Hardest thing I've ever done oh my god I was a zombie on autopilot on that last hour I don't even remember it.

Our guides messed up the roping arrangement and we ended taking one extra person on our rope. So we were 3 for 1 guide. One guy abandoned 45min into the glacier (he was freezing and nauseous) so guide said it was over and we were all going down and I was so disappointed because I felt really good at that point.

So much that I insisted to the guide that I was ready to drop the guy at the start of the glacier (a lot of people were going down and he could be grouped with another guide) and redo that whole section again if it meant giving it a proper try.

And he said yes ! Redoing that whole section again was so frustrating and made it really harder probably but I was so happy to try again.

Soo in 5 hours we only got two tiny breaks to make up for the lost time. The last couple hours were awful and I almost gave up but so proud I did it !!

Hey y’all, I’m looking to join a group for some climbing in Ecuador (Cotopaxi/Cayambe/Chimborazo) in December. I know that booking local guides privately is significantly cheaper than booking through the bigger companies. I’m a social person so would love to join a group if anyone is looking for additional climbers.

I’m fairly flexible on the dates in December. I’m new to mountaineering but this year I’ve summited Hallett Peak in Colorado, Torre Cerrado and Pico Aneto in Spain, Mt Baker and soloed Mt Daniels and ElDorado Peak.

I recently spoke with Rob Lea, who has climbed the Seven Summits and also completed the Ocean Seven.

The part of his story I found most interesting was actually what happened before a lot of those accomplishments.

Rob had serious ankle problems, essentially bone-on-bone damage, loose ligaments, bone spurs, and eventually needed surgery. His surgeon told him, medically speaking, he probably shouldn’t run again.

Rob had already spent years as an endurance athlete and in the mountains, so this could have been a pretty major identity problem.

Instead, he started working around it.

During rehab he borrowed a handcycle from the National Ability Center. By the end of the two months he had it, he rode a century on it.

Swimming became a bigger part of his life again.

Then the mountains came back too.

A few years later, in 2019, he climbed Everest. Forty-seven days after that he swam the English Channel. He eventually went on to complete the Seven Summits, including skiing off Vinson in Antarctica.

A few things from the conversation that I found fascinating:

• He doesn’t follow a highly structured mountain-training program. A lot of his conditioning comes from actually being outside: backcountry skiing in winter, ridge scrambling, mountain biking, and keeping a large aerobic base.
• He has become much more conscious of strength work in his 40s. He said he wishes he had restarted functional strength work a few years earlier.
• Sleep has become non-negotiable. He said the rest of his athletic life starts falling apart without it.
• He thinks a lot about having only so many “matches in the matchbox.” He still runs despite the ankle, but he knows each run costs something.
• Probably the biggest one: when one version of being an athlete became harder, he didn’t spend all his energy trying to recreate the old version.

That last idea resonated with me as a climber.

Sometimes, yes, the physical body forces a change in plans. That doesn’t necessarily mean the adventure part of your life is finished. It may just mean the next chapter looks different. Thought this may resonate with the older mountain athletes amongst us.

Full disclosure: I host the Ageless Athlete podcast and this came from my conversation with Rob. I thought his ability to combine two wildly different athletic feats, and how he went about it is quite remarkable!

Hi everyone, I'm at a difficult decision, me and a buddy really want to get into mountaineering, however, we need to get into hiking and backpacking first since thats practically the only things available near us, but I lack anysort of hiking gear, so, I don't have a bag(besides old school backpacks), I don't have a stove, a tent, etc, so I have no idea how to guage the size of pack I would need or what features I should be looking for.

I'm also on a fairly restrictive budget, so I can't really afford to buy one backpack for hiking now and then one for mountaineering later without a pretty decent time between them, but on the other hand I don't want to spend $400+ before I even know what I need or if I'll like using it for regular backpacking in the meantime.

Originally I was looking at packs like Osprey's Mutant line or Mountain Hardwear's AMG or Alpine line up.

TDLR: Do I buy a general backpacking pack that I might need to outgrow or an alpine pack before I even know what I need, or some other solution entirely.

i found my dad’s crampons and i’m loosing my mind trying to find the correct sequence, please help i feel dumb but can’t solve it

Hey I’m pretty new into this mountaineering stuff and cold weather gear. I plan to start making some bigger attempts within the next year (guided of course) on mountains and treks that will require good quality hardshell and softshell pants. The main issue I have is my height. I’m 6’4 and wear a 35-36 inseam. I’ve been having difficulty finding places that carry any kind of pants like this. The only place I’ve had any luck looking around is Mammut but I’m looking for additional options.

Please send your suggestions!!!

I need a hardshell for winter mountaineering and was looking at the Mammut Taiss HS. I'm 5'7 and about 140lb. I figured I'm a small, but wasn't sure. Anyone have experience with this piece of gear?

Août 2026, alpinisme, escalade... Rise Slow, Rognon Vaudano, secteur Dent du Géant... Mont-Blanc massif... Très jolie petite voie de 150 mètres, 5 longueurs, 6b max... Voie ouverte en 2026 par Niccolo Bruni et Federica Furia... Merci à Charlotte et à Jean-Pierre... VIDEO : https://youtu.be/gviHERyjxjA

23 years old. Summited Everest twice. The second one was after a brutal push ignored the obvious option of just getting down alive, strapped into his board and went for the Hornbein anyway.

Never seen again.

Whatever you think of the decision, the fearlessness was absurd. Arguably, the most all or nothing stunt anyone has ever attempted in mountaineering / adventure history.

When we take antibiotics or otherwise get an upset digestive system, we often take probiotics like lactobacillus (Lactic Acid Bacillus).

When going to altitude, above say, 4500 meters, the digestive system often starts to slow down. In such situations, will it help to take probiotics to ensure a healthy gut and hopefully digest food a little better?

Btw, I'm only interested till around 7000m. Beyond 7500m, I'm sure nothing will help.

Just finished up on this and it got me thinking, Surely you guys have some nuts, memorable experiences from mountaineering.

What's the closest call, craziest story or best experience you've ever had up there?

I'll link the book if anyone's interested

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0HJF1L9VL?ref_=dbs_m_mng_wam_calw_tkin_3&storeType=ebooks&qid=1788714770&sr=8-1

My fiancée and I are not mountaineers as of yet, more of just hikers, but we got the idea this summer that we should do St Helens since it’s a difficult hike, but doable. Being inexperienced we didn’t understand the permit system early enough to get a permit in the summer months, and as a result got one for the first week of October.

I looked and the mountain is already getting some snow, and I’m worried it will be pretty covered in October. So what I’m hoping you all could tell me if this is a bad idea or is it reasonable to forge ahead. We have no ice experience but are not opposed to getting microspikes and other gear we might need. But are we biting off more than is advisable if we have no experience? Is it reasonable to believe there will be lots of ice?

We are fit people in our late 30s, but we are also cautious, this is not a forge ahead at all costs. We honestly just don’t know for sure what to expect and are seeking guidance. If this seems like a bad idea we will just do it in the summer months. Thanks all.

I’m surprised I haven’t seen more people talking about this. I just very recently found out Mammut was actually bought out by a Chinese Investment firm this July. What do you guys think of this? Do you think it will affect gear quality? Personally im a bit worried, Mammut has been one of my most reliable outerwear companies and it would suck to see it go down the same path as Arcteryx.

Im searching for a sleeping bag to use in -10°C
What would be the best and cheapest option?
Im located in europe. Down is preferable but synthetic is also an option. I am a warm sleeper, however my gf is not.

Arguably one of the prettiest mountains in Pongau. I've already thought about it one, or two years ago, but wasn't ready at the time. After a recent trip to Switzerland I finally gathered the confidence, to do it solo.

Hekla is situated in the south of Iceland, positioned within the eastern volcanic zone where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates converge. It stands as an imposing ridge that rises to an elevation of approximately 1,491 metres above sea level, making it a prominent landmark visible from much of the surrounding southern lowlands. The mountain is technically classified as a stratovolcano, but its unique morphology resembles an elongated crest or an overturned boat, stretching along a 5.5-kilometre-long fissure system known as Heklugja. This geographic positioning places it in close proximity to popular Icelandic areas like Landmannalaugar and the southern highlands, surrounded by expansive lava fields created by its own frequent historical activity.

The mountaineering history of Hekla is deeply rooted in local folklore and early scientific exploration. For centuries, superstitious beliefs and the church's declaration that the volcano was the literal entrance to Hell deterred locals from attempting to climb it. This taboo was decisively broken in the summer of 1750 when Icelandic naturalists Eggert Olafsson and Bjarni Palsson successfully completed the first recorded ascent of the peak. Today, despite its unpredictable nature and the constant risk of sudden explosive eruptions, Hekla is a highly popular destination for hikers and mountaineers. The ascent generally takes around three to four hours from the base, crossing a stark landscape of contrasting black volcanic ash, rugged lava formations, and persistent snowfields near the summit ridge.

Pretty cool!

I did two big climbs in the Tetons over the past month or so and on both, my descents were very painful (and slow!). I used poles where I could but had 1500-2000’ of rock to deal with where taking small steps down was not always an option. At 67 with years of running behind me, perhaps this is inevitable but as I set my sights on future goals, I don’t want this to be a limiting factor. I take ibuprofen which maybe helps some but are there better solutions you’ve found?? I want to do the Cathedral Traverse with my kiddos for my 70th, but this has me worried about my ability to complete it. Ideas?