A Mountain's Blog

Mountaineering, otherwise known as Alpinism in Europe, 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 sight they will savor when they reach the summit.

There are three basic forms of Climbing, which depends on the track condition. First of these is Rock Climbing, or rock-craft, which is very popular among amateur Climbers. This form of Mountain Climbing involves rocky slopes and avalanches. The second form of Mountaineering is the Snow and Ice Climbing, or the snow-craft, which is more for expert Climbers. This is a much dangerous Climb because it involves routes with glaciers. Special gear and an understanding of snow and ice conditions are very important. Lastly, mixed Climbing combines the rocky and icy routes of the first two Mountaineering forms, making it the most difficult. The hazardous track one will have to face in this Climb requires the mountaineer to have enough training and experience.

Although injuries and accidents are common in Mountaineering, an enjoyable Climb is still possible. Problems could be avoided through preparations, proper training, and good physical condition. It is also best to Climb mountains in groups, as one could lend a hand to the team when something unexpected happens. Moreover, experience is still the best teacher even in mountain Climbing. Other than that, joining Climbing groups and reading books and articles on Mountaineering are also very helpful to begin your adventure.

Written by: anagonzales
http://www.abc-of-mountaineering.com/info/what-is-mountaineering.asp

COMMENTARY:

This page of introduction of the site ABC-of-Mountaineering presents in a brief and effective way the alpinism or mountaineering. It is about the ascent of mountains with the aim of reaching the summit, by taste of the sport, as leisure or even better, in a paid way, as professional of the mountain, what about what many amateurs dreams.

The mountain attracts a lot of people in search of challenges, against elements but also against themselves. The human adventure which takes place leads there the climbers to make only one with the nature, to compose with it, to let it express itselves. It is a lesson of humility. This sensation of freedom from the " men’s world " is at the same moment relaxing and difficult to live because the disinfected society in which we live is not any more there. The man who becomes a climber has for first purpose to manage "to pass", this whoever is the ground (ice, rock, cliff, glacier, snowy slope). The second objective is to return safe. It can seems strange but the one who dashes to summits and from which the initial purpose is to come back does not generally succeed in making it, or at least in realizing the ascent. A part of madness is needed to advance without knowing how we shall once return behind the defeated summit so wished.

The mountain is thus a dangerous place where the accidents are common and often mortal. Environment little favourable to the man it is necessary to acquire a lot of experience before claiming to be able to overcome it. It is necessary to choose the good equipment and to learn to tame it with persons of experiences before making what about almost quite climbers dream: to go up one add solo, the human adventure par excellence … The sensation of ultimate freedom, the most penetrating pondering which is, the one that we make hung on a steep wall overhanging the world with the music of the wind which comes to play our ice-cold but conquered ears.

Rémy Poncet

 

     The environment has to be more and more in every mind, but it seems that today, there are two worlds. On the one hand, some people try to live in harmony with nature, but on the other hand the industry in primary sector is acting as it don’t care. The video file comes from the programme Tropic of Capricorn on BBC 2, the team is following the tropic of Capricorn around the world and making short films on what they discover. The scene takes place in the Andes, the journalist meets Rosa Ramos, a guide, who takes them to a sensitive place. At about 4000 meters above the sea level, the high mountains dominate the plains, the climate is like that of the desert but nature has left lakes in these dry regions.

 

     These sights are the place of a rich and antic fauna and flora. Specific species installed themselves next to these lakes, they can find the food and the climate there. For example, many sorts of flamingos live there. People lived in this region for more than a thousand years, respecting nature. In their minds the lakes represent a present of god to make them survive in this tough environment; an environment which is endangered.

     Since the industrial revolution, many companies have been looking for earth resources around the world such as gas, oil and also ore. The part of these companies in the GDP of the country is very important and so usually encouraged by the government. But the exploration of the earth is the object of these companies so they are not really aware of the environment. In the Andes companies extract gold, they need water and they hope they can drain it from the lakes. The consequences could be really serious, the ecosystem is fragile and could quickly disappear.  

 

     Developing countries want to make up for the wasted time with industrial countries, but the environment often pays the price of this ambition.

Rodolphe BERGER

Sources:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/capricorn/default.stm 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7260000/newsid_7267700/7267753.stm?bw=nb&mp=wm&news=1&nol_storyid=7267753&bbcws=1

This video is the beginning of the movie “Touching the void “ realized in 2003 by Kevin Mac Donald. This movie of one hour and forty six minutes is the adaptation of the novel of the same title, written by Joe Simpson, one of both climbers who took part in the expedition. Film with big success, it tells the adventure of two young climbers who tempt in 1985 the ascent of Siula Grande, a summit of the Andes Cordillera which thrones in 6334 metres.

 Joe Simpson and Simon Yates are taken in a storm during their ascent, and after having reached the summit, they begin a “descent in the hells”. Indeed, Joe Simpson breaks himself the leg from the begun descent. From this moment, this film becomes the perfect illustration of the friendship which connects the Men between them because Simon Yates is going to try to make his friend come down by means of a rope to the valley, to unbearable weather conditions for a human being.  There are many climbers who would have abandoned their team-mate so risky there was the operation, long and precarious. However, in spite of this act of bravery, Simon Yates does not succeed in returning Joe Simpson who met himself hung in the void until that the rope as been cut… After one hour and a half of expectation. This film was realized at the request of Joe Simpson to make stop the critics of the climber middle towards Simon Yates who had cut the rope; the injured climber says that he would also have made it and that he owes the life to his friend who did not abandon him in the top of the mountain.

This movie presents well the mountain, the climbing and all its contrasts, the enjoyments, the misfortunes, the friendship and the difficult choices which it imposes … Simon Yates was able with big difficulties to join the base camp, he had numerous chilblains, was dehydrated and exhausted. Joe Simpson for his part showed of one truth will to live and had a lot of luck because after having fallen in a crack and with a hoarse leg, without living nor fire to warm itself, he succeeded in joining the valley by passing under the glacier. This human great adventure is visible on the site of Youtube where the film is split in several parts.

R.P.

Mountaineering: This is the fact of climbing mountain

 

Courage: This is the first quality needed for mountaineering, it enables a person to face the danger and overpass the difficulties. This emotion takes its roots in the heart.

 

Fraternity: It’s the fact of being brotherhood, needed people are helped in all conditions.

 

Mountain: It is the uneven place where alpinists go.

 

Rope: It is a piece of cord which is the only guarantee alpinists have for their life after the other alpinists.

 

Space: It is what people are looking for in nature, great places with no limits.

 

Cloud: Masses of suspended water in the airs.

 

Fog: A cloudlike mass of suspended water near the ground, the first alpinists’ enemy.

 

Wind: Moving air along the earth surface.

 

Snow: Ice crystal precipitated from the atmosphere. It covers the high part of mountains.

 

Base camp: It is an establishment in a low altitude place from where the expedition begins the final ascend of the summits, it generally contains stuff and medicals.

 

Summit: It is the high peak of the mountain, the final destination of rock climber.

 

Cold: It is the absence of warm, because of altitude.

 

Altitude: According to a planetary reference, it is the height of anything.

 

Extreme: It is a kind of thing (action, sport, mind…) which go over the average standards.

 

Void: It is the absence of the ground.

 

Chilblain: It is parts of the body affected by the cold, generally it needs to cut them. It often arrive to alpinists fingers.

 

To fall: It is when rock climbers fall after being unscrewed, this type of accident often when the rope is fixed in the ice.

 

Glacier: Large mass of glace formed by accumulated snow during years and years. Its very dangerous to walk here.

 

Crevasse: Hole in the glaciers, hidden by accumulated fresh snow. People can fall in, it is a real trap.

Rodolphe Berger & Rémy Poncet.

 

       Global warming, deforestation, are the causes of the end of the legendary sight of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Famous postcards will be archived as scientists predict a disappearance of the glaciers for 2020.

 Rodolphe BERGER     

 Source:

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/places/parks-and-nature-places/mountains-volcanoes/tanzania_kilimanjaro.html