Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Recognize Summit Fever? (minimize risks)

What are the symptoms of Summit Fever. Is this similar to tunnel vision?

Do the commercial guides on this board see more of it in recent years? Does risk of this developing increase with group size, or experience of group? Is it more important for a guide to have specific area experience, or overall group leading skills?


What about the individual?

These questions occur to me as I read about BobR's most recent scramble and the wonderful trip reports from SoCalGirl and SierraAddict. And as reports continue to filter in about the recent K2 attempt.

Italian refuses to give in as 11 die on K2

Summit fever? I take Justice Potter Stewart's approach (he was talking about pornography, which some would consider more interesting) -- I know it when I see it. Someone heading up into a lightning storm has summit fever. Someone pushing themselves hard is just normal.

I have no perception that summit fever is more common than it ever was.

Group behavior can go either way. Sometimes it encourages more conservative behavior, sometimes it goads people to recklessness.

these modified excerpts from my manuscript (under revision prior to publication on Risks in the Mountains) may be helpful... Harvey


X describes social groups of similarly-minded individuals in the mountaineering activity where group processes may or may not mitigate risk-taking.

Group dynamics, X warns, may shift a moderate attitude to a more polarized one. Z recognized that polarization was happening, noting that, “The momentum of our ascent overwhelmed our individual or collective doubts.”

Researchers use the phrase ‘normalization of deviance’ to describe gradual shifts through which aberrant behavior and standards become acceptable. The extreme becomes the norm.