A Taste Of Alpine Camping
Alpine
hikers, also known as “alpinists” or “mountaineers,”
outfit specialized gear and prepare detailed plans to ascend mountains.
Due to extra equipment needs,
alpine hiking is expensive at first. Alpine hiking also requires
serious technical and physical preparation because you’re
on the “edge” of risk.
If you have any desire for this,
you’ll need to practice for years to take on serious ascents.
You’ll need to reach minimum
levels of physical form, cliff climbing, mountaineering, and survival
in extreme mountain conditions.
Some Pros And Cons
In the mountains, you face virtually
every strange climate condition imaginable -- intense sun radiation
combined with super low temperatures; super dry air while your
feet get damp; and calm weather quickly replaced with hurricane
winds in minutes.
Just add thin air and lack of
oxygen, and you’ve got the full picture.
These elements combined have a
huge impact on your body, but you soon forget about them as soon
as you climb on top of a tall mountain peak or cliff.
You hear total silence and see
a scene that words can’t describe. And this is why thousands
of people take up the challenge.
Technique of movement and gear are important when you are on a
route, so you need to be extra careful selecting your gear before
a serious ascent because problems could spring up at the worse
moment later. Boots can fail, and your rope needs to be reliable
for instance.
Terrain and climate pose serious
risks, which makes alpine hiking or mountaineering a serious challenge.
Your risk depends on whether you’re
attempting “thru” or “radial” trekking
routes though.
In “radial” trekking
you enjoy the landscape and scenery. You go places where it’s
nearly impossible with a heavy backpack. The only items you bring
are special gear to insure your life.
“Thru” routes in alpine
hiking is tougher. It usually takes at least 10 days to complete.
Most of time, you’re far away from civilization, and you
need to have all necessary items in your pack.
And this is where the problem
comes in – weight. Weight means a lot in mountaineering.
For example, a 3a ascent (nearly
the highest category of difficulty) mountaineers will go as far
to cut the legs of their spoons to lighten its weight. Shaving
every ounce is important.
Other important differences can
be that you won’t find any firewood to prepare your food
or to fight hypothermia on some mountains (mostly starting above
the 6,000 to 7,000 feet range).
In such situations most mountaineers
bring specially-purpose multi-fuel burners.
And that’s not the hard
part. No one can live without water, but how many bottles can
you carry with you? You need to make sure the route at leads you
to some kind of water source at least once a day. Your best bet
is to set up camp near that place.
When you setup camp, you need
to look around for hazards. It’s important to pitch your
tent in a safe spot. Avoid placing your tent near trees -- which
may fall on you. The same goes for setting up over an unstable
glacier, which can melt under you.
If you’re not sure, ask
someone who has proper experience.
Suggestions
and Tips
· Here are a few alpine
hiking starter pointers.
· While you’re moving,
pay attention to your breathing rhythm. You need to breath deep
and inhale only through your nose. Exhale completely through your
mouth.
· While ascending, you’ll
need to talk with your buddies, so it’s near impossible
to smoke (if you’re a smoker) at the same time.
· If you break your breathing
rhythm, take short breaks every 3-5 minutes.
Beginners should know the hiker
etiquette of the mountain.
Alpinists should follow the rules
whether they’re on the trail, caught in extreme conditions,
or while resting at camp. While some rules are less important
than others, these are most important.
1. If two groups of hikers meet
on a trail the group moving uphill has the right-of-way.
2. If a group splits between fast
and slow hikers, it’s common practice to encourage the slowest
hiker to hike in front and have everyone match that speed. This
makes sure slower hikers don’t get left behind or lost.
The group lead often goes to the back to makes sure everyone is
OK, and to make sure they’re on the right path.
3. Silence is valuable because
loud sounds could trigger avalanches. In some cases you might
even need to warn your buddy behind you to avoid stepping on tree
branches lying on the ground.
4. Of course, help your buddies.
In all, you’ll find both
joy and pain from alpine camping, but there’s no place on
earth where you experience fresh air, breathtaking landscape and
scenery, and good company combined. It’s your choice. The
mountains away for you.
Contributed
By Taras
Boyko
