I´ve been going around Sweden this fall talking about how to start climbing mountains and how to build experience step by step to become independent. Climbing mountains is much more complicated then going to the climbing gym or the crag. It requires a lot of skills & knowledge:
Tour planning
Navigation
Route Finding
Weather & Mountain conditions
Mountain Safety
Avalanches
Communications
Glacier travel
Glacier rescue
Crampon techniques
Ice axe techniques
Ice climbing
Belaying
Trad climbing
Building anchors
Rappelling
Rescue techniques on rock
Short roping
Pitched climbing
Rock quality assessment
Camping in tough conditions
Gear – how everything works
Strategies for climbing mountains
Training for the mountains
And to build all this experience and really be able to put everything together, if I started new from the beginning I would do this, if I was a regular person with no experience & in this order. Goal is to become independent but at the same time learn all the skills and get all the experience along the way so I know what I´m doing and I´m ready for the next step. Not rush. It takes time to build experience and alpine terrain is complex and with huge consequences.
I have also included what I did the first three years and as you can see I put in a lot of time to build my experience and climbed many mountains every year and did many guided trips & courses to learn how to become independent. Of course it goes faster the more you climb but I never skipped any steps when it comes to building my experience. I did it from the bottom and up. And I´m still building that experience. I still climb with guides every year to learn more and develop as a climber because alpine terrain is complex and you never get fully learned. Is a journey and I love this journey!
Year 1
Take a expedition course and climb Kebnekaise – Here you learn about tour planning & navigation and build experience in the mountains & get a training program
Go on a multi day hike with camping with a partner where we plan everything ourselves.
Climb a super easy mountain or two
Take a basic climbing course to learn how to climb outside / belay / build anchors
Climb a lot on top rope with my partner outside & at the gym
Do a lot of endurance & strength training
What I actually did my first year:
Guided expedition to Mt Whitney via Mountaineers route
Guided expedition Mt Toubkal
Guided alpine course in New Zealand
Guided expedition to Elbrus
Guided expedition Mont Blanc
Two Guided climbs in The Alps grade AD (way too hard for me then)
Guided expedition Aconcagua
Climbed 30 mountains by myself grade super easy & very easy & easy
Basic climbing course in Stockholm
Year 2
Intro to mountaineering & Gran Paradiso with a guide – climb my first 4000 m peak, learn basic crampon and ice axe techniques, learn about glacier travel
Climb one or two very easy mountains with a partner – build your own experience in a terrain where consequenses are not too high
Go on a winter camping multi day trip – to build knowledge for future expeditions, about weather & conditions and how to take care of myself in tough conditions
Take a lead climbing course outdoors
Climb a lot of lead climbing sport outside with my partner & at the gym
Do a lot of endurance & strength training
What I actually did my second year:
Alpine lead course in The Alps with a guide
Climbed 40 mountains by myself or with a partner grade easy & alpine F & PD
Climbed four 5000 m peaks in Peru with a partner grade PD/AD
Climbed ten climbs in The Alps grade AD with a partner
Guided expedition to Ama Dablam
Solo expedition Aconcagua
Lead climbing course in Stockholm
Ice climbing course
Learned multipitch climbing
Year 3
Climb Weissmies with a guide – second 4000 m peak but more difficult & a good learning experience
Take a basic glacier course – take the first steps to become more independent on glaciers in very easy terrain
Climb one or two easy mountains with a partner – build your own experience in a terrain where consequenses are not too high
Take a basic avalanche course – learn about avalanches
Take a basic ice climbing course
Do a high altitude expedition – Aconcagua or Island Peak & Lobuche East together with a guide
Climb a lot of lead climbing sport outside with my partner & at the gym
Practice glacier rescue with my partner
Do a lot of endurance & strength training
What I actually did my third year:
Alpine lead course in The Alps with a guide
Climbed 20 mountains with a partner in The Alps grade F-D
Did 15 expeditions & climbs in Central & South America by myself / with guides
Led climbs on three 6000 m peaks
Climbed all 2000 m peaks in Sweden with a partner
Did a rescue course
Climbed a lot of multipitches
Year 4
4000 m peak week in The Alps with a guide – getting more experience in more challenging terrain together with a guide & learning more skills
Take the alpine climbing course in The Alps – to learn more about glacier travel & climbing in alpine terrain independent
Climb two or three alpine climbs grade F together with my partner – build tour own experience in a terrain where consequenses are not too high
Take a trad climbing course – learn how to place my own gear on rock
Climb a lot of lead & trad climbing outside with my partner & at the gym
Practice glacier rescue with my partner
Do a lot of endurance & strength training
Year 5
Climb some more advanced routes in The Alps with a guide – to get experience in more difficult terrain
Take the advanced alpine climbing course in The Alps – the perfect playground for learning
Climb two or three alpine climbs grade F together with my partner – build your own experience in a terrain where consequenses are not too high
Climb one or two climbs grade PD with my partner – build on your own experience in a more complex terrain with a more difficult route
Take a rescue course – learn rescue techniques for the mountains
Take a multipitch climbing course – learn how to climb longer routes
Climb a lot of lead & trad climbing outside with my partner & at the gym
Climb a few multipitches with my partner
Practice glacier rescue with my partner
Do a lot of endurance & strength training
Year 6
Climb some more advanced routes in The Alps with a guide – to get experience in more difficult terrain & learn from a guide to become more secure in the mountains
Climb one or two alpine climbs grade F together with my partner – warm up for the season on easier terrain
Climb four climbs grade PD with my partner – build on your own experience in a more complex terrain with a more difficult route
Climb one or two climbs grade AD with my partner – you should be ready to challenge yourself a little bit more now
Go on a big expedition like Denali or Ama Dablam with a guide
Climb a lot of lead & trad climbing outside with my partner & at the gym
Climb a few multipitches with my partner
Practice glacier rescue with my partner
Do a lot of endurance & strength training
Leave a Reply