Climbing - The Pinnacle of Adventure
Mountain climbing is one of the most thrilling activities in the world. Just the image of that snow-capped colossus in the distance is enough to set the heart racing. While it takes years to become expert, anyone who is fit can get started with only some basic training - provided they have expert guides on the trip.
But even that basic training will take a few days to weeks for most eager beginners. Mountain climbing is risky, even dangerous. Being in good shape is essential, but that's just the beginning.
Learning to tie some basic knots is among the most basic skills needed. Novices will need to learn the types and functions of certain critical pieces of gear - and then practice with them. You can't learn climbing solely from reading. That gear consists of ropes and harnesses, belay devices, protection gear such as cams and hexes, and a lot more.
Other safety aspects include learning to dress correctly. Sure, you can go rock climbing in shorts and a t-shirt with a good pair of the right shoes. Nothing wrong with that. But mountain climbing is higher, harder and done in much more challenging conditions. The temperatures are more extreme and you'll usually need the right pants, shirt, vest and even correct underwear if you expect to be anything other than miserable.
Pushing yourself is great. It's one of the reasons people climb. But taking foolish risks is just that: foolish. You'll need to learn basic safety practices and first aid for when the inevitable injuries do occur. AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) from exertion in high altitudes and Frostbite are just a couple of the things that can be an annoyance or deadly, depending on your training and behavior.
'Learning the mountain' is a common climber's phrase. But it refers to more than just the location and nature of base camps and trails. It means learning the weather, the history, the geology and much more. K-2 is radically different from Everest, even though both are among the highest and toughest possible climbs. The same principles apply even to lesser, and less well known, challenges.
As the new climber becomes more familiar with mountain climbing, different styles will attract his or her attention. Sport, traditional and other styles are preferred by different individuals. Mountain climbing is a very individual thing, with every climber approaching it a different way and for different personal motivations, even as they share certain traits in common.
Ice climbing is a specialized activity that will attract some, while others never feel compelled to attack it. Some reach for the highest pinnacles, trying again and again to take the harder and harder routes. Others will want to get a wide base of experience, everywhere from Alaska to Peru to China.
Along the way you'll be inspired by some of the greatest climbers in history tackling the toughest climbs. At the end... no, there never is an end to climbing, except in rare tragedy. There's only the journey, ever upward. That's the adventure, the challenge, the thing that drives most to want to spend the effort to master the world's toughest sport.
But, first, you have to get started...
