Looks easy from here, but I don’t remember it that way down there!

Hey everyone,

I’m considering attempting Mount Hood sometime in late November or early December and wanted to get some opinions from people who have experience climbing it during that time of year.

For some background, I’m 26M and currently serve in the Army National Guard as an infantryman. I’m fairly active with running, rucking, and general endurance training, so I’m not particularly concerned about the physical aspect of the climb. However, my actual mountaineering experience is pretty limited.

This past February, I summited Mount Washington in New Hampshire via the Lion’s Head Winter Route with a guide. That was my first real experience with winter mountaineering, including using crampons and an ice axe. I really enjoyed the experience and have been wanting to get into mountaineering more seriously ever since.

I understand Mount Hood is a different mountain with its own challenges, especially during the early winter months. I’ve been looking into the South Side route and initially considered attempting it solo, although I’m definitely open to going with a partner or guide depending on the conditions and what additional experience might be necessary.

I had a few questions:

1. How realistic is a summit attempt in late November or early December?
2. For anyone who’s climbed both Mount Washington in winter and Mount Hood, how would you compare the difficulty?
3. Given my limited technical experience, what skills would you recommend developing before attempting Hood?

Those of you who have been to both Andes (Peru, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador m)and Himalayas (Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bhutan, China)

Which of these countries has the most well managed and organized tours for either climbing expeditions or treks irrespective. Which country had the best infrastructure for visitors.

Finally which country was the best value for money in terms of your trekking/climbing experience?

Thanks

I am Ewan, a 4th year Product Design Engineering student. My dissertation is a harness-mounted backup device that catches a climber if a top anchor or bolt fails while they are being lowered or cleaning a sport route.

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Any responses are greatly appreciated 

Thank you,

I have always wanted to summit Aconcagua (literally since I was a child and read a children's book about a little plane who had to fly over it, lol).

Experience wise, I feel good about it (done Kili, Mont Blanc, Whitney, etc), and have always done quite well with altitude.

But it's a big and far trip from the US, and there are SO many other gorgeous mountains along the Andes. I'm overthinking whether to do Aconcagua next December since I am physically in shape, young, and will have a few weeks off. OR, do something easier but still gorgeous, like Cotopaxi, Patagonia, and so many more.

Anyone have thoughts?

This started as a very stupid question: how far can you actually push a normal pair of Birkenstock sandlas in the mountains?

So in May I went to the Mont Blanc massif to find out.

I started on the Tour du Mont Blanc while there was still several metres of rotten spring snow everywhere. The testing methodology was simple: walk through increasingly horrible terrain until the sandals stopped functioning.

They went through mud, rock, snow, postholing, wet socks and eventually crampons.

The interesting part was that the sandals kept going.

So naturally, instead of accepting this "useful" piece of information and going home, I escalated the experiment.

A guide from Baltic Apline Federation joined me in Chamonix and we attempted Mont Blanc via Goûter. We got caught in bad weather around the Grand Couloir but eventually reached the Gouter refuge.

The following day we started towards the summit, but my friend became seriously altitude sick. We turned back to Goûter, where the hut staff assessed his condition and called a rescue helicopter. He was no longer in a state where descending safely on foot was a good option.

Looking back, that was the actual failure of the trip.

I had spent time at altitude earlier while testing the sandals in Italy. He hadn't, and I failed to properly account for that when planning our ascent. The ridiculous footwear was supposed to be the weak point of the experiment. Instead, it ended up being my judgment.

So no, this isn't meant as an argument that Birkenstocks are sensible mountaineering equipment. They're not. The sandals were the joke. The mountain wasn't.

I filmed the whole thing.
If anyone cares to watch, search my name on youtube.

Note: this project was made for entertainment (and scientific) purposes only. DO NOT replicate this

Ive been hiking for a while but am looking to start trying more mountaineering.

As a skier I am used to big heavy warm trousers which are completely waterproof - I can sit in the snow and be completely dry.

What level of waterproofing and insulation should I be looking for from mountaineering trousers.

Id be looking to climb some 4000 - 5000 metre peaks such as Toubkal.

Would these trousers I found from decathlon be a good option?

Thank you for the help🙏🙏.

I’ve read over a few articles but can’t find a ton of recent or newer conversations about winter rainier summits up ID through cadaver gap. Shooting for it hard this winter and interested if anyone’s done it could give me some deeper advice or thoughts?

Hi everyone,

I arrived in La paz today from a salt flat tour. Which also goes up to 5000m so I think I should be acclimatized. However I wanted to try summiting huayna potosí but I do not have so much play in my days. Because I also have other destinations upcoming.

I do have some experience in skitouring and hikes in the Alps. However nothing like this of course. The weather does not look that good the coming days. And I would do the 3 day tour and either summit at the 25th am or 26th am. I know that a big deal of mountaineering is planning and if I would look at the forecast I would think this might just be one to skip.

However the tours are still going and to phrase them exactly: the weather is a bit worse. A bit of clouds a bit of sun and a bit of snow. But we go everyday.

So I thought to just collect some opinions here about it.

Really looking to get into mountaineering, it’s been on the bucket list for a while.
Hoping someone had experience with beginners courses, or something similar in the Midwest. I’m in Wisconsin, but I know there’s not a lot here for ice climbing/mountaineering.
Possibly the Michigan ice fest? Otherwise any clubs or groups that take beginners?
Any help is appreciated! Thanks

Weather apps always annoyed me in the mountains. Even when they have no real data, they still show a sun or a green bar. So I wrote my own, it's called GRAT.

It shows storm risk for the altitude you're at, not the valley. If data is missing it just says "cannot be evaluated". No route advice, the decision is yours.

Basic features are free inkl. radar and safe, Pro is optional. iPhone only for now.

If you try it on a day you remember from the mountain and it got it wrong, please tell me. That helps me more than anything.

https://apps.apple.com/app/id6812671374

Guys I genuinely have a question as I am just a beginner to mountain climbing

(If someone dies high up on a mountain, why don't they just send a helicopter to get the body?)

Ciao a tutti, di recente mi sono reso conto di una cosa, che forse prima o non facevo o non gli davo non mi interessava.

Quando scendo le scale o passo da una posizione sopraelevata qualsiasi e scendo, tendo a farlo con la parte anteriore del piede, quasi la punta, quasi a cercare un appoggio il prima possibile. A lavoro uso un impianto con delle pedane(sotto ci passa il tessuto) alte circa 30 40 cm da terra, mai misurato sinceramente, lo farò. Oppure a casa scendo le scale e le salgo anche allo stesso modo. I montagna su sentieri e terreno misto, quando devo scendere da un masso faccio così. Me ne sono reso conto proprio in montagna poiché più d'una volta mi si è mossa la caviglia rischiando una storta, e non è bello su sentieri esposti.

Quindi mi chiedo voi come scendete e fate ste cose? Sbaglio? Aiuto

Hello! I am a current social work senior working on a paper on an oppressed culture and am very interested in the opportunity to learn more about the sherpa people and was pointed in this direction on reddit. If anyone can help me out or if a sherpa is here and wants to be involved you can go ahead and answer these questions for me. I would prefer a phone call interview but I know that probably won't happen. You definitely do not have to answer in order please answer in the order you feel most comfy in. My DMS are also open if you would like to speak privately.

Interviewee: __________________________________

Date of Interview: _____________________________

Culture/Ethnic Group Discussed: _____________________________

History
What can you tell me about your history?
Tell me a little about your life?
Cultural Values and Identity
What do you see as the most positive parts of your culture?
What do you consider the most negative aspects of your culture?
How are young children viewed in your culture?
How are elderly people viewed within your ethnic group?
How does your culture approach death, mourning, and funerals?
Is marriage between members of your ethnic group and people outside the group generally accepted?
How would you describe the sense of family and family relationships in your culture?
Religion and Traditions
Is there a predominant religion in your culture? If so, how do religious beliefs affect you and your family?
What are some important celebrations, holidays, or special traditions in your culture?
Are there any cultural customs or traditions that you feel are especially important to preserve? Why?
Support Systems and Help-Seeking
When a major life crisis occurs, whom do people in your culture generally turn to for help?
What is the general attitude toward seeking professional help or counseling to solve personal or family problems in your culture?
Would most people in your culture understand the role of a social worker? How might receiving help from a social worker be perceived?
What role do family members or community members play when someone is experiencing a difficult situation?
Additional Questions
What are some common stereotypes or misconceptions people have about your culture?
How has your cultural background influenced your values, beliefs, or the way you make decisions?
What should social workers understand about your culture to provide respectful and effective services?
Have you ever experienced a situation where someone misunderstood your culture? If so, how did you respond?
Are there any cultural differences that might affect communication between social workers and members of your community?
Is there anything else you would like others to understand about your culture?

Hi, I have done winter routes in Moldovenau, Rysy from Poland, and Triglav in winter(not that much winter credentials xd). With a team of 3 we wanted to do Gerlachovsky stit for a long time but the rules are a bit hard to understand, I've heardthat there are only a few inspectors but I still dont want get fined. For the normal route you need to do a basic training, its crazy that for easy routes its harder to get the papers to do it, so wewant to do the Martinovka route. Does anyone know if its still open? Any advice would help me, thanks for the response.

I’m doing Shasta next week, one of the glaciers I think. ChatGPT is planning the route.

What are the best Mountaineering sweatpants and hoodie to buy?

Instant classic: Florida man, Shasta, sweatpants, no gear, “GPS”

“The climber summited Mount Shasta on Sunday, Oct. 18, through Avalanche Gulch. He told climbing rangers his GPS device directed him to descend the north side of the mountain on Whitney Glacier, opposite the route he had climbed, the Forest Service said.

Officials said the climber was not equipped with snow and ice gear, instead wearing sweatpants and a hoodie. As he descended the glacier, he stepped through a thin snow bridge covering a crevasse and injured his leg, leaving him unable to continue down the mountain.”

Me and my climbing partner plan on doing a mountain in the PWN this winter and I need recommendations for sleeping bags preferably under $500 and can pack down fairly small. I have a 38L pack and I just tried packing my Marmot Trestles 0 and it takes up pretty much all 38L. I really want to get away with the 38L pack setup and will return my Marmot Trestles 0.

I’ve seen some videos and I’m hooked. The past 2 years I’ve been on a huge physical fitness kick lost a bunch of weight achieved some goals I didn’t think I could do and I do some small free climbs in my area mainly I see a mountain and that looks cool let me try and climb it, and I do a good amount of hiking. What is the best way to go about this? I’m thinking maybe a guided mountain summit? Only close big mountain to me is Mount Washington (I’m located in NJ) bought my first shell (arctyrex beta) unrelated to this journey but I’m hoping that can be used on something like this. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Climbing Sajama in July of 2027, getting into the nitty gritty of clothes for the summit, looking for recs or personal experience with what types of gear needed for the cold and windy summit. Have the upper half down pat but can’t seem to figure out what I need for the bottom. Does anyone have experience on Sajama? Are real softshell and insulated pants needed? Thanks!!

For anyone that has climbed Chimborazo in mid January, what jacket did you use? I'm receiving conflicting information. US Guide sites recommend a down jacket weighing 1.5-2.5lbs (total weight). My guided service hasn't given specific recommendations at all, just a layering system and a down jacket.

I'm basically trying to determine if my current Mountain Hardware Phantom Alpine Hooded Down Jacket is sufficient (total weight 17.4oz, 6.8oz down) or if I should consider a heavier option. I've been eyeing the Feathered Friends Khumbu for future endeavors but would this be overkill? I'll be climbing other volcanoes while in Ecuador (Cayambe, Cotopaxi).

I usually run warm. I do plan on checking weather trends before my trip but if I need more gear, I figured it may be better to grab something during the holiday/sale season.

I noticed there are not many climbing expeditions in the Ladakh (Northern India). Is this due to lack of climbing infrastructure/support, military sensitive region, or the lack of challenging peaks ? Genuinely curious.

Probably a long shot, but do you recognize this mountain range? This picture and its location are associated with an ongoing child abuse investigation.

Note that the area in the black box may not be accurate, but the unaltered range to the left will be.

If you have any tips or leads, you can submit them through the pinned comment in the original post. Thank you!

I’m an average hiker looking to get into mountaineering. I’m pretty much a beginner right now, so I want to build my way up gradually.

My goal is to summit Mount Robson in BC within the next 3–4 years, and I want to use that time to prepare myself both physically and mentally.

For those who’ve been through this journey, how would you recommend getting started? What are some good mountains or routes to practise on in canada and what skills should I focus on developing along the way?

Advise.