"In the mountains, you can lose everything in a single instant; that can't be ignored."

BarcelonaWhen, in 1923, a journalist asked George Mallory why he wanted to climb Everest—a peak that, at that time, had not yet been conquered—the English climber replied with a phrase as simple as it was powerful: "Because it's there." Those three words, now legendary, sum up the mystery and attraction that mountains have held in humans since ancient times. Why do we want to reach the top? Why do we insist on going to the mountains, even if it sometimes means putting ourselves in danger?

All this is discussed in the book. Mountain (Debate, 2025), written by journalist and high-mountain guide Óscar Gogorza. In its pages, the former director of the specialized magazine Basecamp It reflects on the spirit of overcoming adversity and camaraderie, the fragility of life, and the strength of each step. It describes the mountain as the place where all that is accessory disappears and only the essential remains. The place where, from the first mountaineers to climb Mont Blanc, to the most daring climbers, like Alex Honnold, all limits are challenged to reach the top.

"Going out into the mountains isn't a sport, but rather a space of freedom open to everyone, regardless of their level or technical difficulty," says Gogorza. The two are intertwined—one of which is the lack of speed and the rush—and another very different one, linked to nature, silence, and the elements.

The mountain, he explains, has taught him to question the established order and focus on what really matters to him.establishment, to not having to go through all the filters imposed by society. To be a little freer, as much as possible," she adds. Ultimately, it has allowed her to discover what kind of life she wants to live.

Not everyone climbs mountains for the same reasons. "Some people do it out of ego, to accumulate goals and constantly improve themselves. Others, on the other hand, seek a different, freer way of life, or find in nature a space of peace and motivation," he explains. In the case of the most daring mountaineers, he assures, there is a deep passion for what they do: "It's that passion that drives them to get up early, to face fears and anxieties... but also to experience moments of great excitement." However, he also acknowledges that people don't always arrive with the same light: "Some people go to the same place."

Unrequited love

In the book, Gogorza confesses what many climbers feel for the mountains: a love affair with something that can't return that love. "You spend years studying route maps, spending the mornings and sleeping poorly, all driven by immense energy and motivation. But in the end, you may get nothing in return," he admits. It's an unequal relationship, in which reward is never guaranteed. "Sometimes you can lose everything in a single instant, and this is a reality that can't be ignored," he acknowledges.

It's what's known as the mountaineering game: when you lose, you lose everything. A harsh reality that some try to soften with the well-known phrase, "At least they died doing what they loved." "I hate this phrase," Gogorza admits. "Because dying is dying. It's just as sad to lose someone to cancer as it is to someone who's been thrown by a stone. Nobody wants to die, and it's devastating for those left behind."

He knows this from experience. In 2008, he lost his friend Iñaki Ochoa de Olza in Annapurna, a loss that left a deep mark on him and to which he dedicates a chapter of the book. "He was one of those people with whom you always felt good. He transmitted positivity and a desire to do things. His motto was: 'Find your path, follow it, and trust it.'" Despite the impact of losses like this, Gogorza did not give up mountaineering. "What else could I do?" he asks himself. "How could I fill all that space with passion and enjoyment?"

However, Gogorza recognizes something that almost all mountaineers share: the feeling that nothing will happen to them. "We think we're prepared to handle everything, but then there are the unexpected, like a rock falling on your head. No matter how well trained you are, there are things you simply can't avoid," he explains. It's an uncomfortable truth that must be accepted in order to continue. "There's no point in living in constant fear, even though in the mountains it's necessary to survive. For me, true triumph isn't reaching the summit, but being able to face the fears that appear along the way." And, above all, knowing when it's time to turn back.