FUN

IT DOESNT HAVE TO BE FUN TO BE FUN…..BUT IT HELPS.

THANKS TO THE WRITING OF HERZOG, TWIGHT, KIRKPATRICK AND COUNTLESS OTHERS THE IDEA OF FUN SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN STRAINED OUT OF EXPEDITION CLIMBING, TO THE DEGREE THAT NOT ONLY IS CLIMBING MEASURED BY THE SUFFERING, IT IS HARD TO CONVINVE SOME TO EXPERIENCE IT ANY OTHER WAY.

ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE NAMED THIS COMPANY AFTER AL ALVAREZ’S REMARKABLE BOOK IS BECAUSE OF THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS FUN AND ENJOYMENT THE SCENE AROUND HE AND MO ANTHOINE HAD, RISING ABOVE WHAT CAN BE SAID TO HAVE BEEN HARROWING STUFF IF INDEED LOOKED AT IN ONLY THAT WAY. WE SEE THE MESSAGE OF THE BOOK FEEDING THE RAT TO BE THAT OF HEALTHY CLIMBING, WHERE GRAND EXPECTATIONS EXIST FOR FUN AS MUCH AS THE OBJECTIVES. ANTHOINE IS VERY FORTHRIGHT IN STATING MOSTLY IT’S ABOUT PULLING OFF A CAPER WITH GOOD MATES IN EXCITING PLACES, AND THAT GUOE AND SUFFERING IS A BYPRODUCT NOT THE FOCUS.

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THE PICTURE WE HAVE USED HERE FOR THE SPLASH CARD SUMS THINGS UP PERFECTLY, AND IS OF DAN – A MAN WHO KNOWS HOW TO SUFFER ON A BIG ROUTE – BELAYING PITCH 13 OF A FIRST ASCENT WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS IT’S ALREADY GONE TO HELL BUT THIS IS WHAT HE CAME FOR. BEAMING OUT OF HIS NOGGIN AFTER PERHAPS TWO WEEKS ALREADY OUT IN TIBET, HAVING TRIED MULTIPLE FAILED LINES, BEEN SQUEEZED INTO TINY TENTS FOR TOO LONG, A LOOONG WAY FROM HIS LAST CUP OF COFFEE AND EVEN LONGER TO THE NEXT, CLIPPED INTO AN ASSORTMENT OF JUNK AS ROB HEADS OUT FOR ANOTHER HOUR-PLUS ON LEAD AROUND 5500m. WHERE A LESSER CLIMBER MIGHT JUST SEE ANGST AND SURVIVAL, HERE HE FINDS THE RARE MOMENT OF KNOWING THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. THAT FIVE LATER THINGS WOULDN’T BE SO FUN IS ANOTHER STORY, BUT OVER THE ARC OF A TRIP IT’S FUN NOW BECAUSE IT’S BEEN FUN ALL ALONG.

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WHAT MAKES FUN?

PEOPLE MAKE FUN. FUN IS A BALANCED BRAIN FULLY ENGAGED IN ITS EXPERIENCE, FEEDINGBACK IN A LOOP THAT IS GOOD FOR ITSELF.

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TYPES OF FUN

WE’VE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE THREE TYPES OF FUN;

TYPE 1 – IT’S FUN NOW

TYPE 2 – IT’LL BE FUN WHEN IT’S OVER

TYPE 3 – IT’LL BE FUN ONE DAY, WHEN THE CONSEQUENCES HAVE PASSED

TO OUR MIND THIS TRITE MEME IS HALF THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE CLIMBERS HAVE A WAY OF TURNING EVERYTHING INTO GRADED EXPERIENCES WITH A PUSH TOWARDS HIGHER NUMBERS EVEN WHEN IT MEANS BENDING THE REALITY. CLIMBING WRITING IS THE SPORT OF HYPERBOLE, WHERE MOST THINGS GET EXAGERATED, WHERE THE TELLING IS OFTEN UNPROVABLE, AND THE BULK AUDIENCE DOESN’T JUMP TO UNDERSTATEMENT.

ALL THIS PUTS THE FOCUS ON A BORING STORY ARC OF STRUGGLE, SEEMING IMPOSSIBILITY, SURVIVAL OVER ADVERSITY THEN REPEAT, THAT IS THE MAINSTAY OF MOST CLIMBING LITERATURE BECAUSE IT’S EASY, REQUIRING NONE OF THE SKILLS FOR PORTRAYING OTHER ELEMENTS LIKE FUN. IT TAKES REAL ABILITY TO INVOKE FUN, PLEASURE AND ECSTACY, A TALENT EVERY BIT AS AUTHENTIC AS THAT FOR CLIMBING. THE ABSENCE OF THIS – THERE ARE SOME VERY GOOD CLIMBERS WHO WRITE BUT VERY FEW GOOD WRITERS WHO CLIMB – HAS TURNED OUT THE CONCEPTION THAT CLIMBING IS ON THE GRADIENT OF SUFFERING AND NOTHING ELSE.

THIS MENTALITY WRINGS THE SUFFERING OUT OF EVERY PART OF CLIMBING, INTO TYPES OF ILL EASE THAT CAN POISON EVERY MOMENT. THE COFFEE’S NO GOOD, THE APPROACH IS TOO LONG, THE ROUTE ISN’T DARING ENOUGH, THE FORAYS NOT EPIC OR TOO EPIC OR EPIC IN THE WRONG WAY. EVERYTHING GETS CAST AGAINST SOME YARDSTICK OF HARDSHIP, AND IF IT’S NOT GRIM ENOUGH IT STILL GETS THOUGHT ABOUT AS SUCH. THE GLASS-HALF-FULL PERSPECTIVE THAT THEY ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE HAVING THE EXPERIENCE AT ALL GETS LOST, AMONG THE WHITENOISE OF ALL THE IDIOSYNCRASIES THAT ONLY GET INTERPRETETD NEGATIVELY.

YOU REALLY MIGHT THINK PEOPLE FORGET THEY ARE DOING THIS BY CHOICE.

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THE FUN QUOTIENT

YOU CAN’T HAVE TOO MUCH FUN, SO FINDING ALL THE GOOD THINGS AND PULLING THEM TOGETHER AND EXPRESSING THEM BOUYS THE ENTIRE TRIP, EVENTUALLY MAKING EVEN THE UN-FUN STUFF FUN. THIS IS HOW MANY EXTREME TRIPS FUNCTION, WHEN GOOD TIMES ARE FOSTERED, MAINTAINED AND INTENTIONALLY PLACED AT CENTER, TO NEUTRALIZE THE STRESSES AND INSECURITIES OF WHAT IS OTHERWISE ARDUOUS WORK. FUN IS RECOGNIZED AS HAVING IT’S OWN VALUE, AND THE MORE THAT CAN BE AROUSED THE GREATER THE FUN QUOTIENT IS.

SOMEWHERE ALONG A SPECTRUM THERE IS A CRITICAL MASS OF FUN, WHERE THE WHOLE TRIPS BECOMES FUN NOT JUST A SERIES OF MOMENTS. ONE OR TWO FUN TIMES IS ENOUGH TO GET THE GIST WHAT FUN CAN BE HAD, AND THE INCIDENTS CULTIVATED SO IT BECOMES A CONSTANT. THIS QUOTIENT, MAY SOUND CONTRIVED BUT IT IS MORE LIKE SETTING A BOULDER IN MOTION, AND ONCE ROLLING BY ITSELF CARRIES THE WHOLE TRIP ALONG. WHEN FUN IS POSSIBLE PEOPLE INITIATE IT AND IT BECOMES A FACTOR IN A TRIP, SOMETHING TO BE REIGNITED IF FOUND TO BE WANING, AND TAKEN IN NEW DIRECTIONS

THE IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF THE FUN QUOTIENT IS THAT MAKING IT CENTRAL IT IS SELF-FEEDING. ONCE FLOATED, FUN CAN HAVE OTHER THINGS PULLED INTO IT AND ‘THE SAKE OF FUN’ BECOMES A REASON EVERY BIT AS VALID AS ANY OTHER CLIMBING DECISION, REPLACING THE OBJECTIVE WITH SOMETHING EVERYONE LIKES RATHER THAN THE COMMON – OFTEN ILL-DEFINED – CLIMBING GOALS.

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DON’TDESIGN THE FUN OUT

ONCE FUN IS GONE BEYOBD A CERTAIN POINT IT IS HARD TO WIN BACK,AND THAT CERTAIN PONT IS USUALLY WHEN YOU REALIZE THIS IS HOW IT’S GOING TO BE NOW BECAUSE YOU’VE LEFT NOT OTHER OPTIONS.

EVERY TIME YOU SHAVE OFF A DAY OR SKIP A MEAL OR REST YOU ARE NARROWING THE CHANCES FOR FUN BY MAKING THE TEAM MORE HYPER-FOCUSED, TIRED AND PRESSURED. FUN IS ONLY FUN WHEN IT IS EXPRESSED, SO WHEN YOU ARE ON TOO TIGHT A TIMELINE, TOO NARROW A SET OF OPPORTUNITIES AND TOO CONSEQUENTIAL A COURSE OF ACTIONS THE ROOM TO EXPRESS FUN IS VERY HARD TO FIND.

WELL DESIGNED TRIPS HAVE MARGINS THAT BALANCE EXCESSIVE EXPOSURE WITH CUTTING THINGS TOO FINE, SO THE MOMENTUM A TRIP HAS IS FUELED BY CAPACITY, NOT FORCED. NOT EVERY DAY STARTS AT 0300 OR EVERY MEAL FROM A PACKET, WHICH ALLOWS FOR TIME TO DECOMPRESS AND LET THE FUN RISE TO THE SURFACE. WELL PLANNED AND DESIGNED, THE FUN ELEMENTS ARE ORCHESTRATED TO MAKE THE HARD STUFF MORE DOABLE, WHICH BECOMES INCREASINGLY MORE INTEGRAL THE LONGER A TRIPS GETS. WHEN FUN IS ANTICIPATED IT IS THE CARROT ON THE STICK, AND A FAR BETTER MOTIVATOR THAN ARBITARY NOTIONS THAT WITHER THE FURTHER YOU GET FROM CIVILIZATION.

BRINGING THE FUN BACK TO EXPEDITION CLIMBING IS MOSTLY A MATTER OF JUST LETTING IT SHINE THROUGH. UNLESS THERE IS SOMETHING THAT DEEPLY MAKES YOU SEEK OUT ONLY THE HARROWING AND UNCOMFORTABLE ELEMENTS IN A TRIP, THESE THINGS SHOULD BE FUN WITHOUT HAVING TO DOWNPLAY THAT YOU’RE ACTUALLY HAVING A GOOD TIME. WITHOUT GETTING CORNY, SENTIMENTAL, INSINCERE OR CONTRIVED, IT’S HEALTHY TO EXPRESS THE FUN IN A TRIP IN ORDER TO RAISE THE ‘FUN QUOTIENT’.

RECOGNIZE THE FUN BITS TO CONNECT THE DOTS OF ENJOYMENT RATHER THAN STRING TOGETHER THE DISASTERS, BECAUSE EVEN IN THE WORST OF TIMES THERE CAN BE MOMENTS THAT MAKE IT ALL WORTHWHILE. LOOK FOR THE FUN AND OWN IT. JUST AS THE GRIM STUFF HAS IT’S WAYS OF DECLARING ITSELF WITH EXPLETIVES AND CATCH PHRASES, SO THE GOOD STUFF CAN TOO.

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FIXING FUN

THE IMPERATIVE HERE IS THE FUNDAMENTAL IMPERATIVE FOR EVERYTHING – THINK FOR YOURSELF.

WATCH YOURSELF, AND AVOID THINKING THROUGH THE EYES AND KEYBOARD OF YOUR FAVORITE CLIMBER/WRITER, WHETHER THAT’S WALTER BONNATTI, AL ALVAREZ, JIMMY CHIN OR INSTAGRAM, ALL WHO ARE WRITING FOR EFFECT. LEARN TO DISCERN WHEN YOUR REACTIONS ARE GENUINELY YOURS, AND WHEN FILTERED THROUGH THE DRAMATIC TECHNIQUES OF SOMEONE ELSE. WHAT MEMES ARE YOU RUNNING? ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO ALIGN WITH PRE-EXISITNG CLICHES? ARE YOU TRYING TO BE ‘EPIC’, ‘SCRAPING THE RIND’ OR NON-PLUSSED BECAUSE YOU’VE BEEN CONDITIONED THAT WAY? ARE YOU USING PRE-SCRIPTED REACTIONS BECAUSE YOUR OWN ARE TOO INCOHERENT?

THE IDEAL WAY TO BRING OUT THE FUN IN A TRIP IS TO SEE THINGS AS A SEQUENCE BETWEEN ALL THE FUN ELEMENTS. DON’T CARRY THE STRESSES OF THE FLIGHT AND IMMIGRATION RIGHT THROUGH THE REST OF THE TRIP, REINFORCING WHAT IS ALWAYS A SHIT START TO EVERY EXPEDITION, BUT START FINDING THE FUN THE MOMENT YOU ROLL OUT. LOOK FOR GOOD FOOD, TALK TO LOCALS, OPEN YOUR EYES AND GET INTO THE MARKETS. DON’T MISS THE FOREST FOR THE TREES. UNDERSTAND THAT ANY CLIMBING WILL BE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WHOLE TRIP, AND THE MORE YOU FIND FUN IN EVERYTHING THE MORE FUN THE WHOLE THING IS.

PACE THINGS TO BE FUN BECAUSE NOTHING SUCKS THE PLEASURE OUT OF A TRIP MORE THAN TREATING IT LIKE SOME MILITARY SELECTION COURSE OR ATHLETIC EVENT. TWO DECADES OF MACHO BULLSHIT IN THE MEDIA HAS CONVINCED THE SECTOR AS A WHOLE THAT EVERYTHING MUST BE DONE AT ‘BALLS TO THE WALL’ LEVEL, WHICH IS FRANKLY A STUPID WAY TO TRAVEL AND ILLUSION AGAIN CREAED BY MEDIA WHO EDIT OUT ANYTHING NOT DRAMATIC ENOUGH. ESPECIALLY ON LONGER TRIPS, WHERE SUSTAINING THE EFFORT IS THE BIGGEST FACTOR, TEACH YOURSELF TO RELAX, ENJOY YOUR SURROUNDINGS AND DO THINGS FOR FUN. THE TIME WILL COME WHEN OF COURSE THINGS WILL GET HARD, AND YOU WILL BE BETTER TO DEAL WITH THEM IF NOT ALREADY BLOWN OUT FROM STRESS.

ON OUR TRIPS WE PRIORITIZE PERSONAL SPACE AND INDIVIDUAL ENGAGEMENT, AND THOUGH THE TEAMS ARE TIGHT, ENCOURAGE PERSONAL IMMEDIATE EXPERIENCE. WE DON’T CREATE BUBBLES IN MESS TENTS OF PEOPLE ARGUING OUT OF BOREDOM, OR PUSH OUT STRICT TIMELINES TO MEET COMMERCIAL DEMANDS. DURING OUR ACCLIMATIZATION PHASES WE HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO WANDER RELATIVELY UNSTRUCTURED, AT A PACE THAT IS FUN AND ALLOWS FOR PLENTY OF COFFEE, CURIOSITY, NEW THINGS AND CULTURE, SO WE ALL ARRIVE HAPPY AND NOT HAVING LIVED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.

WE ADVOCATE FINDING THE FUN EACH SITUATION AND EXPRESSING IT, BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS GOOD AND BAD DAYS AND THIS HELPS KEEP THE BALANCE. WE INVITE ‘SKUNKHOUSE’ DISCUSSION WHERE ANY IDEA IS UP FOR ENGAGING NO MATTER HOW CRAZY, EVERYONE KNOWING THAT CONTAINED AND ISOLATED THOUGHTS ONLY FESTER AND LEAD TO PROBLEMS. THE BEST TRIPS EXPRESS IDEAS BECAUSE THOSE PRESENT HAVE THE SPACE TO RAISE THEM, WITH OPEN AND FAIR DISCOURSE AND A WILLINGNESS TO EXPERIMENT. PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WHEN THEIR IDEAS ARE PART OF THE PROCESS, AND THE FUN REALLY COMES OUT WHEN EXECUTED IN AN ATMOSPHERE THAT’S CREATIVE AND ENGAGING.

AS MUCH AS WE HATE THE TERM, IN THIS CASE ‘AUTHORING’ ROUTES IS APPROPRIATE, BECAUSE THE AIM INCLUDES REWRITING HOW ROUTES ARE DESCRIBED FROM AS MUCH A MENTAL STATE AS A TECHNICAL ONE. WE ALL KNOW M6 AT 5000m IS HARD, AND MILES OF STEEP SNOW SUCKS AND HOUR 20 IS STARTING TO LOOK EPIC BUT THEY NEED NOT DEFINE AN ASCENT ANY MORE THAN THE GOOFY SUMMIT SHOT.

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LOGISTICS OF FUN

PLAN FOR FUN, DON’T JUST ASSUME IT WILL BE THERE, BECAUSE MAYBE IT WILL, OR MAYBE YOU’LL HAVE TO DIG FOR IT AND IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE. IT IS ONE THING TO HAVE FUN DRAINED AWAY BECAUSE THINGS WENT WRONG OR WERE IMPOSED, BUT IT IS FAILURE TO NOT FACTOR FUN INTO YOUR RESEARCH AND PLANNING.

WITH ENOUGH SLEEP, FUN IS MUCH EASIER TO MAINTAIN, AND THIS IS A MATTER OF DECISIONS RIGHT DOWN THE LINE. FROM CHOOSING WHERE TO STAY (AVOID HOTELS NEAR HIGHWAYS) TO CHOOSING WHAT TO BRING (20g ON SOMETHING TO USE AS A PILLOW IS GRAMS WELL SPENT), MAKING SLEEP AS IMPORTANT AS EATING IS WHAT GETS YOU THROUGH LONG TRIPS.

NOT EATING PROPERLY, WHICH INCLUDES THINGS LIKE ENOUGH OR TOO MUCH SUGAR, IS A ROOT CAUSE FOR DISPELLING FUN. IT’S MUCH EASIER TO SMILE WHEN YOU SET OFF WELL FED AND KNOWING YOU HAVE SOMETHING DECENT TO RETURN TO, AS IS HAVING A VARIED AND INTERESTING DIET AND SOMEWHERE GOOD TO EAT IT. EATING IS AN ELEMENT OF PLANNING, SO BLAME ONLY YOURSELF IF YOU END UP STRUNG OUT WITH POOR OR BORING FOOD. CLIMBERS WHO DISMISS THIS ALMOST ALWAYS DO AT THEIR PERIL AND IT’S ONE OF THE MOST COMMON REASONS TRIPS FALL APART.

ON COMMERCIAL TRIPS COOKING IS DONE ELSEWHERE WHILST TEAMS SIT AND ARGUE IN MESS TENTS. THIS IS THE WRONG EQUATION AS WE SEE IT, AND ANY VISIT TO THE KITCHEN USUALLY REVEALS A HEALTHIER AND MORE VIBRANT ATMOSPHERE THAN ANY MESS TENT HAS. COOKING SHOULD BE PART ENTERTAINMENT, PART APPETITE TRIGGER, PART GROUP EXERCISE AND PART CHORE, AND WELL PLANNED FOOD IS THE CATALYST FOR A LOT OF THE FUN OF A TRIP. OVER THE YEARS WE’VE MADE LAKSA IN THE TIEN SHAN, BARBEQUED SAUSAGES IN THE KARAKORAM AND BAKED TARTS IN TIBET AMONG COUNTLESS OTHER MEALS, ALL FOR THE SAKE OF FUN WITH GREAT SETTINGS AND GROUP ATMOSPHERE.

TRANSIT IS OFTEN A CAUSE OF STRESS ON BIG TRIPS, WHICH LIKE FOOD IS A FAILURE OF PLANNING. ANY LONG DRIVE THAT DOESN’T ALLOW FOR STOPPING TO HANG OUT AND ABSORB THE WORLD YOU ARE TRAVELLING THROUGH IS AN INSULT TO TRAVEL ONY INDUSTRIAL TOURISM COULD BRING, AND RESULTS IN BORED TEAMS SLEEPING THROUGH MONOTONY AND DISENGAGING EXECTLY THE PLACES THEY HAVE TRAVELLED AROUND THE WORLD TO SEE. WE CONSIDER THIS A MAJOR SCREW UP, AND PLAN ALL OUR ROUTES TO INCLUDE TIME AT HIGH PASSES, QUIET VILLAGES, INTERESTING VISTAS AND SIMPLY TO DECOMPRESS. NOTHING IS A WORSE SIGN THAN CLIMBERS WHO SLEPT THE ENTIRE WAY OUT, WHO HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THEY ARE AND THE CHANGES IN LANDSCAPE BETWEEN.

CAMPS WILL ALWAYS BE SUBJECT TO NECESSITY BUT THAT STILL LEAVES HUGE SCOPE FOR MAKING THEM FUN EVEN IN THE GRIMMEST OF PLACES. AN EYE FOR LOCATION HELPS, AND AFTER ENOUGH TIME SPENT ON EXPEDITION, YOU LEARN TO PERCEIVE WHAT MAKES A CAMP THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO FUN. GOOD CAMPS HAVE QUIRKS AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO ENGAGE, AND LIKEWISE AVOID AWKWARD INTERACTIONS AROUND PRIVACY, CONGESTION AND ISOLATION. WE AIM TO MAKE EACH TENT WITHIN A CAMP IT’S OWN LITTLE CAMP, SO OCCUPANTS HAVE A SPACE THEY CALL HOME WITH WHICH TO ENGAGE OTHERS. COMMON AREAS LIKE COOKING TENTS, GEAR AREAS, AND SPACES BETWEEN CAN BE CHOSEN FOR THEIR FEATURES, AND ELABORATED WITH ROCKS, BLUE BARRELS AND VANTAGE POINTS TO MAKE A PLACE WITH CHARACTER THAT AVOIDS ROUTINE AND FEELING CONTAINED.

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ENEMIES OF FUN

THE WORST TRIPS ARE THOSE WHERE ALL THE ELEMENTS FOR FUN WERE THERE, BUT WERE SABOTAGED BECAUSE THE THINGS THAT UNDERMINE IT CREPT IN. IT’S ONE THING TO FIND FUN WHERE IT MAY NOT BE OBVIOUS, BUT IT MATTERS TOO TO KEEP THE THINGS THAT ERODE FUN INTENTIONALLY OUT OF THE EQUATION.

BOREDOM KILLS FUN UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE. FUN WILL SURVIVE THE HARDEST WORK, THE DEEPEST FEAR, THE LEAST CERTAINTY AND THE MOST DISMAL CONDITIONS, BUT BOREDOM KILLS IT OFF FAST. BOREDOM IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND IF IT EXISTS IT’S BECAUSE OF A FAILING OF PLANNING – NO ONE ON AN EXPEDITION SHOULD BE BORED. BOREDOM IS THE FAILURE TO HAVE OPTIONS, WHERE NOTHING EXISTS FOR THE MIND TO APPLY ITSELF TOO GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS IS REMEDIED BY PLANNING SO YOU KNOW WHAT IS AROUND YOU, TO ENAGAGE AT VARIOUS LEVELS DEPENDING HOW ENERGETIC YOU ARE.

DISTRUST ALSO UNDERMINES FUN, BY KILLING OFF THE TEAM DYNAMIC THAT LETS FUN AMPLIFY BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE. ALL TEAMS NEED TO BE INTENTIONALLY KEPT DYNAMIC WITH THINGS THAT BOND THEM, RATHER THAN DIVIDE THEM INTO SUB-GROUPS THAT BEGIN TO DISTRUST THE OTHERS. WHERE BOREDOM CAN BE DUG OUT OF, DISTRUST CAN’T, BUT IT CAN BE OVERRIDDEN WITH STRONG LEADERSHIP THOUGH THAT RARELY BRINGS THE FUN BACK. DISTRUST IS BEST KEPT OUT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WITH COMMON SOURCES OF FUN, SO GROUP DYNAMICS CAN SETTLE AROUND THE SHARED CONCEPT OF FUN AND RETURN TO IT IF THINGS START TO GET EDGY.

SELFISHNESS IS WHEN FUN CAN ONLY BE HAD ON ONE PERSONS OWN TERMS, WITH THE INABILITY TO JOIN THE FUN OF OTHERS IF ONLY VICARIOUSLY. ‘GATEKEEPERS’ OF SUPPOSED FUN CAN BE RUINOUS TO A TEAMS DYNAMIC, AND NEED TO BE KEPT FROM CENTER STAGE SO OTHER IDEAS OF FUN CAN BE ALLOWED THROUGH. THIS IS OFTEN A TRAIT USED TO MAKE UP FOR INSECURITIES ELSEWHERE, BUT SKEWS A TEAMS DYNAMIC AWAY FROM ITS OBJECTIVE.

POINTLESSNESS SAPS FUN BECAUSE CLIMBERS DON’T KNOW WHERE TO APPLY THEIR ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT, BUT IS EASILY RESOLVED WITH CLEAR OBJECTIVES. EVEN IF THE BIG PICTURE GETS LOST – SOMETHING WHICH CAN HAPPEN – CONSOLIDATING SHORT TERM GOALS IS ENOUGH TO BRING A POINT BACK TO THE PROCESS.

DISPROPORTIONATE SERIOUSNESS ALSO DRAINS FUN AND IS USUALLY A LACK OF PERSPECTIVE. LIKE POINTLESSNESS THIS IS SOMETHING EASILY ADDRESSED WITH RESEARCH AND BACKED BY DISCUSSION, WHICH CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS OBSERVING THE ROUTE OR GOING THROUGH SKILLS SO EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE. OVER-SERIOUSNESS WE NOTICE IS OFTEN WHEN INDIVIDUALS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE BEARING TOO MUCH RESPONSIBILITY, SO IS ALLAYED BY BROADENING THE SHARE OF INFORMATION. OVER-SERIOUSNESS CREEPS IN WHEN CRITICAL SITUATIONS ARISE AND INFORMATION IS NOT EVENLY SHARED, SO A GOOD TEAM DYNAMIC BRINGS DOWN THE PRESSURE BY TAKING IT AS A GROUP RATHER THAN INDIVIDUALS.

INWARDNESS MAKES IT EASY TO FORGET THE ABSURDITY THAT ALL CLIMBING IS, WHICH IS THE RELEASE YOU NEED WHEN THINGS GET TOO INTENSE. ISOLATION, DETAILS, DIFFICULTY, LONG HOURS IN TENTS OR THE DARK, INJURIES, HUNGER AND FEAR ALL SUCK THE MIND INWARD, MAKING IT EASY TO LOOSE SIGHT OF THE OUTWARD SCALE F IT ALL. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR FRAME OF MIND BIG WITH PERIODIC STOPS TO TAKE IT ALL IN, TO LOOK AT IT ALL FROM THE OUTSIDE, AND FIND IT IS THEN NOT HARD TO LAUGH. FRAGILE, SOFT HUMANS SCRAPING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE COLD OF A PLACE WE ARE SO CLEARLY NOT DESIGNED FOR IS FUNNY IN SO MANY WAYS, AND IS THE ONLY REAL WAY TO RECONCILE THE SITUATION YOU HAVE CHOSEN FOR YOURSELF.

YOU WILL SEE THAT, IN A WAY, THE ENEMY OF FUN IS A DISJOINTED TEAM, WHICH MANIFESTS IN ALL SORTS OF BEHAVIOUR BEFORE GOING TOO FAR. THIS DOESN’T MEAN SILLY ‘TEAM BUILDING’ SESSIONS, BUT IT DOES MEAN EVERYONE RECOGNIZING THIS THINGS CAN OCCUR, CAN BE ADDRESSED SIMPLY AS TANGIBLE PROBLEMS, AND CAN BE SORTED USUALLY EASILY WITH INTENTION. MAKE A FUN A DECLARED THING AND CALL IT OUT WHEN YOU HAVE IT, MAKE IT A GOAL IN ITSELF AND RECOGNIZE IT AS AN ACHEIVEMENT.

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THE BEST TEAMS PUT FUN SQUARE AND CENTER AS A GOAL OF THE EXPEDITION, AND MAKE SURE IT IS PRESENT AND FOUND IN EVERY ELEMENT. ONCE THIS MECHANISM IS KNOWN, THE HARDEST THINGS CAN BE UNDERTAKEN, WITH FUN AS THE REFERENCE THAT SUPERCEDES ALL OTHERS. YES, THERE’S SUMMITS, AND STANCES, AND PLACEMENTS AND SURVIVAL, BUT THEY ALL COME AND GO AS YOU PROGRESS THROUGH A TRIP. FUN, THOUGH, SHOULD BE THERE WITH YOU THE WHOLE TIME AS A CONSTANT AND ALLOWED TO IMBUE EVERY MOMENT, BECAUSE WHEN ALL IS DONE IT IS THE THING YOU WILL REMEMBER MOST.