Adventure vacationingLooking for bigger thrills -- with sometimes fatal consequencesMarch 25, 1998Web posted at: 11:45 a.m. EST (1645 GMT) From CNN Correspondent Greg LaMotte LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- On Sunday, a rafting trip down the Illinois River in Oregon turned disastrous, when 12 people were dumped into the rain-swollen, turbulent waters. Two people were killed, and 10 others had to cling to the mossy canyon walls overnight until they could be rescued. Rain and snowmelt had increased the volume of the river nearly seven-fold in a day and a half. And while some rafters called it quits when they saw the roughwater chute, other parties pushed ahead. "At moderate levels, it's beautiful, fun and wonderful, but it can all too quickly become deadly serious," said guide Ferron Mayfield, who has run trips on the river for 20 years. While the abilities and experience of those rafters are not yet known -- it's clear they were pushing limits, perhaps for the sake of thrills. And from bungee jumping to rock climbing and skydiving, thrill-seeking appears to be an increasingly popular pastime. Why? Are people slowly but surely losing their minds? Has life become so boring we feel the need to put it all on the line? To tempt fate? Do we need the fear of death to make us feel alive?
"It's about facing my fears and doing things that excite me and give me a sense of accomplishment," said Tim Richards, an expert rock climber. People around the world are increasingly upping the ante when it comes to thrills -- and some thrills that can result in tragedy. "They psychologically become addicted to the adrenaline rush," said psychologist Jessica Gillooly. "So there is an adrenaline rush with bungee cord jumping. There's an adrenaline rush with climbing up the face of El Capitan in Yosemite." An indoor climbing club in Los Angeles offers climbers the opportunity to work on their skills before heading out for the real thing. It's a training ground for the climbs that truly put lives on the line. Surgeon Janice Moody, who climbs here, said people are looking for new thrills. "We've exceeded, I think, our expectations for our accomplishments as well as what our parents thought we'd ever do," she said, "and now we're looking for other things to challenge us, to excite us." Moody's boyfriend, Jim Geach, sells cars for a living. To him, rock climbing is "a new notch to put on your belt." "A bigger high. A new accomplishment," he said. "Something different and something definitely exciting to keep the adrenaline moving." Adrenaline highs are fine, the experts say, but not at the cost of a life. If new thrills are what you seek, professionals say go for it. But first, get expert training. 
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