It is an incredible experience to reach a mountain summit, but what does it take to stay there? Mountaineering includes a wide range of activities, such as hard-nut multi-pitch climbing up impossibly frigid rock walls and severe backpacking on protracted, non-technical paths. Trips can take several months or only last a single day, but regardless of the length, you’ll need to be physically fit, have a basic understanding of technology, and, probably most importantly, have the appropriate attitude for the endeavor. Get in shape first. Add walking and stair climbing to your daily regimen, along with frequent cycling and running, to develop a strong base of upper body strength. Visit a climbing gym to learn the fundamentals, such as how to use a harness, belay, and tie onto a rope. Then, don a cumbersome rucksack, and climb a hill. Go on multi-day backpacking expeditions, practice scrambling, and gain confidence through roped-up climbing on big crags and ridges. Finally, practice doing all of it in cold weather since mountaineering may be very chilly. “The mountain bible” Nothing surpasses taking a course, although Freedom of the Hills is an excellent place to start and your mountaineering friends can teach you the fundamentals. Going out with a guide puts you in the mountains, provides you with invaluable personal experience, and on-the-spot feedback. The typical course length is six days on class 2-3 routes, and it covers logistics like weather analysis and mountain rescue in addition to route design, navigation, safe transit, and rock climbing. Some also go through snow and ice, including things like glacier hiking and self-arrest skills. Having everything you need in your locker enables you to make more independent decisions while on the mountain.
