Your author have been absorbed by rock climbing for quite some time, amazingly without ever breaking the 5.11 barrier, or even just cruising tens. Lots of experience has been accumulated, although there might be some notable lack of talent.

Luckily I love to climb. Without this inherent, and long lasting passion, I would probably have hung up the rack years ago.

How to keep the motivation for climbing through the many distracting events of life? What is it that has made climbing a constant companion? For me the answer is simple. I find it impossible to resist the urge to explore new areas. The excitement of starting up a previously unseen crackline near ones current leading ability is a necessary ingredient in my existence. Most of the several thousand routes I've done have been on sights or more precisely, attempts at said activity. This is by far the most rewarding way for me to climb, and one can only wish for a steady supply of fresh and untrodden stone.

I have a feeling there's enough moderates out there to keep me going another couple of decades, if one should judge by the ever growing list of yet unvisited trad areas.

When I started out in the early eighties, our motivated circle of friends wanted to be alpinists par excellence. Eschewing climbing shoes for big boots and having our hexes and slung nuts on really long runners, our little group of Eiger aspirants was true to the cause. Plans of big ascents were dreamed up while pouring over books by Rebuffat, Bonnington, Diemberger.

However, a few snow slogs later and still not seeing the option to try the Eiger Nordwand itself, I defected the team and tried a less rigid approach by accepting rock climbing as an end in itself.

I even went and got a pair of Fire's and a # 3 Friend, but tried not to sacrifice my alpine roots. Combining the best of both rock and ice proved to be the key to many excellent adventures in the mountains.

Early on I realized that personality and lack of focus kept me from becoming a super climber, or even better than average in any specific field. I had to branch out. Over the years I've sampled big walls, expeditions, frozen water, winter mountaineering, etc. It's all been good, but I always return to bare bones rock climbing.

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