I am not a writer. I cannot put together anything nearly as well laid out as a Joshua or a Laura or a Harvey. And I am not sure I will ever be able to sit down and completely figure out why I like to walk across the vast mountain wilderness.
But a few ideas come to mind...
To see places I've not seen before. Experience self reliance. To amaze myself at what I can do without mechanical means of travel. To learn and improve my own knowledge of mountain travel. I'm not sure I am doing it to impress anyone (...well, I guess that is a small reason, too.)
For myself, I think the biggest reason is to fill my mind with experiences that I can relive repeatedly and remember fondly. It sure breaks up the monotony of everyday work and life to escape back to my last trip.
One thing I know for sure: Every person you might ask will come up with a different set of reasons.
