#186 - The Mountains Won't Fix Your Problems

Today I explain how finishing a 100-mile run in 2022—something I trained for and obsessed over for years—was incredible, yet left me feeling emptier than ever afterward, which made me realize the mountains won’t fix my internal problems. I talk about how “escape to the mountains” culture (especially on social media) can turn into contrived checklists, and how Colorado peak-bagging often feels like a constant competition, even though it can also sharpen skills. I use my 14er journey (including a day on Culebra Peak) to argue for thinking in terms of opportunity cost and an 80/20 mindset instead of chasing endless arbitrary goals like 13ers. I also describe how some thru-hikers fall into a trail-vs-real-life misery cycle, why the real work is internal (books, therapy, friends), and how I’m pivoting after the fourteeners toward hunting, new mental challenges, and teaching others—because the mountain won’t fix your marriage, your relationships, or your self-worth.📲 Socials --Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chadahooche_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chadahooche_?lang=en⛰️ Gear Lists --My Outdoor Gear Lists | https://app.rockporch.com/prflink/chadahooche_00:00 100 Miles and Empty01:08 Mountains as Escape02:17 Fourteeners and Goals03:32 Contrived Peak Bagging06:02 Colorado Comparison Culture09:19 Opportunity Cost Mindset10:27 Thru Hiking Escape Cycle14:36 Do the Inner Work16:19 What Comes After Fourteeners17:33 Hunting as New Challenge20:51 Teaching and Sharing Adventures22:23 Mountains Cannot Fix You