r/Mountaineering

I was up hiking by the Maroon Bells last week and you couldn’t pay me to climb that shit. Rotten snow and crazy amounts of rockfall like this mean one mistake is instant death. All over Instagram and YouTube I’ve been seeing guys underprepared for huge mountaineering objectives and doing dumb stuff like this in Colorado for no reason. It doesn’t even look fun. What’s behind this new wave of idiots in the sport?? Are you guys seeing this where you’re from?

Looking into buying a first ice axe after renting and borrowing gear for a while, and I’d love to save weight with some of the options I’ve seen (300-350 grams vs most traditional ice axes around 400-450g) but I’ve read that lighter axes aren’t as good with steep snow or when self arresting. Is it that big a difference using a ~1/4lb lighter axe?

Climbing in the PNW, to give a reference for the conditions.

I’m only looking at axes with a steel head and full spike at the bottom, so nothing like the camp corsa. More along the lines of the Grivel Ghost Evo or Trango Altum

My guide said I need soft shell pants but I have no idea where to purchase that and every hiking store doesn’t know what that is either.

He said I’ll need thermal leggings, soft shell hiking pants and they will provide thermal outer layer pants.

Can anyone help me with the type of pants I need to not freeze my butt off assuming they will provide a thermal outer layer pants and I will wear thermal leggings underneath my “soft shell pants”

Tiny bit of context: Howdy everybody, I'm a dude who played sports in high school, did absolutely nothing in my 20s, and then when I got really bad sciatica around 30 figured I should probably not recline on a couch my entire life. For whatever reason, despite living in Austin, TX, at the time, mountaineering captured my imagination and got my ass up.

At that point in time (about four years ago), we semi-accidentally became pregnant with our second (and final - snipped now) kid, and it was unrealistic to spend the time and money required to break into mountaineering, so I sorta pivoted to trail-running. I actually did climb Mt. Borah here in Idaho, although just via the basic hiking route (absolutely loved the scramble up Chicken Out Ridge), but after that I trained for a 50k (the Wy'East Wonder near Mt. Hood) and then in October 2025 ran a 50-miler (mostly flat) in England.

As I started to plan my next ultra, my parents bought a house in our neighborhood, and I realized things had changed: the mountains were a true possibility now, so instead of picking a 100k or 100-miler for 2027, I realized I could actually plan to start climbing things and begin to forge a path forward in alpinism.

Today, we (wife, kids 4 and 2) live in Boise, ID. So not a ton of mountaineering right here, but if you drive a half or full day you've got a heck of a lot of options.

My Current Plan

• Currently: I've got other stuff going on (writing two novels; long story, ha), trying to focus on being a great dad and husband, doing my job semi-ok, but I'm trying to get to a bouldering gym 2x per week, keeping up decent fitness with trail runs, etc.
• Fall 2026: I've got a tentative two-day trip with the Sawtooth Mountain Guides in the Sawtooths doing some big-slab climbing and summitting one of the peaks there that involves semi-tricky scrambling. Obviously no glacier stuff here, no crevasse, no self-arresting, no avalanche training etc., but still think this could be valuable. For sure open to other ideas here. I probably don't have more than a 2-3 day window for the fall.
• Summer 2027: This is the big first decision. I was planning on trying to sign up for the American Alpine Institute's 6-day intro to mountaineering course that goes to Baker. Do y'all think this is a good first step? Seems like it covers the basics, and gets me to a glacier. Also open to ideas here. Probably have 5-7 days max I can do.
• Beyond: I feel like the next 5-7 years should basically spent in my backyard extended (PNW + Tetons + Sawtooths), continuing to boulder and rock climb, looking to do one or two guided trips a year, hopefully find a partner or group I can sync up with regularly. Maybe try some different types of climbing, try an ice climb, stuff like that. Do stuff like: Hood, Baker, Rainier, Three Sisters, etc. Basically use it to simultaneously gain experience and explore different types of climbing to see what is most enjoyable for me. During this process the lodestar can shift and become clearer. As I figure out the answer to "what type of climbing do I love?" then I can shift that ultimate goal, and when that goal coalesces then I spend my 40s selecting specific objectives that act as very intentional steps up to that lodestar. Kids will get older, and later in my 30s and my 40s I'll be able to detach from the family for longer expeditions and guided stuff.
• The lodestar: peak-bagging is not (I don't think) something that interests me, nor is achieving high-altitude stuff just for the sake of high-altitude (e.g. seven summits, 14 8000m peaks, etc. et al). For whatever reason, I feel drawn (at this very early stage, I know) to really specific, mixed-skill routes and mountains. Climbing Ama Dablam, for example just feels like something that I could point this entire project toward in 20 years (mid-50s, still fit enough but actually have the experience built up); or something like the Cassin Ridge on Denali.

I'd love thoughts, feedback based on your experience, suggestions, anything of the sort. Sorry this was so long; if nothing else, it was not low-effort. Huge thing I think is trying to find some community around Boise which probably just involves putting myself out there at the rock climbing gym and doing some of these guided trips.

TL;DR

I'm a 36yo ultra runner getting into mountaineering for the first time, based in Boise, and my loose plan is outlined above. What looks good, what looks bad, based on your experience?

Anyone have any tips about switching the auto toe bails for the toe baskets? My single boots (Lowa Cevedale) have a heel welt, but not a toe welt, and I'd like to use my shiny new crampons with them this weekend on a training hiking up St Helens before some other stuff this spring.

I watched the video they have posted for holding the spikes in a vice and using the strap to pull one side of the bail steel out of position, but when I tried this, I simply couldn't pull enough to get clearance through the hole. I ended up stabbing myself on the spikes trying to loosen the vice!

Any extra tips you've got?

So this will be my second attempt for climbing Mount Rainier via DC. Last time I climbed with Osprey Aether, it was nice, but it kept on hurting my hip and coming in the way of my neck. The overall frame was just too large. 60L was just good enough and I had ropes and a few other things hanging on the outside. Osprey was very uncomfortable on the Summit push, as it interfered with the harness and my head movement.

I am thinking about upgrading to an HMG. I see Halka and SouthWest (Rei). I am wondering if I should get those. They are kind of two pounds lighter.
They are both expensive at $400+ and I am thinking if its worth it.

Planning a 3-week trip to do acclimatization hikes plus Cotopaxi, Cayambe, and Chimborazo. Is it better to book a mountaineering agency once I'm already in Ecuador, or should I lock in spots before flying out?

In Bolivia I found there was always availability and prices were better than booking online. Is Ecuador the same?

Agency recommendations are very welcome, thanks! 😄

Hi guys. I want to pick up a second ice axe for ascending steep snow a little more comfortably. My current axe that I own is a straight mountaineering axe, an older simond model. It's on the heavier side but is very durable. However, my dilemma is that I also want to eventually progress into beginner ice climbing and more technical mountaineering in the next couple years, so I'm unsure if I should buy a lighter nontechnical tool like the Petzl Ride or Gully and buy tools later, or just go for something more technical like the Sumtec that could eventually be used in a pair? Thanks for your input!

Hello everyone,

Does Timberline allow you to take Palmer up at 9 and climb from there? If so, how late in the season can you do that until it isn’t safe to climb that late in the morning? I know it’s not that physically demanding for most people but i’ve been having lingering issues with one of my hip flexors and am not quite able to do it from the climbers lot. My setup is also super heavy I have bulky ass hybrid boots that are mainly meant for the resort and also pretty heavy skis and bindings that’s probably not helping.

Thank You!

Hello hikers! We are a wildlife research nonprofit based in Vermont that relies on community scientists for a lot of our long-term monitoring.

One such program is Mountain Birdwatch, a 25-year-long program where volunteers hike 100 short mountain routes across eastern New York and Northern New England in June to listen for ten bird species. Together, the data points collected by volunteers paint a picture of how bird populations in the Northeastern U.S. mountains are changing.

Mt. Coe's high-elevation route in the spruce-fir zone is the least surveyed of all 130 routes—just once in the past 16 years. It's our most important data gap to fill, and would provide valuable information for both Mountain Birdwatch and Baxter State Park.

Jason, the principal investigator for Mountain Birdwatch, has all about given up on this route getting covered, and I (VCE's Communications Director Alden) want to prove him wrong.

For almost all of our volunteers, who are mainly birders—not hikers—and heavily skew toward retirement age, this route is outside their capabilities. It is steep and rugged, and a five-hour drive from civilization. There's no backcountry camping allowed on Coe, so you have to stay in one of the park's campgrounds, and then start your 2.5 mile hike (to the first survey point) in the dark, around 4 am. Survey points 1-2 are on the rock slide on the west face of Coe. The slide is navigable (going upwards) in dry conditions only, but not safe to descend, so you have to keep hiking and descend via the North and South Brother Trails (which actually makes a nice loop). Details on the route here.

Now, here is the other complicating factor: the birdsong listening. You cannot use the Merlin app, because that would mess up the data. You must use your ears. If you've never birded before, it is possible to learn the 10 birdsongs in the next three weeks before you go. But also, you need to be the kind of person who, after scaling in the dark, can switch to Zen monk mode and stand still for 20 minutes at a time, listening for birdsong and noting down what you hear. The typical adrenalin junky might get bored. That's Jason's fear, anyway.

We do have one 60-something volunteer who does our second most dangerous route (with a huge camera to boot) who has offered to try to fit this one in as well, but we would rather expand our volunteer base to some new, younger folks and not lean so heavily him.

So, do you think you might be the one: a very experienced hiker, experienced meditator, and bird nerd in the northeast? Email Jason Hill at jhill@vtecostudies.org.

For science!
Alden, VCE's Communications Director

https://preview.redd.it/waxcga4pva2h1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8cfcf5eecc83b4e67c8eb523465a61d5f01a5d93

https://preview.redd.it/6pbv2b4pva2h1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a356126f61aeab41d193ec938bd89bcab65025d5

Hi everyone! I’m doing a 3-day guided Mt. Shasta climb via Avalanche Gulch from June 19–21, and I’d love some boot/sock advice from folks who have done Shasta around that time of year.

We’re not planning to carry two pairs of shoes, so I’m trying to figure out the right balance between comfort, warmth, stiffness, and support.

So far, I’ve tried a few options:

1. La Sportiva Nepal Cube GTX: Felt secure and like a “proper” mountaineering boot, but it felt bulky and stiff, especially above the ankle/toe area. I’m not sure if that stiffness is just normal for this type of boot, or if it would become uncomfortable over three days.

2. Scarpa Mont Blanc: I liked the fit better than the Nepal, but it’s still on the heavier side. Same concern here: it feels solid and warm, but I’m wondering if the weight/stiffness becomes tiring over a 3-day climb.

3. La Sportiva Aequilibrium: Really liked the fit, weight, and comfort. It felt much easier to move in, but I’m unsure if it’s enough boot for Shasta in late June, especially with snow travel and cold feet concerns.

4. Scarpa Ribelle: Still waiting to try this one, but curious if anyone has used it for Shasta and how it compared to heavier boots like Nepal/Mont Blanc.

A friend also tried the Scarpa Zodiac and it felt very light, almost like it may not be enough for this type of trip, so we’re trying to avoid going too light and regretting it.

For socks, I’m currently trying boots with a liner sock plus a thick Smartwool mountaineering sock so I can get a realistic fit. Is that the right sock setup for Shasta in late June, or did people mostly use one thick mountaineering sock without a liner?

Main questions: • For a 3-day Avalanche Gulch trip in late June, would you prioritize the warmer/stiffer mountaineering boot even if it feels heavier? • Or is a lighter, more comfortable boot like Aequilibrium/Ribelle enough if the fit is better? • Did anyone regret going too heavy or too light with boots? • For women/smaller-framed hikers (5’3”), did certain boots feel too bulky or tiring over multiple days? • Any “wish I had brought” or “didn’t need this” items for a guided 3-day Shasta climb?

I know conditions can vary, but I’d really appreciate recent experiences and what worked for you. Thank you!

I’m trying to shave down my gear as much as possible for an upcoming Denali expedition and am curious what people’s thoughts are on hard shell vs soft shell. I was firmly on team hard shell, because it will protect from rougher winds and precipitation, but a friend mentioned that anytime it’s really that cold and/or windy, you’d have your parka as your outer layer anyway which would negate the use of a hard shell or render it only useful on the lower mountain if it’s raining and not snowing. I always looked at a soft shell as more of a comfort item and a hard shell as a safety item, but that take on shells was interesting to me. Would love to hear thoughts from this community!

Doing Rainier Emmons route in late June and looking to upgrade my shell.

I’m between the Rab downpour and the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L. The only difference I can tell is the Rab is 2.5L vs Patagonia being 3L. However, their waterproof rating is very similar on gearlab.

Would 2.5L suffice to save a few bucks or is 3L and absolute must to withstand potential PNW rain?

Thanks

Does anyone know what’s going on at Hilary Step today 20th May? Apparently there are quite a few climbers stuck up there and have been for a while.

Hello everyone! I (21M) have been interested in mountaineering for a long time, and I thought the best place to ask for advice would be here. I wanted to know the best ways to start and maybe a good 2-3 year plan to start with. I go to the gym about 3x a week and do cardio 2x a week. However I understand that training for mountaineering is different than standard gym fitness. What is a solid training plan that you guys used when you first started out?

Another thing I imagine is important is obviously actual backpacking and mountaineering experience. I have experience hiking, but recently moved to the East Coast (USA) where mountains are a lot smaller. What is a good mountain to aim for after 1, 2, and 3 years. I was thinking maybe Mount Baker would be a good place to start after 1-1.5 years, but again, I barely know anything. Is it too ambitious to view Kilimanjaro as doable in 3 years? Are there any courses in the US (eg NOLS or American Alpine Institute) that you recommend doing before attempting any actual mountains? Would it be helpful to get belay certified soon or is that more important if I was rock climbing?

My final question is related to equipment. I know everything is fairly expensive, and I have no idea what I would need and wouldn’t need as a beginner. Are there any brands you recommend? What are some essentials, nice to haves, etc? How much should I be willing to spend on equipment alone?

Any help would be appreciated, and I apologize if some of my knowledge is limited and laughable. Thanks everyone!