When you ask a climber why they risk life and limb to get to the top of a mountain that has always been there and most likely isn't going anywhere, the standard response is. "Because it's there!" While I can understand this point of view and have heard the call of a mountain to ascend its challenging flanks, there is a little more to my answer.
Personally, I have never undertaken a climb with the intent of “conquering the mountain”. My approach to nature and its rules comes from a willingness to live and function with/in my surroundings rather than attempting to dominate what is around me. I believe that physical survival is a pact between the world around me and my ability to adapt and grow in it. As my willingness and ability to adapt increases, the odds for my longevity improve.
This is the reason I climb mountains– to increase my ability to adapt to challenging natural surroundings.
All that being said, it is still a long way to the top of that hill! In every climb there is a point where my resolve is tested. And each time I continue and eventually reach the summit, I am confirming to myself that the body can endure more than the mind thinks. The next climb I will be undertaking is the 14,411 ft. summit of Mount Rainier in Washington. Rainier is the third highest peak in the continental United States and poses some formidable challenges.