The fear that drives many people away from the risks of extreme sports may be the same ingredient that keeps others coming back for more. Mountaineer Al Read has logged many notable first ascents over the course of his climbing career. Having climbed for over 40 years, Read says he no longer pushes to the extremes as he once did- but the feeling is still vivid. "I can remember when I was getting into situations where thought that at any moment I could be killed," he told National Geographic News. "...I would say, '...I'll never do this again.' But we'd get back down, and when we were safe we'd say, 'Man was that great!" he recalled. "You forget how scary it was, and you go back again.