As long as I have been hiking, I have been drawn to the pursuit of peak bagging, or standing on the tallest place around. And as long as I have been peak bagging, I have been drawn to bigger and bigger mountains, which eventually entered the realm of mountaineering. Some people say the phrase "mountaineering" or "mountain climbing" and they get these visions of climbing Everest or K2. Some people would consider the Chimney Tops trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park a mountain climb. The distinction between hiking and mountain climbing is a very blurry one. Because I have had the opportunity to dwell on the matter through miles and miles of weary trail, I have decided that the distinction depends on either the use of your hands for rock scrambling and/or the presence of real seriousness. The scrambling part is easy to understand. The seriousness part will be quickly be discovered the first time you go up the hill. On a mountain climb, time is serious. Of course additionally, water is serious. Food is serious. Gear is serious. Physical conditioning is serious. Weather is serious. Planning is serious. Navigation is serious. I don't know of another physical endeavor that challenges your physical strength, mental acuity, and general courage the same way that a big mountain does. I like to describe it as running a marathon, while playing a game of chess, and being chased by a grizzly bear. Hey, this is fun stuff!
Anyway, I know it might be easy to look at the pictures from some of these mountain trips and think it looks intimidating. But it really shouldn't be. I am a believer that the mountains have something to offer everyone. So here are a few pointers for anyone wanting to give it a try. There is great mountaineering country all over the western U.S. (Rockies, Sierras, Cascades), but the rest of this is a little Colorado-centric because I have the most experience there.
1) Mostly, it is just typical hiking. When you start reading about the routes up various mountains, they will be likely described with the YDS, Yosemite Decimal System. The YDS uses the terms Class 1, Class 2 and 2 +, Class 3, Class 4, and Class 5.1 and up. Class 4 and Class 5.1 and higher are typically the realm of technical climbing using protection and ropes. Unless you have specialized skills, you should stay off these routes. You can summit almost all of the 14,000 ft mountains in Colorado without touching a Class 4 or higher route.
The break down is such:
Class 1: That is a trail like every other trail you have been on. Even the standard routes on the "hardest" mountains will be usually be mostly Class 1 on the lower parts. In fact, on many mountains you could just follow the Class 1 trail as high as it goes and get a pretty good adventure out of it. And there are many Colorado 14ners with Class 1 trails all the way to the top.
Class 2: This is off trail hiking, typically through loose rock called talus or larger boulders. Occasionally you might put your hand down for balance, but it is really mostly rock hopping.
Class 2+: This is using your hands for hand holds and making basic climbing moves. The holds are easy to find and most people feel comfortable facing out when descending.
Class 3: This is using your hands for hand holds and making basic climbing moves. The holds are still easy to find, but the conditions are such that most people feel comfortable facing in when descending.
2) The gear is really simple. If you already hike or do almost anything outside, you already probably have the clothes. A synthetic fleece and a Gore-Tex shell is mainly all you need. You always need the rain gear no matter what the temperature. The shoes can be trail runners, trail shoes, or boots. Your day pack doesn't have to be anything special, but I like anything that holds a camel-bak or something similar to make drinking easier (good hydration is a defense against altitude sickness). For longer climbs, I am a big believer in trekking poles. When hiking in the east, I have never bothered much with them. But when you are high above the tree line in the thin air with shaky legs, you will appreciate the extra stability and the almost "4wd motion".
I haven't really mentioned snow, because for most big mountains in the Rockies and Sierras, if you go in the peak climbing season, Mid-July through Mid-September, you won't encounter much snow. If you do go during the spring or early summer, you may encounter a significant amount of snow. If it isn't that steep or deep, you will be ok with just your trekking poles and maybe snow baskets on the ends. If the snow gets more serious, you will need gaiters, extra traction (mirco-spikes or crampons), and a basic mountaineering ice ax. Snow climbing skills can be learned quickly by taking a simple snow school that is mandatory on a guided climb. The Cascades are a great place to learn this stuff because of the amount of snow they receive.
3) Pictures can be really, really deceiving. Honestly, this is one of those things that you will only understand after going out a few times. It is really easy to look at some pictures and think things look super easy. Most likely they ain't. And on the other hand it is really easy to look at some pictures and think something is crazy impossible. Most likely it ain't either. I have learned this lesson the hard way (the main way I learn lessons) and I will always pick the easiest route the first time I visit a mountain. You can read all the guides and look at all the pictures but until you stand there in person it is all academic.
is Mt. Hood. Spoiler alert: It is not easy
I always thought this picture made it look crazy.
It really wasn't that bad.
4) It really isn't that dangerous. I know I mentioned that "being chased by a grizzly bear" part, but when you really drill down to it, it isn't more dangerous than probably ten other activities you do already. Lot of things are dangerous. Lawn mowers are dangerous. Boats are dangerous. Shooting is dangerous. Cooking with a propane grill is dangerous. Don't even get me started on driving. Just like all that other stuff, you just have to be careful and respectful of where you are and what you are doing. If you take it serious and be careful, you have a much greater chance of getting hit by a car in the trail head parking lot than you do of something happening on the actual mountain.
Anyway, if you find yourself out west near some big'uns, and the season is right, give it shot. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Even if you don't make it anywhere near the top, you will get some cool pictures for social media. And isn't that the whole point of doing anything????
Because this shot wasn't staged at all
