By Mike Sarmiento, (C) 2000
Author's Note:
Mountaineering and rock climbing can be dangerous. The risk of injury and death can not be eliminated. The author does not recommend participation in outdoor activities without extensive, gradual, outdoor experience, as well as guidance and instruction from a seasoned climber or professional guide.
Use the information contained here at your own risk.
Ask yourself if you are qualified Mountaineering is physically demanding and dangerous. Are you qualified to go? If you are not physically fit, are afraid of heights and sharp pointy objects, have bad balance, vertigo, etc. DO NOT GO! Likewise, if you are new at backpacking - DO NOT GO until you have more back country experience! Although you may go on a trip labeled as a "beginning" mountaineering trip, it will NOT be an easy trip and the possibility exists that you can injure yourself. Expect to get frustrated, scared, wet, cold, tired, hungry, thirsty, sore, sleepless, headaches, blisters, etc. Cardiovascular fitness is recommended. A sense of humor, flexibility, positive attitude and utmost patience with yourself and group members is a must. You should also be open to learning in a group environment, including giving and receiving constructive support or criticism. Seriously ask yourself if you are capable of successfully participating without becoming a liability to the group (i.e. injury, walking so slow that you jeopardize group safety, don�t get along with people, etc.). Keep in mind that even if you do everything right to make a trip as enjoyable and safe as possible for yourself and everyone participating, sometimes mother nature or your body have different agendas. With that said, mountaineering for some is one of the most enjoyable experiences you will have AFTER the fact. "Mountaineering is composed of long periods of complete boredom, interrupted by moments of sheer terror." While you may have little, some, or a lot of experience mountaineering, remember that you don�t know it all. Be open to learning from yourself and others. There are many ways to improve your skills - a guiding school, books, other mountaineers, or simply going out and doing it (or not doing it!). This information should be just the beginning of life long learning and adventure for you. May your mountaineering career be long and safe. Group Safety The safety, success and fun of a climb depend in large part on leadership and organization. Leadership starts with each individual. Individual leadership means being aware of the group and its prograss - whether or not you are the formal climb leader. Assume responsibility for your own knowledge and skill and make personal judgements based on how they can support the group�s objective. Be willing to speak up when you feel the risks of the climb may exceed the abilities of the party. By asserting personal leadership, you contribute to group decision- making within the framework of a climbing team. "I know many bold mountaineers. I know many old mountaineers. But I don't know any old AND bold mountaineers." Recommended Reading prior to going Check these out at a public library, REI, Marmot Mtn Works, or a well stocked book store. Listed in order of priority for reading: 1. _Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills_ , Fifth or Sixth Edition, published by The Mountaineers, Seattle WA - anyone thinking about being a serious mountaineer should have a copy - it�s the mountaineer�s bible. If you have only a short time to read, make sure to cover the 4 chapters covering Snow Travel & Climbing, Winter and Expedition Climbing, Safety and Leadership, and Alpine Rescue. 2. _Avalanche Safety for Skiers & Climbers_, Second Edition, by Tony Daffern, published by Cloudcap, Seattle WA - a must for the backcountry traveler and mountaineer but a little hard to find. If you can�t find it, try . . . 3. _The Avalanche Handbook_, by David McClung & Peter Shaerer, published by The Mountaineers, Seattle WA - a little more scientific than need be and less useful for the mountaineer compared to the first recommendation - but still good enough to cover the basics. "The distiguishing mark of a true adventure is that it is often no fun at all while it is actually happening." Clothing It is best to over pack winter clothing and gear because you can leave it in the car if you don't need it. When you get to the the trail head, you can make final clothing and gear selections based on the weather forecast and current condirtions. Expect to be carrying a 40+ pound pack - even more if you are skiing and have to pack in mountaineering boots or are undertaking an extended foray into the wilderness. The heavy pack will effect your skiing so take that into consideration if you are planning to ski. It's also best to wear many layers of clothing instead of one big, thick layer. I've found what works best for me (and others whom with I have climbed), are warm and lightweight items, generally used in a layering system, that dry quickly, allow flexibility, while resisting water, wind and abrasion. Start with a synthetic, sweat wicking layer next to your skin, such as long underwear made of polypro, Lifa, etc. The lightest weight (usually "aerobic" wieght) suffices for California mountains, and can work in colder climates if you layer sufficiently. A medium weight to heavy weight underwear should be considered for colder climates, but you can always put on more layers. The purpose of the first layer is to keep your body dry by having moisture (i.e. your sweat) get wicked away to evaporate into the outer layers of clothing. I personally like to wear white colored long underwear, because sometimes all I am wearing around base camp on a long day are a pair of shorts and my long sleeve Lifa shirt. The color white reflects the sun rather than absorbing heat, and when I need more heat, I just add layers. The second layer can be another synthetic, lightweight garment, such as a wool pile or polartec shirt, sweater, or pants. This layer will trap in body heat to keep you warm, but let your sweat pass through to the next outer layer. The third layer can be a heavier insulating layer, such as a down or synthetic vest, pants, jacket, etc. This layer will really trap in body heat, but you usually don't need to wear this layer if you are in motion. I usually strap on a third layer at base camp or whenever our group stops for a rest. Your body cools down quickly and it's best not to force your body to undergo extreme temperature changes. The fourth layer should be a water proof, windproof layer, such as a gore-tex, helly-tech, etc. jacket and pants. Be sure the jacket has a hood large enough to accommodate a helmet and headlamp. Also look for internal cords that can be used to cinch openings at the waist, cuffs, and collar. The fifth layer should be a good hat. This is the lightest clothing you will take but will provide more heat loss prevention than any other clothing you take along. I like bringing a balaclava style hat so the my neck doesn't get cold also. I wear a hat at night before I got to bed, or put one on at night if I start to get cold. The key to staying comfortable in winter conditions is to stay dry. I bring at least two pair of long underwear and socks. One I wear on the approach, summit bid, or any other intensive activity. The other I keep in a zip loc bag and it stays dry at all times. As soon as I am ready for bed, I take off my sweat soaked socks and long underwear and replace them with the dry clothes. I then put the wet clothes over the dry clothes. Overnight while I sleep, my body heat eventually dries the second layer of wet clothes. In the morning, I put the first layer back in the zip loc to keep it dry, then put the "sweat" layer back on for the day's activity. I find that my extremities (feet and hands) get cold quickly. Mittens under a pair of over-gloves solve this problem. I wear a liner sock by Helly-Hansen to wick away my sweat in my boots, with a thicker wool or wool synthetic over the liner. This also helps prevent blisters for me. Make sure your mountaineering boot is large enough to accommodate the socks you plan to wear, plus some extra room for your swelling. Your feet WILL swell at altitude and having a tight boot that restricts blood flow will make you more susceptible to frost bite. "Reaching the summit is optional. Getting down in one piece is mandatory." Food & Water As a mountaineer, you will usually melt snow for water. Do not bring any food that you will have to boil for a long time as this wastes gas (e.g. pasta, top ramen, slow cook rice or beans). Dehydrated food that you simply add water to work best - such as soups, cous cous, instant rice, oat meal, etc. or non- cook items (e.g. bread, cheese, Clif Bars, PowerBars, cookies, cereal, etc.). Make sure to bring enough for breakfast, lunch and dinner meals as needed. Food should be lightweight, fast cooking, tasty and nutritious.I t�s a good idea to bring a rehydrating powder drink mix (e.g. gatorade, kool aid). If you have experience backpacking, the rules for backpacking foods apply to mountaineering. You want to bring food that balance light weight with nutritional value. Also keep in mind that at higher altitudes, most people tend to lose their appetite. Thus, plan to bring foods that you really, really like. No point in lugging up oatmeal b/c it's nutritious if you can't eat it because you don't like it. If a candy bar is what you crave, then bring a few. Bring plenty of: * slow releasing carbohydrates (complex carbos such as breads & grains) * quick release carbos for that snsck on the approach or summit bid (simple carbos such as chocolate, energy bars, & cookies) * proteins to feed your muscles (cheese, nuts, jerky) * spices to heat your extremities (tabasco, red pepper, cumin) * Vitamin C & multi-vitamins for help with altitude & Tylenol, Aspirin, or Advil for your aches and pains (and you WILL have aches and pains!) * calories and fat. Forget what Jenny Craig diet centers tell you, the fact is that mountaineering burns a ton of calories! Don't bonk by not eating enough fuel. To keep it in perspective, an expedition to Mt. Vinson in Antartica usually starts their day with a breakfast of oatmeal cooked in THREE sticks of butter. They need the calories to make keep their bodie warm and fuel their daily trips. While we don't have to go to these extremes as weekend warriors, we do need to bring eat enough calories to keep us going! * water, water, water everywhere. Most importantly, stay hydrated. This will help you the most with acclimatizing and helps prevent altitude sickness. Bring 3-4 liters for that summit bid. Drink plenty while you are walking to base camp. Drink plenty when you get to base camp. Drink plenty before you go to bed. Drink, drink, drink. Oh, did I mention to drink? Any questions? Anything you think I should add? Send me an e-mail, and I'll try to give you an answer, refer you to where you can find the answer, or add your comments here. "Good alpine judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."
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