American rock climbing has undergone many changes, but the key aspects that have formed out of the popularizing of rock climbing have stayed the same. Lawrence C. Hamilton expresses that rock climbing is “characterized by (1) a motivation or reward structure that encourages the continual creation of new climbs, and (2) a finite and exhaustible medium in which to create them” (Hamilton 1979, 285). Rock climbing has become a new subculture and a lifestyle consisting of its own values, language, and goals. From reading the same journals, taking the same pilgrimages, and seeking the same social rewards of status through achieving new climbs, climbers have defined and redefined the subculture of modern American rock climbing.
Starting as simply
Starting as simply