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Niles Barnes - Reader Blog 2
  EnlargeThe classic smith rock landscape. Photo by Niles Barnes / nilesman.blogspot.com
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Smith Rock, Oregon
Climbers are some of the most immature people on the face of the earth and I mean that in a very good way. It is precisely because of this immaturity, that I think climbers are actually some of the most evolved and advanced group of people I have ever known. As I discovered on a climbing trip to Smith Rock, the human species has in fact naturally evolved by retaining immature characteristics. Part of what draws me to climbing is this spirit of neoteny (remaining young).
One of my most memorable climbing trips was when I traveled back to Smith Rock with my buddy John Schrader in March of 2007. I bought a copy of Still Life with Woodpecker, a Tom Robbins novel, right before we departed.
About halfway through reading it on the trip, I came across this passage:
 EnlargeNiles at the top of Latest Rage an old Alan Watts classic. Photo by Niles Barnes / nilesman.blogspot.com
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 EnlargeJohn busting out some yoga action. Photo by Niles Barnes / nilesman.blogspot.com
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 EnlargeJohn Schrader coming down the Monkey Face. Photo by Niles Barnes / nilesman.blogspot.com
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"Behavioral traits such as curiosity of the world, flexibility of response, and playfulness are common to practically all young mammals but are usually lost with the onset of maturity in all but humans. Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious and immature”
The passage captured exactly how I feel about many of the climbers I have met over the years - they remain young through the adventure and never ending journey of discovering the best rock to pull on and coolest ice to climb.
