Mountain Climbers / Backpackers Essentials

Helpful tips for mountain climbers/backpackers

Know Your Limitations – It is important that before you even start to climb a mountain, you know your limitations and motivations. Develop an awareness of where your personal physical, mental and technical limits lie. Pushing your limits is fine, but overstretching them can be detrimental.

Listen To Your Intuition – Intuition is your most important ally when climbing a mountain. Go with your gut feeling, it can actually save your life. If something looks to good to be true, it probably is.

Always Travel In Groups – Never go on a climbing expedition alone. Always go with company. If you must go alone, remember to keep in touch with base camp as much as possible and update them on your location every few hours.

Know The Weather – Always keep a close watch on the weather for your climb. Get regular weather reports and updates and learn to look for signs of bad weather. A sunny day can turn into a blizzard without any warning. It is very important for a climber to study the weather patterns, especially for long climbs.

Pack As Light As Possible – What is in your backpack is very important, as your life literally depends on it. Pack lightly, but never sacrifice safety for weight. Always be packed for all possible weather conditions.

Speak The Language – Mountaineers have their own language and terms. Learn them well. The internet is a great resource for finding and understanding mountaineering terminology.

Remember to stay hydrated at all times - Drink plenty of fluids when climbing, as it prevents hypothermia.

Wear Proper Clothing – High altitudes require warm clothing; even in midsummer as there are freezing storms. Sun glasses are also necessary. A rough mountain slope demands sturdy shoes. Always wear gloves and remember to dress in layers.

Start Early – Mountain storms are most frequent in the afternoon. Start climbing early so that you can avoid these storms while climbing.

Keep Sensible Fatigue Limits – Extreme tiredness makes even easy descents dangerous. It's important to conserve energy while climbing. A standard mountaineering technique is to coordinate ones breathing rate with ones stride while maintaining a comfortable and sustainable exertion level.

Be Safe – If you suspect that there are climbers below you when you dislodge a rock of any size, call it out loudly. Even the smallest rock can displace larger rocks or start rock avalanche. A climbing helmet is a good piece of equipment to invest in, especially climbing rocky mountain terrain.

Getting Lost – If you get lost, attract attention with a small fire rather than wandering about in panic.

Do not think that technology is a fix-all – You can never carry every piece of technology gear. Rather depend on your own intuition.

Descending - Always take your time when descending a mountain, more injuries occur on the descent than on the ascent, as people tend to get careless. Reaching the top is not your only objective – it’s getting down safely as well.

And lastly, always expect the unexpected. Nothing is certain when climbing, so be cautious.

Essential Skills for Beginners

The first rule of mountaineering is simple – get to know what you are getting into. Read books and research mountain climbing on the internet. Read Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, it is widely considered by many as the beginner guide to climbing.

Also learn the fundamentals of climbing from an experienced mountaineer or certified guiding service. Learn basic climbing techniques, including rappelling, belaying, anchor systems, and climbing protection, basic rope management, useful climbing knots, and most important, basic wilderness survival.

Essential Equipment

Your basic equipment list should include;

·         Backpack

·         Dog Tag ID and Whistle

·         Rain Gear/ Poncho

·         Tent/sleeping bag

·         Stove and Fuels/Butane

·         Bottled Water and purifier

·         Compass

·         Head lamp

·         Seat harness

·         Climbing rope

·         Warm clothing

·         Energy food and drinks

·         Knife, preferably with a sharp blade

·         Matches / Lighter

·         Sunglasses and gloves

·         Sunscreen and lip balm

·         First aid kit and

·         Survival gear

Useful Items

These items are not essential to your survival but your trip just wouldn't be the same without them. You may want to consider taking the following;

·         A camera.

·         Spare batteries.

·         An alarm clock.

·         A torch.

·         A personal music player.

·         A deck of cards.

·         A good book.

·         A small bag for use during the day.

·         A pen and notepad (very useful thin to have for writing out directions, reminders of place names, planning itinerary etc).

·         Take lots of bin bags, these can keep dirty clothes separate from dry ones and be used to waterproof your backpack.

Fitness

Mountaineering is a physically demanding sport and your physical conditioning is the single most important way you can ensure a successful climb. It is crucial that you undergo a rigorous exercise and fitness program to get into shape.

When training for a high altitude climb cardiovascular training such as running and cycling should be included, as it helps you build strong lungs. Additionally, use a stationary bike, stair climber, rowing machine and/or other gym equipment as well. Weight training should also be included, with focus on your back and shoulders, as well as your quadriceps and hamstrings, which are important muscles for climbing. Climbing hills, stairs and stadium steps while wearing a backpack, is an ideal training technique. Stretching is also important. Stretch your fingers, elbows, and shoulders, because they will be holding ropes and pounding ice axes in the ice in cold freezing conditions.

A great way to condition your legs is by doing squats. This is to strengthen your legs and improve your endurance on the mountain. Also work on your glutens and calves Lunges, and leg presses are great exercises.

Three to four long training sessions per week are more beneficial than short daily workouts. It is recommended that you begin training at least three months in advance.

When climbing, be aware of edema, hypothermia, hypoxia and other altitudes sicknesses. By learning the symptoms of these illnesses, you can avoid them.

  Credit to My resources...^__^