I like riding a hard tail for pretty much everything. Of course, you rapidly end up off pavement here with all the dirt / gravel roads, so it makes sense. I do a bit of single track where we live, inside our property. It isn't technically difficult, just rough due to elevation changes. I ride a bike to explore more than to challenge myself. I have enough challenges in my life without making my off time a challenge too.
But, to each his own.