Many climbers are looked at as people checking another mountain off the list. (movies are a bad example though)
There are lots of "bucket list" people around. There is a guiding company that operates a three day course/climb at the Columbia Icefields area. It includes two days of basic training and an attempt on Mt. Athabasca (or other nearby peak) on day three. The vast majority of people taking this program are there to check off "climbed a mountain" from their list. For them, the summit is paramount.
I was four years old - what a pivotal summer for me! First, we backpacked into the Tonquin Valley - 30km each way, what a monster trip for my little legs. I stood at the base of The Ramparts and could barely believe my eyes. What a magical place. Then we car toured to the Columbia Icefields area to see the glaciers and the massive peaks of that area. I couldn't believe the shape of Mt. Athabasca! Then my dad pointed out a group of climbers descending the north side of the peak, and OMG - they'd stood on top. Wow.
I knew that I wanted to climb that peak. I learned the history of the mountain and found out that not only was it gorgeous to look at, but had a special place in the history of the Rockies - being the first peak that humans (known) had viewed the vast expanse of the Columbia Icefields. Now I wanted to retrace the steps of Woolley and Collie!
So, in the beginning, climbing for me was about the summit, and the allure of the "top." But, after gaining some skills, I realized that the game of the climb was the part that I desired the most. The was an odd process...
I'd be terrified on the climb, maybe from the exposure (air under your boots) or other hazards (seracs the size of school buses crashing by) and on the descent I'd think "if I live through this, I'm selling all my gear and never, ever, doing this again!"
On the way home, we'd stop for food, and I'd be eager to plan our next climb. I couldn't wait to feel that fear again, to control it, and feel that something inside me that allowed me to dig deep despite the difficulties.