Do you also get confused sometimes by the mass of terms related to mountaineering or mountain sports? It’s actually not that complicated. Sometimes, even if you are in a certain niche of mountain sports, you might not necessarily be aware of the terms used by others. So here is a quick intro to all related terminology. Hopefully, this will help you to gain a better understanding of this fascinating world.
Let’s start with the basics, shall we?
Mountaineering (or mountain climbing) is a common term for a sport that involves climbing or walking on mountains, whether it’s the kind that requires technique and equipment, or a route that does not require prior knowledge or complex technical operations.
You can do mountain climbing in trek style. Climbing on the Kilimanjaro is a good example for that. There is no need for technical expertise. other types are of course those that require rock climbing on bare rocks or crossing glaciers with suitable equipment for ice and snow and rock cracks.
The sport of climbing is usually divided into the following categories:
Alpinism, alpine/alpine climbing, is the common term for classical mountaineering of mountains covered with ice and snow, and usually, when you say mountaineering we refer to this type of mountaineering.
Via Ferrata is a climbing niche in which a cable infrastructure has been prepared in advance, to which the climbers connect. Therefore, it doesn’t require a high level of skill. Via Ferrata has dedicated climbing equipment adapted for connecting to the fixed cables on the mountain. Via Ferrata actually means “iron path”, and although started in the 19th century, it usually relates to the routes established during World Wars I and II to facilitate the movement of troops.
Trad / Traditional climbing, is the name for the classic cliffs climbing where we climb the bare mountain and perform while anchoring to rock crevices so that we can secure ourselves with the climbing rope.
Bouldering is climbing a rock, indoors or outdoors, usually at low altitudes. Bouldering is a different “problem solving” activity, and unlike trad climbing, the gear is minimal. A safety pad protects your fall not to hit the ground.
Ice climbing can be a part of the Alpine climbing journey to the summit or a dedicated climb. It refers to climbing the glacier ice, which is different than walking on snow and requires high skills in order to properly use an ice ax, anchor techniques (using ice screws or other techniques), and crampons to hold your feet on the ice. Ice climbing does not necessarily include high altitude conditions. and oxygen acclimation usually is not necessary.
Mixed climbing, As the name implies, is the combination of ice climbing and rock climbing. It can require the use of ice-related equipment, such as climbing boots and crampons, as well as an ice ax or ice screws for anchoring.
in some cases, mixed climbing requires using “Dry-tooling“, which basically means using an ice ax over the exposed rocks and crampons or rock shoes.
Free Climbing usually refers to cases of rock climbing where equipment is used only for safety purposes, rather than assisting the climb. The climber relies solely on their own physical strength in order to progress.
Solo-climbing is the term to describe the case of a rock climber that climbs alone without any assistance or belaying.
Free-solo climbing is the case in which the climber climbs solo, without any assistance or protection equipment at all!
Most climbers achieve satisfaction not only by the conquest of the summit itself but in the entirety of physical and spiritual pleasure resulting from the high personal effort, acquired skills, and danger, in addition to the high rewards of success.
Mountain climbing has many faces. Some climbers set themselves the goal of conquering 7 summits, the highest peak designation on every continent. There are actually several possible lists for the 7 summits, but it usually refers to Mount Everest (8848 m) in Asia, Aconcagua (6962 m) in South America, Denali (6190 m) in North America, Kilimanjaro (5895 m) in Africa, Elbrus (5642 m) in Europe, Vinson Massif (4892 m) in Antarctica and Puncak Jaya (4,884 m) in Papua, representing the Australian plate.
When embarking on a mountain-climbing journey, we must take into account the challenges we need to face. Each mountaineering type has its own challenges. The climber should know himself and the terrain to prepare accordingly. How we cope with the cold, are we in a sufficient physical shape, are we aware of the physical capabilities we need to have in order to safely accomplish the climb? Also, do we have certain foods or medications limitations?
If there is a potential for high altitude sickness due to the heights and route, we should plan accordingly. Allow acclimatization to the heights, and use or carry altitude sickness prevention medicine as a backup. If we are facing extreme cold or we have high sensitivity to the cold, choose the right clothing layers. Pick the right gloves to allow comfort for durability and warmth in different types of climbing. In many cases, we need to carry a glove system (combining glove layers and mitts) to allow warmth and efficiency for different mountain types. Rock climbing, ice climbing, high altitude mountaineering mix-climbing. Sometimes all these during the same journey. It is hard to accommodate with the right gloves and clothing.
Hazards to a mountaineer can be external factors and climber’s self-factors. External factors are those over which the climber has no control. Examples are weather, rocks falling, crevasses, and avalanches, while internal hazards are related to the climber themselves, like the climber’s body adaptation to the physical effort, the lack of oxygen, food, gear malfunction, self-protection, etc.
Obviously, climbers of high-altitude mountain tops are exposed more than others to the factors of altitude sickness and extremely low temperatures. Read about altitude sickness here.
Free-Solo climbers perform the most extreme activity, without safety measures, on vertical rocks. The risk of slippery rocks or hand grasp is extremely high.
Each of these cases will require a totally different set of skills and expertise. However, all-mountain fans require a high level of mental capabilities to cope with all extreme conditions and risks.
No matter what your climbing preference is, train hard, learn and prepare yourself. Train for extreme conditions, respect nature, have lots of fun and memories and share your experiences.
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