Mountaineering- A Passion Sport

When George Mallory was asked as why he climbed the Mount Everest, his answer was simple, �Because it is there�! We are talking of times when none of the technical expertise or the equipments existed. All that motivated those people to reach these summits was the sheer determination to achieve the impossible. Today mountaineering is not only a sport or hobby but also a profession for many.

However the popularity does not means it’s an easy task to achieve. It requires tremendous energy and determination. They not only are undertaken by adventure enthusiasts but also by scientist looking to understand the different aspects of the geology of the place. The sport has become popular not only among men but also woman climbers who have taken to this sport and have shown that they are equally capable when it comes to fun and adventure. Lei Wang, a post graduate from the Wharton University is the first Chinese woman to have achieved the distinction of being the first woman to scale the seven summits along with the two poles (north and south).

What challenged her to achieve this is the adventure and thrill involved in mountaineering. She has given a series of motivational seminars based on her experiences in climbing the mountains. She is also the first Asian American climber to have achieved this feat.

Speaking of summits, Mount Kilimanjaro is undoubtedly the most beautiful of all. Mount Kilimanjaro is the world’s tallest free standing mountain. This ice capped mountain is also the easiest to scale and a very good place for amateurs thinking of taking mountaineering as a serious hobby. Climbing the upper carter is practically possible for anyone even without having proper equipments. However what is needed is the physical stamina and determination to scale the mountain. For those who manage to reach the actual summit, the Uhuru point, a climbing certificate is issued.

Mount Kilimanjaro is also famous for its ice capped mountains. It is the only mountain range in Africa where you can experience almost all the climates of the world, right from the tropics to the arctic.

Mountaineering basically can be divided into rock climbing, snow or ice climbing and a combination of both. Rock climbing is best for amateur climbers where the climbers have to scale rocky terrains. Snow or ice climbing is best for experts as it involves routes with glaciers.

The third form is more of high altitude mountaineering and requires a lot of training along with expert training. For those who would like to enjoy the fun and adventure mountaineering is the best sport. In fact it is now serious business for many, with a lot of countries inviting tourist looking for adventure and a lot of professional climbers earning their bread and butter by acting as guides.