Surfers try to scare away would-be-surfers. Less waves for thee, more waves for me. I don't even have a girlfriend.

THAT’s where I knew to not believe you!

Just a different type of fun. I find avalanche training to have a similar effect for backcountry.

For some it's sobering, for others it's terrifying.

Yes my wife and I were watching a group of hikers one time and we both looked at each other and talked about how none of them had even seen a demo on using an ice axe. It felt like walking into a kitchen and seeing the chefs juggling knives

Yep, and sadly it's a typical story in the backcountry, sometimes ending tragically.

At the end of my three full day avalanche training the instructor said “now remember, you are now the least qualified people to go into the backcountry.

That stuck with me.

That's a great line!

He's using an anecdote. So, yeah, not a study.

The only point being made is panicked breathing before disaster, versus a little training and a few controlled breaths before disaster. And that he also experienced maybe some of the same mind altering effects of breathing.

Since we all breath, I think in this type of thread we'll find lots of anecdotes around this subject.

I find it highly motivating