the Adventure Lifestyle magazine

Peru, Nepal, Alaska, Canada, Russia, Colorado, France, Antarctica-the world's high and wild climbing destinations beckon. Mountaineering trips can range from a hands-in-your- pocket walk up California's Mt Whitney or Australia's Mt Kosciusko to three-month Himalayan odysseys. In the peaks ris- ing from the jungles of Borneo, the wildlife is abundant, the weather is hot and the mountain climbing is nontechnical. Nepal is more of a commitment-the high-altitude climbs require snow and ice skills and time to acclimatize. And Nepal offers Everest- the highest, hardest, coldest (and most expensive) moun- taineering expedition of them all. In the Himalayas, you'll find an extensive community of mountaineers, while the snowy peaks of Peru are remote, isolated and often devoid of other mountain climbers. Wherever you choose to go, mountaineer- ing is not an activity for the faint of heart. Most lia- bility waivers' Assumption of Risk clauses will reveal something like : "I am aware adventure travel such as that I am undertaking involves hazardous activi- ties in remote areas of the world with a risk of ill- being a two-day expedition to a three -hour solo climb for a tal- ented climber. Even experienced climbers will maximize their chances of a safe and successful climb by going with a recog- nized guide or outfitting company. With major-league moun- taineering, there are myriad skills involved in sussing out what the specific hazards are and how to avoid them (not to men- tion making a killer cup of joe at 18,000 feet). Developing the judgment to get you to the top of a CLI MB HI G H, DRINK LOTS OF WATER well AND GO SLOW. 5 LEE P LOW ,you need to be physically (as For any big alpine climb, as mentally) fit. Mountaineering involves a twist- ed energy ratio: You begin at the ness, injury or death" (quoted from Mountain ..... ---------------..... bottom, when the load of food, Travel-Sobek waiver). Before you sign your life away, outfitters will lay bare the dangers inherent in any big alpine climb: headaches, nausea, strain from heavy loads, long days, subze- ro temperatures, frostbite, fatigue, sleeplessness, danger of avalanches, rock fall, or altitude illness-which could ultimate- ly result in death. Despite the risks, the intense camaraderie among mountain climbers, combined with the euphoria of reaching a summit, could easily get you so hooked on peak bagging that you'll renounce your old life and quit your job. Then you'll begin touring the globe in perpetual search of the intoxication we afi- cionados call mountaineering. The earliest known alpinist, a Bronze Age man, was found just a few years ago at the foot of a retreating glacier in the mountains along the Austrian-Italian border, his boots lined with straw to keep out the cold. But formal mountaineering as we know it today did not begin until about 200 years ago, in the mountains of Europe. Wearing boots equipped with iron- spiked footbeds for traction on ice, alpine climbers were able to ascend monster peaks in the Alps, such as the Matterhorn, the Grande Jorrasse and Mont Blanc. In the last 50 years, technical advances have been rapid. With lighter, more technical, func- tional clothing and equipment, the Matterhorn has gone from water and gear is heaviest, with an uphill battle against gravity. You'll need a good reserve of energy to deal with the combination of the weight on your back and the thinning air of altitude. The best way to get fit for mountain climbing is to go mountain climbing. Hiking up smaller peaks close to home will give you the quad fibers and cardiovascular capacity necessary to get you up bigger mountains. For a big, multi day climb you should be able to carry 40 pounds for at least eight hours with 3,000 feet of altitude gain and loss-which could be achieved with a trudge up Mt Whitney, Mt Washington or Mt Rainier. Altitude sickness (caused by the decreasing oxygen in the air as you head in the direction of the gods) is perhaps the most imminent danger associated with mountaineering. The golden rule is to gain no more than 1,000 feet of altitude per day. Climb high, sleep low, drink lots of water and go slow. If you do not spend enough time acclimatizing, you will likely suffer headaches, nausea, vomit- ing, shortness of breath, disorientation and impaired judgment-the classic symptoms of hypoxia (altitude sickness). In advanced stages, altitude sickness can be fatal. Educate yourself about the risks, symptoms and remedies before heading upwards. Some online resources include Travel Health Online (www.tripprep.com) and Travel Medicine (www.travmed.com).-Brad Wrobleski particular mountain and back in one piece takes many years and many climbs. When choosing an outfitter, make sure the guides have experience climbing the peak you've chosen to tackle. They should have an understanding of the area's culture and customs, and access to local resources such as porters and cooks. 11

• Cover