Steep: Glorifying extreme risk taking?

Risk is a relative thing, and it's a little surprising to see this thread and the attitude from some that risk taking(related to extreme skiing) is stupid and prideful. I think that all of us who participate in backcountry snow sports take a good number of risks, from close encounters with trees and holes to skiing that line that's just a little steeper or more exposed than we're comfortable with. Is it more dangerous to climb into a heli in the mountains with a trained pilot or hop in the skiier train on Hwy 2 on a day when the roads are snowy and high school is not in session? How about skiing a 50 degree slope at 60 mph with a chopper and half a dozen potential rescuers, or skiing a 40 degree slope deep in the Cascades with one other skier who has limited resources to respond to an accident, or skiing inbounds alone (or not) during a storm/snow cycle that's gobbling up unseen NARSID victims in treewells? There are reasons beyond prestige for taking risks, and reasons beyond adrenaline. The athletes in Steep are experienced professionals who have a clear understanding of the risks they are taking.

Bump: this film opens at the Varsity in seattle on friday. I'm going to try to make it at some point this weekend.

"We plunged right into The Cascades. The first real mountain I climbed was Mt. St. Helens , in 1977- just three years before the top of it blew off. It was 9,677' tall , this beautiful cylindrical volcano. Even though it was just a walk up , we were on glaciers, roped up, using crampons and ice axes. On the summit, I knew, THIS IS IT! This was what I was looking for. This was the greatest thing in the world." P 57 1st paragraph

Quote from Ed Viesturs-No Shortcut to The Top

I think it is simple. Most people love being in the mountains. In whatever form of sport. It's the shear beauty that attracks people.

I know of a couple who were potato farmers in North Dakota. They came out here 20 years ago to vacation. When they retired, they moved to Washington permanately because of "the beautiful mountains."

Last year , flying back from Indianapolis, after watching the Indy 500, and enduring almost perfectly flat land, a group of women, from Indianapolis, were oohing and ahhing about the "snow capped volcanos". It was comical to listen to them try and identify each one as we flew in to Seattle. They thought Mt. Adams was Mt. St. Helens, LOL!

I have lived in Washington all my life. I love the mountains. And probably don't realize how special they really are until someone from the outside drools over them.

saw " steep " the last weekend in december down in portland. worth the price just to see briggs... and the avy that caught ...wait you need to see the film

But for skiers in a film like this, I think there are other motivations at play. The elephant in the room, the one that nobody will talk about, is the quest for prestige. I think it's a big motivator for the kinds of stunts you see in these films. The ski community bestows prestige upon people who take risks and survive them.

I think Lowell has a good point here.  As an example, look at some of the TR's in this forum.  Rather than provide information on the conditions in various areas, they often appear to be no more than self-aggrandizement and posturing, or "look what I did" and (implicitly) "what you didn't."  Often accompanied by the hackneyed and over-used adjectives:  "epic", "blower pow", etc., etc.   Much like what you might hear in the bar after a day of area skiing.  I've been guilty of this myself, but try to restrain myself, or at least question my motives when I'm telling someone about my day. That being said, it is nice to be published, even if it is only the Internet.   

Rather than provide information on the conditions in various areas, they often appear to be no more than self-aggrandizement and posturing, or "look what I did" and (implicitly) "what you didn't."  Often accompanied by the hackneyed and over-used adjectives:  "epic", "blower pow", etc., etc.   Much like what you might hear in the bar after a day of area skiing.  

I've been noticing the same trend, but am sheepish to point it out since I too am guilty of involvement at times. Thanks for breaking the ice.

Many are still reporting on snow conditions and stability tests, etc. as they always have and that is appreciated. What about those who aren't? Are people doing the stability work and not sharing it, or just not doing it at all? There seems to be a cultural shift in numbers here, which is too bad, but probably inevititable with something as enjoyable as backcountry skiing/riding. Granted, as a former decade-plus long Alpental pass holder who switched to AT, I am certain there are many freeheeling fingers pointing to me as part of the...let's say "newer dynamic". But when I came to this site it was pretty clear what its values are and I still agree with them. As far as I understand it, it is a community that shares vital trip information with safety and building a knowledge base at heart... As a matter of fact, I think the site started as a tool for gathering detailed weather info. Pretty much nuts and bolts stuff needed to make informed decisions about backcountry travel.

Again, there is still meat on the bone in many reports. This combined with the eye candy these folks post keeps me checking in regularly. I think that many of us new timers need to remember that this sport comes with big responsibilities and that we can learn a lot (including how to write a helpful trip report) by paying attention to foundational culture of the site.