You make a pretty good point, Steve, if it's about courage. I have zero clue as to the real mountain-climbing ethic, but if it's like some other high-risk pursuits whose ethic I do know, it's not about courage, it's about adrenalin. Granted, mountain climbing may be different. But there are a lot of folks just naturally driven to chase adrenalin, do seemingly risky things, fast machines, high seas fishing, motorcycles, super-fast airplanes, surfing, skateboarding, skydiving --
-- I don't think it's about courage. It's about the rush!
Endorphins actually. They do it for the endocrine system. I know, I am an irrational seeker of risk in circumstance I believe I understand and can manage. It. Is compelling and yet really not safe.