Love Affair With Thin Air: Mortality, Mastery, and the Consumerism of Mountaineering

Summary

This paper applies Terror Management Theory (TMT) to mountaineering and reframes the activity as a long-term, mortality-buffered identity project rather than merely adrenaline-driven recreation. Drawing on ethnography, netnography and eight depth interviews from a Mount Rainier expedition, the authors identify four core themes: foundational motivations, preparation as ritual, achievement through risk mitigation, and the reframing of success away from summiting toward value-consistent choices. The study argues that climbers gain durable self-esteem and meaning by assimilating into a subculture that prizes discipline, preparedness and humility. Managerial implications and avenues for future research are also provided.

Key Points

Mountaineering is conceptualised as mortality-salient consumption: climbers engage with existential threat to build symbolic immortality and identity.
Preparation (physical, mental, logistical) is itself a meaningful, ritualised part of the experience and a key source of fulfilment.
Fulfilment comes from competence in mitigating risk—skillful control—not reckless thrill-seeking.
Success is often reframed post-expedition: survival, judgement and value-aligned choices outrank reaching the summit.
The study extends TMT by showing mortality salience can be chronic and woven through an extended consumer journey, not just as an acute prime.
Practical takeaways for firms: support customers during preparation, emphasise safety and mastery, build communities and position offerings as long-term identity work.

Why should I read this?

Short version: if you care about why people pay big money and take real risks for leisure, this saves you the time of parsing dense theory. The paper shows that climbers don’t just chase thrills — they build identity through rituals, training and controlled engagement with danger. Read it for sharp insights on motivation, behaviour and how brands can plug into meaningful, long-term journeys.