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Adventurer / Endurance Sports + Spirituality / Boundaries

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Adventurer / Endurance Sports + Spirituality / Boundaries

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By connecting mental health and athleticism to extreme sports, this source gives insight into Adam Robert's life and how his extreme engagement in and eventual death by skiing could have been a manifestation of Roberts's mental health challenges.

As a freeskier in the Northwest, Adam Roberts spent his childhood embedded in nature, taking an interest in skiing at just seven years old. Extreme skiing came to him naturally, but with this came a boost in his confidence. As time went on, the slopes Roberts skied down only got steeper and taller, truly testing his limits and athletic skills. To become an even better skier, Roberts resorted to overexercising and food, leading to the development of eating disorders and mental disorders. While trying to combat his way through mental challenges, Roberts turned to making impulsive decisions, like cheating on his girlfriend then showing up in her house afterwards (Solomon). When more than paved challenges were needed, Roberts began attempting to ski in blocked-off areas of resorts. During his last few skiing excursions, Roberts himself admitted "[the slope] looks sketchy," yet proceeded to ski downwards, and eventually, nature caught up to Roberts's recklessness and left him buried in the thing that used to bring him joy (Solomon). Especially after finding out "though Adam routinely carried such equipment, that day he had carried only a beacon [and] He had not switched it on," many speculate Roberts used the exact thing that brought him happiness to put an end to his suffering (Solomon).

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When extreme skier Adam Roberts was killed by an avalanche in the mountains of Washington State, some people wondered if he’d died on purpose. Christopher Solomon reconstructs a life in which athletic talent, fearlessness, and mental illness combined to create an unbearable reality.

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Source 1: The Strangers Podcast - The Schmidts

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Source 1: The Strangers Podcast - The Schmidts

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The Schmidts introduces the listener to Sequoia, whose brother and father died participating in extreme sports, and investigates her unique family dynamic. Throughout Sequoia's childhood, her father Marty was often absent, which placed her in foster care through much of her youth, pushing her towards unhealthy coping mechanisms (The Schmidts). It becomes unclear where Marty's priorities lay; although it is clear that he loves his children, it also seems that he would much rather spend time obsessively climbing mountains than taking care of them. He seems to use climbing mountains as a coping mechanism for being an unfit father. After the death of her brother and father in a climbing incident, she felt "bitter towards [her] father for getting [her] brother killed," but also upset that she could not mend her relationship (The Schmidts). Because their lives were cut short, she felt as if there was so much more to explore in her relationships, especially with her frequently absent father. However, Sequoia was able to turn her life around, producing a successful company and foundation in remembrance of her brother. She began to regular engage in extreme sports herself later in life as a means of better understanding her late brother and father, and to cope with her day to day life.

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Meet Sequoia Schmidt - a most interesting and unusual young woman from a most interesting and unusual family. This is Part 1 of her story. Part 2 drops next week. Enjoy! You can find Sequoia at http://www.sequoiaschmidt.com.

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Rock climber Alex Honnold is shown climbing El Capitan without any ropes (free soloing), an impressive feat even among other daring climbers. Despite death-defying circumstances, Honnold is able to stay calm and focus on the task at hand. Although any slipup means death, extreme sports athletes harness this adrenaline to accomplish amazing things.

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Data/Statistic: Trend in US Deaths caused by Avalanches in Off-Piste Regions

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Data/Statistic: Trend in US Deaths caused by Avalanches in Off-Piste Regions

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The graph captures the change in US deaths caused by avalanches in off-piste regions of ski resorts from 1950 to 2023. Ski resorts prohibit skiers from being in off-piste areas due to the high risk of avalanches, but many extreme skiers, like Adam Roberts, often find ways to sneak past the ban. However, with the overall increasing trend in fatalities each year along with the rising mental health crisis in the US, a correlation between mental health and deaths caused by extreme sports is put into question.

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extreme sports --> risking ones life --> Why are people drawn to extreme sports despite its inherent danger?

This source provides an alternative to what most people initially believe about extreme sports athletes. Although people may initially be inclined to assume people enjoy the thrill and adrenaline rush, most people do not necessarily do it for this reason. Many feel more at peace and close to the natural world participating in extreme sports. Accomplishing goals in an extreme sport gives a true sense of satisfaction, like nature has been conquered.

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For exclusive access to all of our fitness, gear, adventure, and travel stories, plus discounts on trips, events, and gear, sign up for Outside+ today.

There's a longstanding assumption behind most of the research on extreme athletes: "Clearly, something's wrong with them."

That's what Eric Brymer, a researcher at Leeds Beckett in the UK, has seen for most of his career. Why else would anyone willingly participate in an activity that is quite literally defined by its high levels of perceived risk? What could motivate that kind of behavior? Extreme athletes, the academic literature suggested, are "adrenaline junkies" with "death wishes," Brymer says. "They're crazy people, not like normal people."

Motivation is a curious thing, especially when it comes to pastimes much of society thinks are dangerous. George Mallory's response to that tired question- Why climb Everest? -is as telling as it is inscrutable. Many of us don't have a better answer for why we want to conquer those rapids or nail that slab or bag that peak than Mallory's "Because it's there." For the "normal people" who have no interest in paddling down waterfalls, it's easy to see how the "death wish" narrative took hold.

"It's more than the quick hit of adrenaline. It's personal."

Brymer was finishing his masters in sports psychology from the University of Liverpool 10 years ago and working at an adventure camp when he realized this view dominated the field. "I knew quite a lot of people participating in high levels of extreme sport-most people were very careful and took years to develop their skills," he says. "I knew people who were highly, highly skilled at white water, but they stuck to Class IV." Of all the mountain climbers and free divers and base jumpers he knew, he didn't see many recklessly tempting fate. "There are many easier ways to die," he says. "Why would you do these things if you were trying to die?"

Brymer has since made a career out of studying what drives extreme athletes. He's an expert in the field and his new book, Phenomenology and the Extreme Sport Experience, debunks many of the clichés behind what makes adventure athletes tick. Extreme athletes don't get off on taking risks or that rush of adrenaline, he says. From interviews with dozens of athletes, Brymer and his co-author Robert Schweitzer discovered that, instead, extreme sports helped participants feel closer to nature, more self-aware, at peace and even transcendent. "There's an ineffable aspect people find very difficult to describe," Brymer says, "a feeling of coming home."

This "ineffable" nature may explain why it's been so hard for researchers to nail down why we participate in so-called risky sports. Psychologists developed a "sensation-seeking scale" in the early 1970s: ever since it's been easier for researchers to concentrate on the thrill-seeking aspect of extreme sports. Researchers have dived into the genetics of extreme athletes, examining whether exposure to high levels testosterone in utero promotes risk-taking or if we're born with an "adventure" genotype. But searching for what differentiates extreme athletes from "normal folks" ignores a key trend line: in the last thirty years, adventure and extreme sports have become more and more popular. While participation in traditional team sports declines, climbing and surfing and kayaking have all seen record growth.

"Once upon a time this used to be called being alive-living without know what was going to happen next."

Still, motive has been little studied, says Emma Barrett, a researcher at Lancaster Univeristy and the author of Extreme: Why some people thrive at the limits. "There is a lot of stuff out there about sensation-seeking and risk-taking and it's all interesting stuff, but motivation is such a complex and multifaceted thing." That's what makes Brymer's research "terrific" and "unique," Barrett says.

So what drives us to keep doing these sports, despite the inherent risks? Brymers work-and similar research done by John Kerr out of the University of British Columbia and Susan Mackenzie from the University of Idaho-suggests one of the most powerful motivators is something any athlete knows: these sports are hard and much of the satisfaction comes from the grind, and the satisfaction that comes from nailing that backside cutback on the wave after a hundred failed tries.

Another interesting response that researchers heard from athletes again and again: they don't consider their "extreme" sports risky. Wingsuit fliers and pro climbers spend a huge amount of time trying to minimize risks. They "learn everything possible about the sport; learn about weather conditions, learn about wind, learn about what wind does in and around buildings and structures and cliffs, so you know what you can do and what you can't do," one BASE jumper told Brymer. Although they're under no illusions about the risks-"Imagine if every time you missed a basket, somebody would shoot you in the head," one extreme skier said-they believe they have done all they can to mitigate them through hard work and focus.

Of course, the risk is real. The parade of obituaries for pro climbers and top-level BASE jumpers shows this with frightening frequency. And, Barrett says, some people are likely motivated by that dopamine rush or the thrill of risk.

For Alex Honnold, perhaps the most impressive, unflappable solo climber to ever live, it depends on how you define risk. "If risk is defined as anything with an uncertain outcome, I'm certainly taking risks, yeah," he says, but "I don't think that I have a death wish. I'm not trying to go out and kill myself."

So, why does Honnold do it? "It's hard to define" he says. "Ten years ago I'd just say because it's rad or badass to sound like a hero, but now I can give a slightly subtler interpretation. I typically define it as deep satisfaction. A sense of well-being. I'm searching more for that feeling of having done something well and being deeply content-it's more than the quick hit of adrenaline. It's personal."

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For exclusive access to all of our fitness, gear, adventure, and travel stories, plus discounts on trips, events, and gear, sign up for Outside+ today. There's a longstanding assumption behind most of the research on extreme athletes: "Clearly, something's wrong with them."

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Potential Research Question 2: A Social Gain

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Potential Research Question 2: A Social Gain

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extreme sports --> social gain/satisfaction --> What impact does the need for social gain have on extreme sport athletes?

This source gives an overview of 11 different incidents where taking a selfie ultimately resulted in a death. Although not all 11 incidents were related to partaking in extreme sports, the article includes a few events where death was caused by things like running with the bulls in Spain or climbing cliffs. Overall, this source gives real life examples that could potentially be further researched where partaking in an extreme activity just to take a picture to probably post on social media led to a death.

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Fatal poses with walruses, bulls and even a live grenade

The never-ending pursuit of the ultimate shot for social media sharing has reached a startling new height: 8,000 feet above sea level. This month, a grown man fell to his death while posing for a picture on a ledge at Machu Picchu, the ancient Incan citadel in Peru. But death by selfie at a temple built for human sacrifice begs the question: How far would you go to get that killer shot?

The facts speak for themselves. In 2015, more people died from taking selfies than from shark attacks. Tourist destinations such as Mumbai have gone so far as to designate selfie-free zones. Even the notoriously unsympathetic Russian government issued a manual for how to safely take a selfie. Our need to capture the present moment via social media has completely changed the way we experience life, and a tragic irony presents itself when that results in death.

From falling down the steps of the Taj Mahal to being gored alive by wild animals, here are the 11 most disturbing stories of selfies gone disastrously wrong.

Deadly Walrus

A Chinese businessman named Jia Lijun tried to take a selfie with a one-and-a-half-ton walrus at a zoo in Liaoning province, China. Apparently, the man was a big fan of this particular walrus, having previously sent photos and videos of it to his friends and family along with the message, " so strong, so big." As the man entered the gated housing area to snap a photo with the female walrus, she grabbed him from behind and dragged him into the pool. Both Lijun and the on-site zookeeper (who had cared for the walrus since she was a baby) were drowned to death by the massive-toothed creature, who was reportedly only trying to play and give them a "hug." A surveillance video taken of the incident went viral on Chinese social media.

Accidental Explosion

Two Russian soldiers in the Urals region west of Siberia were posing for a selfie with a live grenade. The handheld explosive detonated unexpectedly and, going off in their faces. Only the phone with the photo survived. Russia in particular has seen an alarming number of selfie-related deaths, becoming such a problem that the government launched a safety campaign, urging people to use caution while taking selfies.

Don't Selfie and Fly

A deadly plane crash occurred in May 2014 in Colorado when the pilot lost control of the airplane while posing to take a selfie. He proceeded to crash the Cessna 150 into a nearby wheat field, killing both himself and another passenger upon impact. It's been said that 29-year-old amateur pilot, Amritpal Singh, was reported to have frequently engaged in this kind of behavior, including texting while manipulating the airplane. A GoPro camera was discovered in the aftermath on the morning after the accident, revealing more footage of the pilot taking mid-flight selfies at low altitudes.

Misstep at the Taj Mahal

Deadly Walrus

A Chinese businessman named Jia Lijun tried to take a selfie with a one-and-a-half-ton walrus at a zoo in Liaoning province, China. Apparently, the man was a big fan of this particular walrus, having previously sent photos and videos of it to his friends and family along with the message, " so strong, so big." As the man entered the gated housing area to snap a photo with the female walrus, she grabbed him from behind and dragged him into the pool. Both Lijun and the on-site zookeeper (who had cared for the walrus since she was a baby) were drowned to death by the massive-toothed creature, who was reportedly only trying to play and give them a "hug." A surveillance video taken of the incident went viral on Chinese social media.

Accidental Explosion

Two Russian soldiers in the Urals region west of Siberia were posing for a selfie with a live grenade. The handheld explosive detonated unexpectedly and, going off in their faces. Only the phone with the photo survived. Russia in particular has seen an alarming number of selfie-related deaths, becoming such a problem that the government launched a safety campaign, urging people to use caution while taking selfies.

"Ultimate Selfie" Gone Wrong

A teenage Romanian girl had attempted to take the special selfie on top of a train in the northern town of Iasi, Romania. According to a friend, 18-year-old Anna Urso was planning to post this "ultimate selfie" on Facebook. Urso decided to lie down on the roof of the stationary train car, but when she reached up with one of her legs to pose, but she hit an overhead live wire that shocked her with 27,000 volts. The young girl immediately burst into flames and was pronounced dead at the hospital after suffering burns on over half her of her body.

Don't Selfie and Fly

A deadly plane crash occurred in May 2014 in Colorado when the pilot lost control of the airplane while posing to take a selfie. He proceeded to crash the Cessna 150 into a nearby wheat field, killing both himself and another passenger upon impact. It's been said that 29-year-old amateur pilot, Amritpal Singh, was reported to have frequently engaged in this kind of behavior, including texting while manipulating the airplane. A GoPro camera was discovered in the aftermath on the morning after the accident, revealing more footage of the pilot taking mid-flight selfies at low altitudes.

Misstep at the Taj Mahal

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Death by Selfie: 11 Disturbing Stories of Social Media Pics

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Death by Selfie: 11 disturbing stories of social media pics with walruses, bulls, and and even a live grenade - gone wrong

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Source 4: Extreme Sports, A Positive Transformation in Courage and Humility

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Source 4: Extreme Sports, A Positive Transformation in Courage and Humility

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Published in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, "Extreme Sports: A Positive Transformation in Courage and Humility" written by E. Brymer and L. G. Oades examines the idea of extreme sports, and how participating in these activities can powerfully impact your life in a positive way. Brymer and Oades define extreme sports as activities where the likely outcome of making a mistake is death. This report sheds light on the impacts that extreme sports have on participants, much of which being positive. "Kayaking has changed my life, it has taught me who I am. Going to rivers changes who you are in a positive way"(118). Most participants in this study seem to mutually agree that extreme sports summon a thrill inside of you that far outweighs the potential risks. "At the end of the day I had an epiphany because I did not die but I really enjoyed it, a whole environment that I never imagined existed was opened to me"(118).

While these sports take immense courage to take part in, most players agree participating brings out the greater good in themselves, and transforms their tendencies and their lives as a whole.

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Extreme sports: A positive transformation in courage and humility

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Extreme sports: A positive transformation in courage and humility

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“Alex Honnold: Pushing the Limits.” USCViterbi, 7 Feb. 2018, viterbigradadmission.usc.edu/2018/02/3700/. Accessed 02 Feb. 2024.

“Avalanche Accident Statistics.” Colorado Avalanche Information Center, CAIC, avalanche.state.co.us/accidents/statistics-and-reporting. Accessed 02 Feb. 2024.

Brymer, E., and L.G. Oades. “Extreme Sports.” Journal of Humanistic Psychology, vol. 49, no. 1, 24 Oct. 2007, pp. 114–126, doi:10.1177/0022167808326199.

Harding, Lizzy. “The Guy Who Stayed Out in the Cold: Wim Hof’s Extreme Approach to Human Potential.” Bookforum Magazine, 1865 Publications, 31 May 2022, www.bookforum.com/print/2902/wim-hof-s-extreme-approach-to-human-potential-24965. Accessed 02 Feb. 2024.

Lovitt, Bryn. “Death by Selfie: 11 Disturbing Stories of Social Media Pics Gone Wrong.” Rolling Stone, 14 July 2016, www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-lists/death-by-selfie-11-disturbing-stories-of-social-media-pics-gone-wrong-15091/accidental-cliff-dive-28608/. Accessed 02 Feb. 2024.

Solomon, Christopher. “The Boy Who Lived on Edges.” Outside Online, 18 Oct. 2022, www.outsideonline.com/2287926/terror-way-beyond-falling. Accessed 02 Feb. 2024.

Thau, Lea. “The Schmidts Part 1.” Strangers. Sequoia Schmidt, Story Central. Story Central, https://www.storycentral.org/the-schmidts-part-1/.

Thau, Lea. “The Schmidts Part 2.” Strangers. Sequoia Schmidt, Story Central. Story Central, https://www.storycentral.org/the-schmidts-part-2/.