I was managing the risk, which was a complete lie.
But then I stopped climbing for many years and have come back to it wanting to get on the same routes and bigger and I couldn't believe the risk I used to take on regularly. Trad climbing in the Rockies is no joke and you're often running things out with bad gear for 20m at a time, no problem.
What I learned about risk was that you will never be in control ever, you will never manage all the risk, you will likely never even know or understand all the risk you take on, and that nobody can make the decision for you about what risk is or isn't ok for you. It's an entirely personal decision. The scary part though is what I've come to learn about human nature over these years. There's no such thing as objective logical thinking. you can logic your way into either side of an argument and call it true, but really what all of us humans are doing all the time is trying to find evidence to back up our beliefs, a story to tell about it (ie were managing the risk appropriately so it's actually low risk and fine, or were actually very conservative risk takers while you're out climbing something you're not allowed to fall on) and a life that allows us to feel how we want to feel. Our feelings and subconscious are always running the show and that's the part we need to get honest with ourselves about.
Really awesome conversation to hear. My g/f and I are going to the Wind River Range to alpine climb 1,200ft to 1,800ft climbs. I’ve tried to prepare for everything possible. It’s really important to evaluate the complexity and your skill level and understand you’re still doing something wild. This is great material!
Man - listening to these guys talk, really makes me want to go climbing outside. Working in an office is great career experience but the outdoorsman lives these guys live does sound like it’s full of adventure.
Would do anything to multi pitch ice with gadd, what a dude
Always great to hear from the Gadd-Fly! Especially after all these decades since the Seventies in Boulder! 🙏🏾
I wrote in my first book (THE OUTDOOR ATHLETE - in which Will was interviewed) my version;
Prepare for the worst,
Expect the unexpected,
Visualize the best
Will, you may be more conservative than you are taking credit for. You stayed on your beginner wing for two seasons where the yahoos would be on un-certed death wings after six months.
Risk entails freedom and passion for what you do and how you do it, regardless of the level of risk.
Every choice in your life is a risk no matter how safe you feel. Everyones personal level of risk is different.