Mountaineering is the sporting activity that consists of climbing high mountains.
Mountaineering is a sporting activity that involves climbing a high mountain . The term, according to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ), comes from alpine, an adjective that, in turn, refers to the Alps .
With this in mind, it is worth mentioning that the Alps are a mountain range located on the European continent and extending through Switzerland , France , Austria , Italy , Monaco , Germany , Liechtenstein and Slovenia . Its highest peak reaches 4810 meters above sea level: it is Mont Blanc , located between France and Italy . The RAE also accepts the notion of alps to refer to any mountain of considerable height.
Synonyms of mountaineering
Alpinism, on the other hand, is synonymous with mountaineering and even mountaineering (the latter concept has its origins in the Andes , a mountain range on the American continent). This means that, when a person decides to climb a large mountain, it can be indicated that they are practicing mountaineering, alpinism or climbing.
There are other synonyms, such as Himalayanism , but the most correct and widely accepted is mountaineering, as it neutrally describes that the activity consists of climbing mountains. This does not mean, on the other hand, that the most popular is mountaineering.
Mountaineering and mountaineering are synonyms of mountaineering.
Different areas
Broadly speaking, we can say that it is divided into the following areas, each of which requires a well-defined specialty:
- Hiking : in English it is called hiking , and we can also find it with this name in Spanish-speaking countries. It is a sporting activity that takes place on roads that an organization must previously mark and approve. Just as in other cases, it is not a competitive sport; However, this does not mean that from time to time events are held in which a record is left of the order in which each participant reaches the goal, or of the number of walks they have been able to finish.
- Hiking : a specialty of mountaineering focused on carrying out journeys or routes through places that are usually remote and without marked paths. The objective of this activity is recreation, which is why it is not a competitive sport. The normal thing is that the route is carried out on foot, and in this case the English term trekking can be used as a synonym.
- Climbing : its purpose is to ascend steep walls, using physical strength, but also mental strength. The level of difficulty of the climb is not decisive for considering an activity as part of climbing. Unlike other mountaineering specialties, it requires the use of the upper extremities in combination with the lower ones. In fact, sometimes it is also necessary to use your knees;
- Canyoning – is an adventure sport that focuses on ravines or river canyons. The routes of this activity can be very varied, with desert landscapes or thick vegetation, dry or with bodies of water, and one of its disciplines, called torrentism , requires overcoming these changes along the way by alternating different actions, such as swimming . , walking, climbing and descending .
Mountaineering as a sport and tourist modality
Although it can be considered a sport , mountaineering also has links with adventure tourism and even with the exploration of unknown terrain. Its practice requires excellent physical condition, knowledge of the mountains and various specific skills: otherwise, the person will not only be unable to reach the summit, but will also put their life at risk.
Beyond physical and technical skills, those who dedicate themselves to mountaineering must have the appropriate clothing to withstand low temperatures and accessories such as ropes, climbing peak, etc.