Any Mountaineering people out there?

[BeastOfTheTrees]

I'm recently very interested in this lifestyle and am curious to learn more about it. Any of you who actually climb the highest peaks? How did you start out there?

 

[Antarctica]

Mountaineering/climbing and setting your sights on the highest peaks are two vastly different things with vastly different risks associated. The second can also cost a hell of a lotta money. Not the thing to 'start doing' if you have a family that depends on you.

I had a friend (recently passed away) that was an extremely accomplished climber. He'd been on Everest multiple times and on some of the most highly regarded climbing teams of the late 70's. Had the first ascent of the highest peak on one continent (he literally had it in his living room). He was not one to talk about it unless you specifically asked him to. We did once, and his climbing resume read like a mountaineering obituary page.

The media hype and the monetization of Everest have made the perception of risk associated with climbing at high levels almost laughable. Any yahoo can drop $50k (or whatever it is now - probably $100k) and show up at Everest Base camp "ready to go", sure that someone is going to save their out of shape, inexperienced ass if their feet start to hurt.

If you want to start, there are plenty of classes that teach mountaineering - mostly around Mt Hood and Mt Rainier I think.

 

[Timeless61]

Most probably get their start by taking classes and being on guided climbs. Maybe they have friends that already climb that help them along somewhat.

I would think taking a class and then paying for a guided climb with good experienced climbers would be a good start. There are a number of climbs you can do depending on what you want e.g. Grand Teton in summer is easier rock climbing, Gannett Peak has a mix and is a longer trip with some snow/glacier, Hood and Rainier will be more glacier/snow. If you ski Whitney is a good guided ski climbing trip. Kilimanjaro is basically a hike, but the elevation still comes into play. After something like this you will get an idea of what it’s like - if you are interested. The higher peaks take time which can be tricky if you hunt as well - not sure if you are retired or what your life circumstances are.

You will have failed summit attempts even on Hood or Rainier. So there is money and time that may be wasted depending how you look at it.

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

I appreciate the overview. That is essentially what I was looking for. Excuse my lack of knowing as far as the wording of the highest peaks. I have nothing but respect for mountain folk in the highest. I have a distinct opportunity to chase whatever dreams I have ever manifested. I am quitting my fed LEO job and pursuing what I want. I am going to guiding school this spring to hopefully land a hunting camp/packer job in the fall. However there are other facets of the outdoor world that I have been interested in since I was a kid. Im still generally young (28) and while I am young I want to dabble in as much as possible to see what sticks.

Scaling mountains and hunting, hopefully I can coincide those after I learn the ropes for some years. Just wondering what would be the best way to start with scaling mountains. Sounds like Hood and Rainier are what I should look at.

 

[Kevin_t]

I used to do a fair amount of peak bagging ... mostly scrambles and peaks I thought look aesthetically interesting or had pleasing views. Peak bagging is "less technical" and usually class 2 - low 4 scrambles.

We did a podcast with someone recently, that is an avid hunter, but who has also done all the 14ers, state highpoint and 6 of the 7 summits check it out here https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podca...-seven-summits-e/id1504907503?i=1000527557485

We also have some very interesting podcasts coming up ...so you may want to subscribe.

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

I used to do a fair amount of peak bagging ... mostly scrambles and peaks I thought look aesthetically interesting or had pleasing views. Peak bagging is "less technical" and usually class 2 - low 4 scrambles.

We did a podcast with someone recently, that is an avid hunter, but who has also done all the 14ers, state highpoint and 6 of the 7 summits check it out here https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podca...-seven-summits-e/id1504907503?i=1000527557485

We also have some very interesting podcasts coming up ...so you may want to subscribe.

no problems there I would be very interested in these. Will be perfect for the drive to Colorado this year.

 

[fngTony]

I like hiking the high altitude trails where one might hunt sheep or goat in Colorado. If I need a helmet, harness and ropes then I’m out . If you’re into trying actual climbing then there’s schools, guides and the old fashioned making friends.

 

[Marbles]

The book The Freedom of the Hills is a good place to start. Move somewhere with a mountaineering club and get to know people.

If you are interested in more technical mountaineering, start rock and ice climbing.

 

[Poser]

I used to do a fair amount of mountaineering and alpine climbing back in the late 90s to early 2000s. Kind of lost interest at the point that the trips started getting expensive, but I did do 2 international peaks DIY.

These days, I do some peak bagging to get in shape for hunting and just for the hell of it. That period of time in the very late spring, early summer where there is no skiing worth doing, but enough snow to require a ice axe can be pretty fun.

Here’s an old pic: DIY ascent of Pico de Orizaba, central Mexico. New Year’s Day 2000. This is 2nd high peak (next to Denali) in North America. I’m not sure if there is a glacier left on it -may have melted away in the last 20 years.

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

I used to do a fair amount of mountaineering and alpine climbing back in the late 90s to early 2000s. Kind of lost interest at the point that the trips started getting expensive, but I did do 2 international peaks DIY.

These days, I do some peak bagging to get in shape for hunting and just for the hell of it. That period of time in the very late spring, early summer where there is no skiing worth doing, but enough snow to require a ice axe can be pretty fun.

Here’s an old pic: DIY ascent of Pico de Orizaba, central Mexico. New Year’s Day 2000. This is 2nd high peak (next to Denali) in North America. I’m not sure if there is a glacier left on it -may have melted away in the last 20 years.

Your a badass bro

 

[HighUintas]

Yes there is a big difference between peak bagging, scrambling, even free soloing technical climbs.

Ropes, anchors, snow travel involving crevasses is another skillset entirely that demands a lot of time! That's why I haven't gotten I to it even though I'd like to.

 

[BBob]

25+ year rock climber. I never wanted anything to do with real mountaineering. Climbing and rope skills have been a great asset to hunting over the years for many reasons. Many mountaineers rock climb so a way into that world would be to learn to climb and many of the skills will transfer. Another excuse to be in the mountains always has it's rewards.

 

[Poser]

25+ year rock climber. I never wanted anything to do with real mountaineering. Climbing and rope skills have been a great asset to hunting over the years for many reasons. Many mountaineers rock climb so a way into that world would be to learn to climb and many of the skills will transfer. Another excuse to be in the mountains always has it's rewards.

I’d tend to agree that the best entry in this realm these days would be to start showing up at a rock gym. That being said, the biggest downside to mountaineering is that you come back in pathetic rock climbing shape.

Something else you could look at is doing a guided trip up Mt Rainer through Exum. While being on a rope team with 30 people kinda sucks, it’s rope handling experience as well as glacier travel and crevasse rescue basics. My father did that with 0 mountaineering experience some years back: flew into Seattle and climbed it on a long weekend. One of my best friend’s now deceased father in law held the record for both the # of Rainer ascents and the FKT on it for years. 6 hours and 40 minutes roundtrip in 1959. A record that stood until 1981.

 

[zion zig zag]

Climbing used to be my main focus, which was kind of the problem. To be a proficient climber and mountaineer, you dont have time for many other activities. Everything was either climbing or training for climbing. That being said, some of the fondest memories of my life, and it gave me the confidence to know that I can endure pretty much anything.

 

[fngTony]

Yes there is a big difference between peak bagging, scrambling, even free soloing technical climbs.

Ropes, anchors, snow travel involving crevasses is another skillset entirely that demands a lot of time! That's why I haven't gotten I to it even though I'd like to.

Probably why I didn’t get into it, just seemed like it would be the only hobby I would have time for.

 

[MountainTracker]

I appreciate the overview. That is essentially what I was looking for. Excuse my lack of knowing as far as the wording of the highest peaks. I have nothing but respect for mountain folk in the highest. I have a distinct opportunity to chase whatever dreams I have ever manifested. I am quitting my fed LEO job and pursuing what I want. I am going to guiding school this spring to hopefully land a hunting camp/packer job in the fall. However there are other facets of the outdoor world that I have been interested in since I was a kid. Im still generally young (28) and while I am young I want to dabble in as much as possible to see what sticks.

Scaling mountains and hunting, hopefully I can coincide those after I learn the ropes for some years. Just wondering what would be the best way to start with scaling mountains. Sounds like Hood and Rainier are what I should look at.

As a current Fed LEO I say good for you, doing what you want. I live in the PNW and there a number of mountains to climb here with a number of good climbing schools to choose from. I know there is a course in my area that is about 7 months long where you attend a number of required classes and go out and actually put your new knowledge to use, the corse ends with a multi day climb. Good luck on your new endeavor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I used to do a fair amount of mountaineering and alpine climbing back in the late 90s to early 2000s. Kind of lost interest at the point that the trips started getting expensive, but I did do 2 international peaks DIY.

These days, I do some peak bagging to get in shape for hunting and just for the hell of it. That period of time in the very late spring, early summer where there is no skiing worth doing, but enough snow to require a ice axe can be pretty fun.

Here’s an old pic: DIY ascent of Pico de Orizaba, central Mexico. New Year’s Day 2000. This is 2nd high peak (next to Denali) in North America. I’m not sure if there is a glacier left on it -may have melted away in the last 20 years.

I did el pico de orizaba in 2001, interesting climb, fairly easy but pretty high. I did some other peaks like rainier, shuksan, forbidden peak and around 40 of the 14ers in Colorado. I don’t really do much any more but I’d still like to climb Mt.
McKinley at some point.

 

[Poser]

I did el pico de orizaba in 2001, interesting climb, fairly easy but pretty high. I did some other peaks like rainier, shuksan, forbidden peak and around 40 of the 14ers in Colorado. I don’t really do much any more but I’d still like to climb Mt.
McKinley at some point.

Did you summit Pico on a day when you could see both the pacific and the atlantic? We climbed Izzta… however the hell you spell it, too. I believe it’s off limits these days due to volcanic activity.

Funny, I was in Mexico over Y2K and my mom was freaking out that I would be stranded there as the world collapsed.

Denali was on my hot list back in the day. I did Rainer with 2 guys as a test run, but it never materialized. My interest in it has been rekindled as of late as a snowboard attempt, but I have not skied a glaciated peak before so I would have to work up to that. My pursuit of snowboard mountaineering seems to be steadily growing, so, who knows, all of that experience may come back into play.

 

[mtnwrunner]

The book The Freedom of the Hills is a good place to start. Move somewhere with a mountaineering club and get to know people.

If you are interested in more technical mountaineering, start rock and ice climbing.

This. Great info and great book. Get hooked up with an experienced club and go for it. The mountains are where it's at.

Randy

 

[RS_Non-Res]

+1 BBob and zion zig zag and mtnwrunner. Read a lot of trip reports (on line and hard copy) too, e.g. Touching the Void by Joe Simpson. Mountains are fun and beautiful and challenging.

I learned from a club whose members became my best friends and through lots of reading and personal experience pushing the envelope. I never paid for a lesson. Like hunting, you can learn and experience a lot quickly if you pay for it, but it takes time and experiences in the field to learn any of it thoroughly.

Remember that in mountaineering (as in the rest of life) highest, hardest, most fun, most aesthetic, and most rewarding do not necessarily all describe the same event. Make your choices and move on.

Guiding is not mountaineering as much as logistics and people management. If that is what you're looking for, know that the labor market for guiding is pretty saturated. But like the guys that post here wanting to "move out west and begin the western hunting and fishing life," there are bunch of ways to execute a mountaineering life.

Trip reports: A buddy of mine shot a goat and had to arrange for high-angle rescue guys to recover the trophy, so there's some crossover besides fitness. On another trip we were "peak bagging" (~~IV 5.10 a2) in Wyoming and the scariest thing we had to do all week was walk through the middle of a herd of moose blocking the trail on the hike out.