MOUNTAINEERING • Getting started • Is mountaineering for me? • Skills & techniques • Fitness • Food & nutrition • Equipment overview • Gear check list • Joining an expedition • The effects of altitude • Navigation • Safety & first aid • Further reading

MOUNTAINEERING
Getting started

Mountaineering has become a popular sport over recent years. It attracts people from all walks of life and for various reasons.

The aim of this section is to introduce prospective new climbers to this fascinating adventure sport. The idea here is to give you some background information that will help you to make an informed decision as to whether mountaineering is an activity that you'd like to pursue. We recommend reading this section in conjunction with our trekking section as most mountaineering expeditions involve quite a lot of trekking just to get to base camp.

To help get you in the zone, let's consider this possibile situation:

Imagine for a minute that you are with a group of friends. The conversation is lively and everyone is in high spirits, when out of the blue you make the following announcement. "Well guys, I’ve decided that I’m going to climb the Himalayas". If your friends are anything like mine you’ll probably be met with multiple blank stares coupled with a brief moment of dead silence. From there someone is likely to respond with something like, " hah, yeh right!… I’ll believe that when I see it". The moment that follows is priceless and will remain with you forever. "…no, I’m deadly serious! I am going to climb the Himalayas! I have signed up with an expedition and we will attempt Mt. (insert mountain here) in April/May of next year. Mt. (?) is located in the Everest region of Nepal and I will be in training for the next (?) months in preparation for it". The responses that follow are difficult to predict, but one thing is for sure, you will have cemented your commitment to the challenge ahead and your friends will have witnessed it. There's no turning back.

Speaking from personal experience, climbing a mountain is definitely a life changing event. It can give you greater confidence to achieve things in everyday life. It becomes a benchmark by which to compare other challenges. As for those who laughed when you originally told them of your intentions, well what's that saying?, "he/she who laughs last, laughs the loudest". ...and don't forget to take a camera, or better still, a video camera to capture that all important summit proof.

If you've read this far into TreksandClimbs.com then you are probably already thinking big mountains. If so, then you're in the right place to make it happen. Your next step is to bookmark this site. TreksandClimbs.com will provide all the information and resources that you'll need to make it happen.

OK, it's your move.

Is mountaineering for me? >

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Important:
These mountaineering topics should be read in conjunction with the trekking section as most mountaineering expeditions also involve a considerable amount of trekking.

Warning-Mountaineering is potentially dangerous and should not be attempted without proper technical training and/or guidance.