Just wondering what the general public thinks about the art of rock climbing... and climbers in general. I am basically an obsessive rock climber, and when l tell people they either do not know what it is, or they think it is cool or sometimes they think I am inches from death every time l go climbing outside.

Rock climbing is cool. l would enjoy trying to take it up, but living in the metro detroit area of Michigan, l do not relly get that option. Keep it up!

l think its tight. l love rock climbing im rele good at it 2. but l can never find time to go. whats life without a little risk. am l right

l have lived in the Midwest for most of my life & have been climbing for over 9 years. l also work at a rockwall that is part of a larger fitness center. Most of my customers only know the indoor sport & it is something for their kids to do. Also, they dont understand why someone would want to do it outside. This perception doesnt change unless we can get them on the wall a few times & then they begin to enjoy themselves. And then the flood gates open with questions. thats when the fun begins.
As for their basic perception of climbers: dirty pot smoking hippies.. Oddly enough, most of our more regular experienced climbers r software programmers, engineers. folks that use climbing as an excuse to unplug & enjoy themselves.

unlike what Scythian says, rock climbing is relatively safe if you are top-ropping (rope is suspened from above you while a partner belays you from below). Lead climbing can break a limb or two if you take a lead fall. Only idiots climb faces solo with no protection. Idiot is who are in great shape mind you. but it only takes one slip..

Ok, l know l am a climber, but l just can not resist commenting on Isu is answer
I've climbed a ton of different places, & l can tell u something, l know a helluva lot more ''dirty pot smoking hippie'' rock climbers than engineers.
But it does not matter, that is the thing
Once you're down on the crag, it does not matter if u climb v2 on a good day & the guy next to u can scale a v8 like it is child is play, or if u have not bathed in a week & eaten nothing but ramen & fruit & there is a man who is an architect & makes in a week what u make in a year.


But l digress, l usually get a pretty positive response to my climbing, except people always ask the same question & it annoys me to no end.

''How do u compete? Do they judge u on how fast u go?''

Every time.