Climbing Mount

For four hundred miles the Sierras are a definite ridge, broad and high, and having the form of a sea wave. Buttresses of dark-hued rock, jutting at intervals from a steep wall, form the abrupt eastern slopes; irregular forests, in scattered growth, huddle together near the snow. The lower slopes are barren spurs, sinking into the sterile flats of the Great Basin.

Long ridges of comparatively gentle outline characterize the western side, but this sloping table is scored from summit to base by a system of parallel transverse canyons, distant from one another often by less than twenty-five miles. They are ordinarily two or three thousand feet deep, falling at times in sheer, smooth-fronted cliffs, great for climbers. Sweeping curves like the hull of a ship, then in rugged, V-shaped gorges, or with irregular, hilly flanks opening at last through gateways of low, rounded foot-hills out upon the horizontal plain of the San Joaquin and Sacramento.

Every canyon carries a river, derived from constant melting of the perpetual snow, which threads its way down the mountain—a feeble remnant of those vast ice streams and torrents that formerly unloaded the summit accumulation of ice and snow while carving the canyons out from solid rock. Nowhere on the continent of America is there more positive evidence of the cutting power of rapid streams than in these very canyons.

Near the center of the range is the perfection of forest. At the south are the finest specimen trees, at the north the densest accumulations of timber. In riding throughout this whole region and watching the same species from the glorious ideal life of the south gradually dwarfed toward the north, until it becomes a mere dwarf; or in climbing from the scattered, drought-scourged pines of the foot-hills up through the zone of finest vegetation to those summit crags, where, struggling against the power of storms and frost, only a few of the bravest trees succeed in clinging to the rocks and to life,—one sees with novel effect the inexorable sway which climatic conditions hold over the kingdom of trees.

Looking down from the summit, the forest is a closely woven sweater, which has fallen over the body of the range, clinging closely to its form, sinking into the deep canons, covering the hill-tops with even velvety folds, and only lost here and there where a bold mass of rock gives it no foothold, or where around the margin of the mountain lakes bits of alpine meadow lie open to the sun.

While we say congratulations to all the well deserving athletes for their win at the Olympics, there is a sport that some say is even more extreme. The challenge of conquering the highest mountain peaks in the world.Now don’t race away in disgust, just stay for a few minutes longer. You may learn something interesting.As I see athletes give of their utmost I weep tears of empathy. After years of discipline, pain, perseverance and self-denial, that most athletes never dare to attempt, it is nothing short of a tragedy to see them pipped-at-the-post by a thousandth of a second. I salute these hard working athletes for all their efforts.

However, some say to try and conquer one of the world’s highest mountains is an even more demanding extreme sport. Once an athlete is standing on the podium, it is just a short jump down, to the post-Olympics parties with other athletes and friends. It’s not so for the mountain climber. When the climber has reached the summit, the job is only half finished.

When the level of oxygen drops, the human body tries to compensate. This is a process all climbers must go through if they are to survive the long haul to the top – altitude acclimatization. Extra red blood cells are produced by the body, the heart rate increases. Non-essential body functions temporarily shut down. Food digestion efficiency declines and the climber breathe more deeply and frequently.Decision making also becomes difficult.

Altitude acclimatization can take up to a period of days or even weeks. Climbers by the dozen are forced to gather together for a period of up to two months, at the base camp on Mt. Everest, 16,000 feet above sea level. Anxiously they wait for their turn to begin their ascent. The results of not stopping to acclimatize are disastrous and deadly.

The human body is no longer able to acclimatize in the Death Zone, which is anything above 22,950 feet. Above 24,600 feet, food digestion is nearly impossible and sleeping is difficult. An extended stay will result in body deterioration, loss of consciousness and finally death. The longest stay ever recorded on the top of Mt Everest was just over 21 hours. Most climbers stay for around twenty minutes.

There is no audience of millions watching their success. This is a very solo achievement and experience. Other climbers’ attention is solely focused on self-survival.

Once the long awaited and hard-worked-for goal has been achieved, there is no simple ‘step off the mountain and get out of here’. No helicopter slips by and picks up the worn out athlete. No easy slide to the bottom if the climber wants to stay alive. Every extreme step to the ascent must now be painfully repeated on the long descent home.

Even if someone is injured or sick, there can be no rescue mission. Other climbers are often unable to help their fellow climbers. Mountaineering has to be the ultimate experience in self-reliance, as icy mountain and determined man meet in a head on collision..

Everest was only conquered in May 1952, by Sir Edmond Hilary and Peter Tenzing. This was the crowning glory to the British Empire as Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne.

In 1966, eighty-four climbers conquered to the summit, but 12 people died that season. It was the worst year-to- date in the mountain’s history. Since then all records, sadly, continue to be broken.

A 71 year old Japanese climber was the oldest to climb in 2007. The record was topped in 2008 by a 76 year old Nepalese, who thinks he may just do it all over again. More than 3500 Nepalese have ascended, acting as guides to the climbers who pay up to $US50 thousand for the privilege of trying to conquer the world’s highest peak. The Nepalese government charges $US25 thousand to each person trying for their moment of glory.

Appa Sherpa has climbed Everest 11 times, while Ang Rita Sherpa and Babi Chiri Sherpa have both climbed 10 times. These Sherpa guides climb without oxygen.

During the Olympics no competitor has to be bothered about the rubbish they create. Just forget it and walk away. Not the same on the icy slopes of the mountain. Every climbing party is responsible for its rubbish removal, including empty oxygen tanks.

Mt Everest is well thought of as a jealous goddess, by the local Sherpa people. One that rigorously punishes illicit sex performed on the mountain. However, she is not the only mountain to covet the high slopes and act treacherously towards the would-be conquerors. She has a far more dangerous sister known as K2.

K2’s treacherous slopes have recently taken 11 more lives. This is the worst incident since 13 climbers died over a period of two weeks in 1986. K2 has been nicknamed, ‘The mountain that invites death’.

Blame is once more being cited as lack of preparation, wrong choices and lack of experience. The same things that were said of the 1986 expedition that also ended in disaster.

From Olympic to extreme adventure sports, there will always be men and women for whom the unattainable has a special attraction. They are not experts. They just have higher ambitions than most people. They have four things in common:

1. Faith in themselves

2. Great determination

3. Driving ambition

4. And endurance.

They are people who do not fear to dream big dreams. Through planning, patience and perseverance, along with a determination to never quit, these people get to the top.

Like these elite athletes and mountaineers you too can dream big dreams through a Blue Moon Opportunity.

Mountaineering, otherwise known as Alpinism, is the sport, profession, or recreation of Climbing or going up mountains. It is a more challenging form of hiking; where one have to trek on higher altitudes. Although the toughest, this outdoor activity is also the most fulfilling.

There are many reasons why enthusiasts engage in mountain climbing. This sport challenges an individual’s capabilities and skills; plus it is also a great way to be one with nature. Mountaineers also find Climbing as a form of relaxation and exercise. But the most common purpose of people who go on Mountaineering even when the activity can be strenuous and dangerous is the reward of having a view of the rare and wonderful sights they will savor when they reach the summit.

Mountaineering is the ultimate challenge, the trial by fire, for the spirit, the mind and the body. In trying to reach the pinnacle, one can discover the essence of one’s being. Kerala has some of the finest locations in the world to thoroughly enjoying the thrills and joys of mountaineering.

Standing on the summit is only part of the total enjoyment and satisfaction that one achieves from mountaineering – and more so in the Kerala regions.

Mountaineering as a sport has history as old as the history of the evolution of human race. The adventure started when the need was felt for people who could climb difficult heights to meet people across the border for different purposes and now that difficulty is not the part of our life. Even if the nature to take risks and getting pleasure in conquering something totally unknown and unexplored still fascinates mountaineers all over.

Mountaineering in Kerala

Kerala offers a number of adventurous tourist destinations. The choice of adventure sports in Kerala is the best choice and you have a wide variety of options like camping, canoeing, kayaking, mountaineering, mountain biking, parasailing, rafting, trekking and wildlife safaris. Kerala provides mountaineering training in different destinations.

If you’re fired up by the spirit of adventure, let the sparks in your heart fly in Kerala, a land blessed with lofty mist-clad peaks, crystal glaciers, rolling meadows, jagged rock faces, verdant valleys, meandering rivers, cascading waterfalls, dense forests, and hospitable people, blessed with a rich culture – a land perfect for mountaineering, trekking, and rock climbing. People seeking mountaineering in India will catch the entertainment at Kerala.

Mountaineering Seasons of Kerala

While the mountaineering season tends to be concentrated around the April-November period, a number of climbs are also attempted in winter (December-March) which, though much colder, allows for perfect climbing days.

As the years go by, people are increasingly interested in exploring new ways to push themselves when it comes to sports and other activities. Ski mountaineering is one such way that people can push themselves and find new ways to experience the thrills of various sports. Combining the skills required for both skiing and rock climbing, ski mountaineering is not a sport for the faint of heart.

Ski mountaineering relies on similar skiing techniques to that of ski touring. The main difference, though, is people who participate in ski touring rely on “safe” areas that have excellent powder conditions, sheltered fields, and superior conditions, particularly when it comes to descending the mountain. Ski mountaineers, however, have no reservations about skiing every part of the mountain, including areas that are covered by ice, rocks, and even glaciers. Someone who was ski touring would avoid those areas, as they present unique challenges and can be extremely difficult for the skier to traverse and travel safely.

Ski mountaineers ski more than they climb, but depending on the route they choose and its unique challenges, there will be areas they are forced to climb, using typical mountaineering techniques and equipment. As such, a ski mountaineer, in addition to ski equipment, will also have climbing equipment, including axes, ropes, and other aids that will make the climbing legs of their activities for the day safer. That said, the climbing aspect is secondary to skiing, and the goal is to get over the most impossible terrains – the ones that simply could not be passed while wearing skis – and carry on skiing. The true challenge of ski mountaineering is to ski as much of the mountain as possible.

Ski mountaineering can not be done on every mountain, due to the varying conditions present. It is a popular activity in Europe, particularly in the Alps, the Tatra, and the Pyrenees, where people will spend days traveling the different terrains in this fashion. North American mountain ranges provide ample opportunity for people to ski mountaineer, particularly the Sierra Nevadas. It is also somewhat common in New Zealand and South America, but to a much lesser extent.

While they are not the most common or heavily promoted races in the sporting world, there are also ski mountaineering races. They involve racers tackling a predetermined course with multiple checkpoints that they must pass through in order to complete the race. The goal is to be the first to the finish line. All racers are expected to work on their own strengths and can use the equipment and techniques of their choice to traverse the mountain grounds. Although these races do happen, they are not an Olympic sport, as is the case with other skiing events, though that could change as the sport gains exposure and acceptance in the skiing and adventure sport community.

As you can see, ski mountaineering is a very exciting development for skiing and climbing enthusiasts. By combining the two sports and their unique aspects into one, it creates a series of new challenges for skiers, climbers, and adventurers of all sorts. It also presents new opportunities to stretch oneself to new physical and mental limits – or even surpass anything they ever thought they were physically capable of.