Challenging Mountain Nature: Risk, Motive, and Lifestyle in Three Hobbyist Sports.

Ann Turner is Financial and Budget Manager at the University of British
Columbia Library.

Research sociologist Robert Stebbins enjoys mountain climbing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding in his leisure hours. In this study he is able to combine his professional and leisure interests by examining what motivates serious participants in the “extreme” nature-challenge sports of mountain and ice climbing, river kayaking, and snowboarding to risk their lives in these pursuits. Is it the exhilaration of flirting with death and injury, the sense of progress toward mastery and recognition, pride in defeating nature, or something else? Why do they take their leisure sports so seriously that they arrange other aspects of their lives, even their employment, so as to support their participation? Dr. Stebbins conducted his research using structured interviews with 63 participants in the three sports in the Canmore-Banff area of the Canadian Rockies. In addition to motivation he examined their general lifestyles and leisure careers. The results are surprising. This is a well-written and enlightening study of how leisure contributes to quality of life.