Hey everyone, I am very interested in getting into mountaineering and it’s all I’ve been thinking about as of late. I’ve done a decent amount of research and try to answer my own questions but sometimes you need the advice of the experienced. I have experience in extreme cold, I was stationed in upstate New York for several years. We did non-technical climbing of Mt. Marcy and other Appalachian peaks but nothing serious. I was in a mountain/light infantry unit and anywhere we moved was with tremendous weight on our back so I am no stranger to humping large packs. I have general backpacking experience and have gotten into that more lately. I plan to do the High Sierra Trail with a summit of Mt. Whitney later this year (before the winter, non-technical). I am currently in very good physical condition, though I have already begun altering my workout routine to prepare myself for climbing.
Before asking the questions, I know I need to answer what/where I plan to climb as everything is tailored to specifics. To begin, I plan to climb in the PNW with an eventual goal being Rainier. I also have strong ambitions and desires to climb outside the lower 48, such as Aconcagua and Denali. Obviously this is getting ahead of myself and by no means am I not going to take it step by step or not focus on what’s in front of me, I’m just giving you guys my frame of mind. Basically I plan to be in this for the long run.
Anyway, on to my questions.
What course should I take? I plan on taking an intro to mountaineering course preferably with a summit attempt. I think it would be the best way to put the skills learned to the test. I live in the Bay Area in California so primarily I am looking at courses on Mt. Shasta, but I’m not opposed to driving up to Oregon. From what I’ve seen for courses that offer a summit attempt, most seem to be about three days long and that would be perfect for me. I’ve also seen they range in price from 500-700. Considering I need to buy all of my mountaineering gear as well, I’d like to remain on the lower side of the budget but I do not want to sacrifice quality lessons. I definitely plan to take longer, more in depth courses later on too but this is just to get my feet wet.
I was looking at International Alpine Guides and their Shasta course: http://www.internationalalpineguides.com/mount-shasta-summit However, I saw some videos of people climbing Shasta last summer without any climbing gear as there was very little snow. They only offer that specific course in the summer so I would assume there must be snow but I’m a bit confused. Before I make any final decision I plan on calling these places and speaking with them, I just hope to get more insight from experienced people like yourself. Are there any specific courses you guys would recommend?
Second question(s) regarding my top clothing/layering. I have only purchased one piece of clothing thus far, that being my base layer. I went with the Stoic Alpine Merino 150 Bliss shirt. As for the rest of my layers, this is what I was looking at picking up.
1. Base layer- Stoic Alpine Merino 150
2. Light Insulation- Patagonia R1 Hoody
3. Softshell- OR Ferrosi Hoody
4. Hardhsell- Patagonia M10 or Arc'teryx Alpha SL. For something on the cheaper side I was also looking at the OR Helium II
Would I be fine in the PNW with the Helium II or should I just go with something higher in quality and versatility like the M10 or Alpha SL?
As for the down jacket/parka, I’m not sure yet. I get hot quite easily and through research I’ve read that people tend to climb with less in the PNW, especially during the summer months. I was looking at the Mountain Hardware Nilas Jacket, though it's quite pricy and I was hoping I could find something on the cheaper side initially. If that would be too heavy/overkill for the PNW, I was also looking at a lighter jacket, something like the Eddie Bauer MicroTherm StormDown Hooded Jacket. If the Eddie Bauer jacket wouldn't cut it, I was also looking at these two jackets, the Arc'teryx Thorium AR Hooded Down Jacket and the Patagonia Ultralight Down Hoody. Those two seem to be a step up from the Eddie Bauer, but maybe only a slight step down from the MH Nilas. I’m not sure.
What do you guys think? Also, what do you think of my planned clothing purchases? Would you change anything or should that be sufficient for me to begin my mountaineering career?
For the bottom layering I think that’s pretty straight forward and easy, I don’t have any questions regarding that. As for boots, I plan to try on as many as I can to find the best fit, which will probably be a pain in the ass since I’ll have to order them online and then return in store. Not a huge deal, just wish I could go to a store with many different boots in stock to try them on at once. I’m likely going to order the La Sportiva Nepal Cubes as my first try.
And my final question. I am planning on picking up a few books soon, both for informative purposes and pleasure reading. In no order
Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, 8th Edition
No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks
Climbing the Seven Summits
And either Alaska Climbing by Joseph Puryear or Denali's West Buttress: A Climber's Guide to Mount McKinley's Classic Route by Colby Coombs, not sure on which one regarding Alaskan climbs.
Should I pick up any others, drop some of the ones above?
I very much appreciate any help you guys offer and thanks for the time you took to read this. I have joined some local meetup groups and hope to find some people I can climb with. Currently my sister is interested in possibly taking the course with me so if she does that would be a great advantage for me to have someone to share these experiences with. It seems finding someone you can go with and learn from is the hardest process in this.
Thanks again.
Steve
