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From Away.com

A Mountain Climbing Primer


By David Noland

Although most mountain climbing on smaller peaks is done with commercial guides, the idea of "amateur" climbers being led up big Himalayan peaks by paid guides has taken a lot of heat since the well-documented 1996 Everest tragedy. Media hype aside, the plain fact is that the so-called "amateurs" on Mt. Everest have a far better safety record than so-called "professionals." Guided amateur clients have summited Everest about 100 times and suffered two deaths, a summit/death ratio of 50 to 1. Among professional climbers, the numbers are about 600 summits and 150 deaths, a ratio of 4 to 1.

Level of Difficulty
The difficulty of a mountain is determined by two main factors: altitude and terrain. Mountains have varying levels of each, and the combination of factors give each mountain its personality. Everest, for example, is difficult and dangerous mostly due to its altitude; the technical demands are considered only intermediate by modern climbing standards. The North Face of the Eiger, on the other hand, is only half the height of Everest, but is just as infamous and deadly because of its unrelentingly steep and treacherous topography. Commercial outfitters who run mountaineering trips tend to focus on less "technical" mountains that don't require great rock-climbing skills.

At the bottom of the mountain pecking order are nontechnical "walk-up" peaks that, while still physically challenging for beginners, require no special equipment or training. Africa's Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet) is the highest and most challenging of these. Other popular walk-up peaks include California's Mt. Whitney--at 14,494 feet, the highest summit in the lower 48 states--and Colorado's 14,433-foot Mt. Elbert. Any novice climber with good back-country travel and navigation skills should start with one of these walk-up peaks to get a feel for the sport and a taste of high altitude and mountain weather.

The next step up are relatively low-level, moderately steep snow-capped peaks (mountaineers prefer the term "glaciated") that require special equipment for walking safely on snow: crampons, ice axe, safety harness, and a rope to link the climbers together. The basic mountaineering skills needed for these peaks can typically be learned in a day or two, and are within the reach of any reasonably fit and determined person. Often these "beginner mountains" are volcanoes, which typically have comparatively easy routes to the top. The most popular of these beginner peaks in the United States are Washington's 14,411-foot Mt. Rainier and 10,770-foot Mt. Baker, which have been the training grounds for many of America's best mountaineers. Others include volcanoes in Mexico and Ecuador, European peaks like Mt. Blanc and Mt. Elbrus, and several so-called "trekking peaks" in Nepal. These range in altitude from 15,000 to 21,000 feet, and can be climbed by fit and determined beginners with basic technical training. The climbs typically require one or two days, and often include a day or two of preparatory training.



Climbers who already have reasonable rock-climbing skills might want to start their mountaineering with steeper, more technical beginner mountains, such as the Grand Teton in Wyoming and Mt. Stuart in Washington.

With a couple of these basic peaks under his belt, the aspiring mountaineer can move on to the Big Time: larger and more formidable "expedition peaks." These require lengthy walk-in approaches and at least a week of climbing, and expose the climber to more severe weather and higher altitudes. Popular expedition peaks include Alaska's 20,320-foot Mt. McKinley (also known as Denali) and Argentina's 22,835-foot Mt. Aconcagua. Neither requires great technical skills, but both are serious challenges due to altitude and weather, and McKinley demands excellent glacier travel skills.

At the very top of the mountaineering pyramid are the 14 Himalayan giants that top 8,000 meters, or 26,246 feet, in height. Of these elite mountains, only Mt. Everest and Cho Oyu are regularly served by commercial outfitters who will accommodate accomplished amateur climbers. The others are simply too steep and technical for anyone but the most advanced professional climbers.

Training Camps
For the novice or aspiring mountaineer, there is no better way to start than to take a multi-day mountaineering course. The nexus of mountaineer training in the United States is the Pacific Northwest, where a number of schools offer training camps, ranging up to two weeks, for every level of climber. Mt. Baker and Mt. Rainier are the two most popular training spots.

Equipment
The mountaineer's basic tool kit includes an ice axe, crampons (strap-on steel spikes for traction on icy slopes), a climbing harness, and a rope supplied by the outfitter. The cost of a good-quality axe, crampons, and harness should come to about $250. Most guide services rent this gear.

More difficult peaks require double-plastic mountaineering boots ($200-$400) and extreme winter clothing, whose cost can run into the thousands. (How about $700 for a pair of insulated overalls?) Camping equipment and oxygen, if necessary, are typically supplied by the outfitter.

Trip Costs
Mountaineering schools in the Pacific Northwest typically charge $100-$125 per day for multi-day training courses. Climbs of beginner mountains typically cost $150-$250 per day. Expedition peak climbs run about the same per day, but total cost is much greater because the climbs last weeks instead of days. Ascents of big Himalayan mountains are absurdly expensive in terms of money and time. Everest, for example, costs about $70,000 from the Nepal side and about $30,000 from Tibet. Either takes about two months. Cho Oyu is perhaps the most doable 8,000-meter peak at about $20,000 and six weeks.

What about Altitude Sickness?
Altitude is the 800-pound gorilla of mountain climbing. The thin air and lack of oxygen at high altitudes affect a climber's every move by robbing him of strength, stamina, sleep, appetite, and IQ points. At its worst, altitude can disable and kill. How well a climber copes with the altitude is the greatest single factor in the success or failure of a high-altitude climb.

Beyond mere huffing and puffing, some people begin to suffer such symptoms as headaches, nausea, and lethargy as low as 8,000 feet. Above 12,000 feet or so, virtually everybody suffers a bit, at least initially. As altitude increases, symptoms can become more severe, including potentially fatal cerebral and pulmonary edema. Oddly, altitude sickness seems to strike almost at random; a vegetarian marathon runner may be laid low while the fat chain-smoking slob in the next tent does just fine. One theory says that one's susceptibility to altitude sickness depends on one's involuntary background breathing rate, or hypoxic ventilatory responses. The higher yours is, the better.

Fortunately, there's a lot you can do to combat altitude sickness. The most important thing is to ascend gradually once you get above 10,000 feet or so—ideally, no more than 1,000 feet per day. This gives the body time to acclimatize by building up extra red blood cells and growing more capillaries. Altitude acclimatization days are an inherent part of any mountaineering expedition above 15,000 feet. Acclimatization on Everest takes weeks, with climbers returning to base camp several times to recover before pushing on. Your success as a mountain climber may well hinge on your ability to adjust to a low-oxygen environment.

Secondly, guzzle water like there's no tomorrow. This helps to keep your blood at the proper level of acidity, which affects your natural breathing rate. Thirdly, take Diamox, a prescription diuretic that has been shown to prevent or delay altitude sickness in most people.



David Noland is a full-time professional freelance writer specializing in adventure travel, sports, and science. His book, Travels Along the Edge, published in 1997 by Vintage Books, is now in its fourth printing.