What is it that attracts people to take on risky challenges such as mountain climbing, despite knowledge of the risks?
According to Per Calleberg, it does not have to be the desire to expose oneself to risks.
It is a common misconception among laymen that it is about seeking risks or danger. It is not the danger one seeks, but rather control over the danger, he says.
Calleberg himself has made climbing expeditions at high altitude, including in Nepal in the 1990s.
Routine no guarantee
Laura Dahlmeier died at an altitude of 5,700 meters after a rockslide in the Karakoram mountains in Pakistan on Monday. She was a certified mountain and ski guide and had recently climbed other peaks in the region.
Routine that is no guarantee, according to Calleberg.
Avalanches and rockslides come suddenly and are very difficult to assess, even for experienced climbers, he says.
Calleberg emphasizes that what motivates an individual to do something is individual. But he also says that it is easy to mentally misjudge the danger of, for example, mountain climbing.
Films and social media have normalized climbing a lot, it's not that unique anymore. It's easy to think "if he or she can do it, so can I". But what you don't see is the hundreds of hours of training that have led up to that point.
"Buying shortcuts"
At the same time, all forms of climbing are an activity where technology is advancing rapidly.
The gear has become better and lighter. You buy yourself shortcuts in that way. Now I'm not saying that's what Dahlmeier did, she was trained.
The fact that climbing has experienced an upswing in recent decades can also play a role in people's risk awareness, Calleberg believes.
It can create a false sense of security in what is called "safety in numbers", that you think you are safe because there are many around you.
Fatal accidents in advanced mountain climbing are not uncommon.
Critics argue that the rush to the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, has led to pollution and increased risks for climbers. Since 2019, Nepal's military has collected 119 tons of waste and 14 human bodies from the area. An estimated 200 more bodies are believed to remain on the mountain.
The former biathlon star was climbing in the Karakoram mountains in Pakistan on July 28.
Together with her climbing partner, she was involved in a rockslide. According to information that was only made public later, Dahlmeier was hit in the head by a stone and was then slammed against the mountain wall.
The climbing partner tried to reach her without succeeding. It was not until Tuesday that a helicopter was able to reach the scene, due to bad weather. By then, there were no signs of life. On Wednesday, climbers who reached the scene confirmed that Dahlmeier was dead. Her body will not be retrieved. Before her death, Dahlmeier expressed a desire that no one should risk their life if she were to have an accident.
