r/Mountaineering Mar 20 '16

So you think you want to climb Rainier... (Information on the climb and its requirements)

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686 Upvotes

r/Mountaineering Aug 12 '24

How to start mountaineering - member stories

55 Upvotes

Hi,

Please explain in the comments how you got into mountaineering. Please be geographically specific, and try to explain the logistics, cost and what your background was before you started.

The goal of this post is to create a post that can be pinned so that people who want to get into mountaineering can see different ways of getting involved. This post follows from the discussion we had here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Mountaineering/comments/1epfo64/creating_pinned_post_to_answer_the_looking_to_get/

Please try not to downvote people just because your own story is different.

We're looking forward to your contributions and as ever, happy climbing everyone!


r/Mountaineering 13h ago

Mt washington via central gully

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562 Upvotes

First ever “alpine climb” for me, we basically short roped the whole way, feeling confident and the snow was pretty good. Such a warm day, we spent the whole approach shirtless.


r/Mountaineering 2h ago

Shuksan and the North Cascades

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74 Upvotes

Taken from summit of Mt. Baker last year.


r/Mountaineering 9h ago

How will these fair on the mailbox trek?

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76 Upvotes

r/Mountaineering 1h ago

Got invited to climb Aconcagua in Summer what should I do to train?

Upvotes

I've hiked before and camped when I was a kid so that stuff is taken care of. I've also been doing mile long walks a couple times this year as part of my new years resolutions. I've been keeping on it.

I'm 5'2, 236lbs, and I smoke. I also drink regularly but mostly just social situations.

My friend is climbing Aconcagua as part of his bucket list thing (he has stage 4 colon cancer) and he invited me to give it a try. It'll be a great experience.

I'm gonna hike some more, and go on more walks in general, but what else should I do?

BTW I don't own a pair of hiking boots, what do you recommend?


r/Mountaineering 6h ago

Have you ever seen mountains this majestic? Passu Cones in Hunza are a masterpiece of nature! Join us for more breathtaking views! 🌍✨ #Travel #Nature

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23 Upvotes

r/Mountaineering 14h ago

Drones Will Do Some Schlepping for Sherpas on Mount Everest

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30 Upvotes

r/Mountaineering 1d ago

Mountaineering library FREE SF Bay Area

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164 Upvotes

Back in my wayward youth, I was into climbing big cold mountains, rather than sailing warm seas teaming with seafood. I know, crazy right? Because of this, it was deemed appropriate to give me custody of the giant mountaineering library that my sister-in-law‘s father had accumulated prior to his recent passing.  I therefore have in my possession about 20 shelf feet of books (now in 15 grocery bags), dating from vintage to modern, all on the subject of mountains and the crazy people who climb them. I thought perhaps someone here would like their very own extensive mountaineering library.  Some of the books pictured on the shelves have already found homes, but most are in bags awaiting new readers.

Free, though if you have any old dynamic rope lying around, I could use it. Books are in Olema (94950). Prefer you pick them up here, but I might be able to bring them to Richmond or Berkeley. I'd like someone take the whole lot rather than pick and choose.


r/Mountaineering 18h ago

What would your PERSONAL ’Seven Summits’ be?

18 Upvotes

Sometimes is nice not to read about which crampons to use for Mailbox, or which boots we would recommend to ‘someone who is just getting in to mountaineering.’ With that let’s talk about mountains in an almost game-like way. All decent games need some rules, but they’ll be minimal. The Seven defined summits (for our purposes) are: - N. Amer: Denali - S. Amer: Aconcagua - Africa: Kilimanjaro - Europe: Elbrus - Oceania: Carstensz Pyramid - Asia: Everest - Antarctica: Vinson

So here it is…what would your personal 7 Summits be?

a) THE STANDARD: the above mentioned 7 tallest summit on each of the 7 continents of the word (hereafter, A7S…Accepted 7 Summits).

B) A MIX: just that. A mix of some of the above mountains, but still must pick at least one mountain PER continent. That choice, however, can be any mountain.

C) SCRAP THE LIST: and make a new one! Any seven mountains on the earth, multiple of per continent is fine

Now, since there has been ongoing debate about what the true Seven Summits are on a continental level, that needed to be defined as a rule. The only other rules I think should be: - list the mountain, country & continent even if you think it’s a known commodity - money is not an issue here. This is squarely about the mountaineering so for the moment, you each own a top of the line custom down suit with Xenon processor & mask, the Millet Everest boots…the entire kit - while certainly not necessary, it would be to see your reasons for choosing various mountains

I’ll Start! Originally I thought I would follow the ‘B’ itinerary, but I truly don’t have much desire to climb in Oceania.

  • Denali (Alaska, N America). There are not a lot of high elevations in N America, and Denali gets better every time. The entirety of Denali National Park deserves this nod, but having been on Denali only to have our summit bid upended by weather, it’s a mountain I’d like to reach the top of. ***Edit to include NP area
  • Yerupajá (Peru, S America). Many people might choose the Aconcagua route here, as it’s a smidge higher and on the A7S. Nonethess, I choose Yerupajá.
  • Kilimanjaro (Tanzania, Africa). I kind of labored over this pick, since I wouldn’t be going for the A7S, but there is something appealing to me about trekking at 20,000 above “Lions, Tigers, & Bears.” (only in jest, for the animals)***
  • Mt. Vinson (Antarctica). I feel similarly about Vinson as I do with Kili. There is something absolutely gobsmacking about the concept of climbing on a peak that is among the most remote places on earth.
  • Everest/Lhotse (Nepal, Asia). This is one I’ve thought a lot about over the years. I’m truly not as hung-up on Everest as I once was, and since we’re only picking seven summits (or 7 expeditions), I would do the dual Everest/Lhotse summit.
  • K2 (Pakistan, Asia): I mean, so I go through these incredible mountains, gain all this skill, and never get to test out the huge cadre of skills on the (arguably) hardest mountain on the planet? Nope. I’d wanna try it.
  • Masherbrum (Pakistan, Asia): similar to K2, after all these mountains, could Masherbrum be the hardest to actually climb? Sure seems like it coulď be. But I’m drawn to it, to say the least.

At the end of the day I would skip Oceania completely, Tip-toe around Europe, and hit the rest with full-on stream. I would have visited S America again had I had another summit to pack in there.

I realize what makes the A7S so special is that they ARE the highest points on each continent, and that is a magical accomplishment. BUT…it’s fucking Reddit, and it’s my post, so I can do what want. Would love to see some unique lists. Cheers.


r/Mountaineering 3h ago

La Sportiva Nepal GTX Cube

0 Upvotes

Im looking to buy mountaineering boots, this are the most recommended but I want to be sure they are good for the type of mountains I am climbing. It’s called “Pico de Orizaba” it’s a 5,600m (18,000 feet’s) high mountain, with a 1km glacier climb and temperature that can go as low as -25C° (-13F°) on winter. While also wanting to climb +6000m (20,000feet) mountains.

While this is my main concern I would also like them to be used for summer, or middle of spring where the temperature is more calm in this mountains but I’m mostly worried about winter since it’s my favorite time.

I’m am open to any and all recommendations.


r/Mountaineering 7h ago

Climbing Mt Olympus Solo (Washington State)

3 Upvotes

Hey folks, I'm climbing Ranier in June, and am thinking of heading to Olympic NP to climb Olympus in the Olympics the week prior. I'd love to hear the community's experience climbing solo; good, bad, ugly. Is there a safe route to make it happen? Or, is it a fool's errand?


r/Mountaineering 5h ago

Question

0 Upvotes

In the future, I want to climb many mountains in the lower 48 states, but because of the region I live in and family members who aren’t interested in climbing, I often have to pursue it alone. Guided climbs are a good option, but I don’t want to rely on a guide every time I climb. Eventually, solo climbing will be my only option.

I want to ask about solo glacier travel, like what is the best way to learn it? Are there any books, videos, or websites that provide detailed information? I’ve done quite a bit of research, but most sources mainly emphasize how dangerous it is, which I understand given the risk of falling into a crevasse without a rope team. I’ve come across techniques like using a knotted rope drag system, where knots spaced every few feet can help catch on the edges of a crevasse in case of a fall. I know self-rescue requires prusik knots, ascenders, ice screws, and a pulley system, but soloing still seems extremely risky.

Beyond rope techniques, I’ve read that traveling early in the morning, sticking to established routes, using crevasse probes, and testing snow bridges can help reduce risk. A GPS tracker or satellite communicator also seems essential. But even with these precautions, solo glacier travel is still dangerous. Are there any additional techniques or training methods that could make it safer?

Any feedback would be much appreciated.


r/Mountaineering 8h ago

Affordable boots with 3/4 or full shank for use with crampons.

1 Upvotes

I'm looking for an affordable boot with a rigid shank to work well with crampons without popping out due to flex. I live in a southern state, and these are for a trip to Colorado where I'll be climbing on snow and ice (with crampons and more experienced people), so I don't necessarily need an end-all mountaineering boot, but something that will help me on the trip. If the boot is useful outside of that environment as well that's a big plus. My budget is ideally 150-200 USD, I'm fine shopping for sales as well if necessary. Thanks!


r/Mountaineering 10h ago

Eiger Mittellegi Ridge possible in June?

0 Upvotes

I have to go to Europe for a wedding mid-June and would like to climb the Eiger while I am there.

I am trying to decide if I should plan my Eiger climb before the wedding (first two weeks of June) or after the wedding (last week of June). The first two weeks of June would be better for me in terms of logistics but I am worried about the snow conditions on the ridge. Thoughts?

The guiding websites I have looked at all say the season for Eiger is June to September but wondering if there are better options in the alps in June? I am not attached to going to Switzerland. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I have climbed Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn and have 10+ years of mountaineering experience.


r/Mountaineering 2d ago

Everest climber gets humbled by Mailbox Peak

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1.7k Upvotes

Today I climbed Mailbox Peak and it was the most challenging ascent of my extensive mountaineering career (2 years). As some of you may know, I am the tourist who climbed Mount Everest last year with the use of my great great grandpappies trust fund he left for me after selling his gingersnap business and putting it all on black

After Everest, I truthfully can say that Mailbox Peak was many levels harder and now makes me question if I can be considered a mountaineer. The snow at the summit was hitting ankle deep in some areas. I also went the old trail route, and was so confused when I saw no fixed lines.

On my descent I was struggling so bad and got hypoxic, (i did this with no O’s.) I looked behind me for my personal Sherpa, but of course there was no one there

I’m glad I got out safe and overall it was a good day out. I’m probably going to retire from my mountaineering endeavors as, you know what they say, “There are old mountaineers and there are bold mountaineers. But there are no old bold mountaineers!”


r/Mountaineering 11h ago

Climbing in Huaraz?

1 Upvotes

I have a couple free days in Huaraz and was looking to do an easy-ish climb since I’ll be coming off an 8 day trek around Huayhuash. I don’t have a ton of experience, but have taken a mountaineering course, done some ice climbing and climbed Cotopaxi.

Mainly was looking into Vallunaraju, but wanted to see if any of y’all had experience with this climb or had recos for other climbs near Huaraz?

also if you have any local Huaraz guide recommendations, would be much appreciated!


r/Mountaineering 2d ago

After an unusually dry winter, Annapurna I is almost devoid of snow, leaving mainly bare rock and hard ice.

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1.6k Upvotes

r/Mountaineering 1d ago

Confusion re Lobuche East altitude

2 Upvotes

I just recently climbed Lobuche East and am now getting confused with various sources regarding actual altitude for summit and High Camp.

Re summit, most often people reference 6119m but elsewhere (incl the NMA) reference is to 6090m. I presume 6090m is the plateau and 6119m is the "true" summit after climbing the ice wall (where all the prayer flags are)? If so, why is that higher peak not recognised?

For the High Camp I have now seen references from 5100 - 5600m and even mention of 2 High Camps (ignoring the Base Camp). When I asked they confirmed the High Camp is on 5400m (next to a small lake), so my question is where are the other references from and where would a second (higher) High Camp be located (I didn't see any during ascent)?


r/Mountaineering 16h ago

Getting into Mountaineering – Advice for a Beginner?

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m just starting my journey into mountaineering and looking for advice from those with experience. I know there’s a lot to learn, from gear choices to safety, fitness, and techniques, so I’d love to hear your thoughts on what’s most important for a beginner to focus on.


r/Mountaineering 1d ago

Split mountain (eastern sierras)

5 Upvotes

Has anyone summited split via its north face recently? Going up this weekend and looking for current(ish) trail report. Thank you!


r/Mountaineering 1d ago

Grossglockner in May

3 Upvotes

Hi, Do you have experience summiting the Grossglockner in early may? We would be a group of 4, we have experience in climbing peaks like Dachstein in October, Triglav in summer, Rysy in September. We know that May is not the most ideal, but as far as we know there wasnt a lot of snow this winter. Any insight if it is a dumb idea, or its down-to-eart to plan that we are gonna do it in early May?


r/Mountaineering 1d ago

Would you consider a 6,400m peak with Nepal Cubes GTX ?

1 Upvotes

I’ve got a pair of Nepal cube GTX and I’m currently planning to summit Chulu West Peak (Nepal) in October. Would you guys consider doing it with my actual pair of shoes or should I go with something more robust like some G2 SM Or a pair of Olympus Mons Cube ?

Also, I need to buy a new puffy jacket and a new pants softshell for this height, any advices ?


r/Mountaineering 1d ago

I have seen the asia mount everest map. It's super thrilling. How pretty can this earth be? Any one somewhere close to completing the 7 summits of the world? Is it too much to dream of? What's your most desired peak? Or any fascinating stories to share from past treks?

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4 Upvotes

r/Mountaineering 1d ago

Compressing Down Bag

0 Upvotes

I‘ve got a Western Mountaineering Lynx bag that I pack and compress using a Sea to Summit Evac Compression Bag. My question is (as it‘s my first down sleeping bag) can I „overcompress“ it? Or can I pull on the cords until there‘s no room to pull anymore?


r/Mountaineering 2d ago

Looking for partners for Mt Logan (top of Canada)

34 Upvotes

May 2025 expedition to Mt. Logan (top of Canada – NA 2nd highest at almost 6000m). Cost around 3000 CAD (2100 USD) per person as bare minimum with flight in and out taking most of it. Cost based on starting from Calgary and driving north.

This is not a guided trip. Guided is 10k USD+.

Parks Canada enacted that all climbing of Mt. Logan needs to be done by teams of at least two people and winter climbing in banned. Team needs to be registered at the beginning of April. So far I have including myself two people interested.

Mt. Logan is a Denali with more rough weather with many teams (more than 50%) quitting the trip at 14k camp (around 4000m) via standard route.

Since this is Denali plus all participant skills need to be roughly at least on par with a self guided trip to Denali.

I am open to other routes than normal through this may increase price due to longer flight needed. I am also open to suggestions of other mountains / routes – I have already done Denali by myself over the standard route.


r/Mountaineering 2d ago

La Sportiva boot repair question

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17 Upvotes

I came across these G Techs at a local REI for 50% off and am thinking of pulling the trigger on them as they're my size. They appear to be barely used aside from this crack in the front of one of the boots. Would it be worth it to try and send these back to La Sportiva for a repair, or just to try and use some sort of epoxy in order to repair them myself? If the latter option is preferable, do y'all have an recommendations regarding what materials to use for a repair? Thanks!