By Grant Hartman
“It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”
– Edmund Hillary
Edmund Hillary and Tenzin Norgay became the first confirmed climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953 (Encyclopedia Britannica). Hillary knew, more than most mountaineers, that the mountains are not there to be conquered. Instead, the mountains are a place where we learn about ourselves. For many mountaineers, the hardest part of their body to control is the mind—how to know when to stop pushing for the summit.
Mountaineering is one of my favorite adventure sports for many reasons, but the spiritual aspect is the most beloved part for me. Those mountaintop experiences when it is just you, the mountains, and God are when I feel closest to our Heavenly Father. I feel as if the higher elevation brings me physically closer to Heaven. I have also noticed that my mind is the clearest when climbing in the alpine. There are so few distractions that I am free to focus on my Creator. I use this time to talk to Him as a friend and mentor and to strengthen our relationship so that ultimately, I can do incredible things with His guidance.
I enjoy the technical side of the sport as well. Being a mechanical engineering student, I thrive on understanding how systems work and figuring out how to make them more efficient. The various technical pieces of equipment (ropes, carabiners, pulleys, crampons, ice axes, skis, oh my!) fascinate me almost as much as the mountain’s natural beauty! To think that someone used the various elements of the earth to create a pair of carbon fiber skis, for example, is quite incredible if you really stop to think about it. Thousands of years of invention and ingenuity went into creating the current iterations of the equipment we have today.
Lastly, there is obviously the intense physical exertion aspect. The sustained aerobic cardio necessary to climb mountains is like no other. Life is all about the journey, but I have yet to find an activity that is so physically demanding, yet so rewarding once you reach your goal.
Summit Fever
The Summit. A lofty goal that is constantly tempting the human race to attain. But there are times when the summit is best left alone. In life, there are many more important considerations than just reaching the top of some chunk of rock and snow. For some, leaving the summit behind can be the hardest part. The mountaineering community calls it summit fever—the compulsion to reach the summit of a mountain at all costs (Wikitionary.org).
Mt. Everest is a prime example of how deadly summit fever can be. A person who climbed the world’s tallest mountain spent an average of $45,000 in 2017 (TheManual.com). The price a climber has paid in combination with an immense desire to reach the summit can make it extremely difficult for them to turn around. Unfortunately, this is a deadly combination that must be controlled. During the infamously crowded 2019 climbing season alone, 11 climbers died on Mt. Everest. A viral photo posted by @nimsdai on Instagram shows just how busy the mountain has become and how many people try to reach the summit no matter what (but the crowding issue is a whole other story).
The Mountains Are Not Worth Dying For
Unless we are talking about a repeat of the Mt. Saint Helens eruption, the mountain’s aren’t going anywhere. In my experience, I have had multiple instances where I have turned around near the top of a mountain for a variety of reasons. But for me, it all boils down to this: the mountains are not worth dying for. To take that further, other people must come before your personal goals.
For example, I have tried to summit Mt. Adams several times now. Each time, I turned around near the top because, as a climbing team, we decided it was best for us to head down. Just this last Christmas break, I attempted to summit Mt. Hood, but ended up being involved with the rescue of a climber with a broken leg instead. (If you want to read the full story of how God placed myself and my good friend Xander Culver in the perfect position to help others, click here!)
Whether someone is getting altitude sickness, the weather is turning sour, or people just aren’t having fun, making group decisions is of utmost importance for your team’s safety. No matter the reason for retreat, just start to make plans for climbing again next season or even next week if you’re lucky!
Mountaineering Guidelines
Here is some of my specific advice to staying safe in the mountains:
(DISCLAIMER: This article does not replace professional training from a certified guide. Seek professional training before recreating in the backcountry and remember to abide by all guidelines during the COVID-19 outbreak.)
1. Make a plan (and write it down!)
If the mountains are calling and you must go, make sure to call your buddies too! Talk with your team about the group decisions you will make on the mountain. Do not just go with the flow. The night before, decide on a hard turnaround time to prevent summit fever from controlling you. Make sure you tell someone back home what your specific plan is (with time estimates) and when to call for help if you aren’t back in time.
2. You can always come back
No matter what happens on the mountain, you can almost always come back to reach your goal! So the weather is terrible or you have to turn around—just come back next season! Keeping this mantra in your head throughout the climb can help prevent the dreaded summit fever.
3. Get the proper training
Mountaineering is not a sport to take lightly. A lot can go wrong really fast. Make sure that you have the proper wilderness medicine/first aid kit, backcountry navigation, avalanche safety, and technical knowledge to safely recreate in the backcountry.
4. Get the knowledge
Do your research! Make sure you know the specifics about the objective you have. Use Mountain Project, guide services, online forums, and local knowledge to mitigate risk.
5. Get the gear
Ensure you have the proper safety and protective equipment to know how to rescue yourself and others if things go south. Consider getting an emergency communication device such as an inReach Mini. Make sure you know how to use the gear you have too! Buying it is only half the battle!
To wrap it up, here are some more words of wisdom from one of the fathers of mountaineering:
“Human life is far more important than just getting to the top of a mountain.”
– Edmund Hillary
-Grant Hartman
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