hiking / mountaineering

lg123

maybe a stupid question but where does a hiking expedition turn into a mountaineering expedition?

Cookie_Monster

when there's an amount of climbing involved?

I too ponder about the precise boundaries.

I think I like hillwalking...but on the other hand I actually don't like long walk over bogs and hills, what I really like is scrambling up the sides of steep mountains, which is climbing in lay terms...but I think proper climbing is done with a rope, which I don't use...and think mountaineering is kinda like climbing only using more techniques over a longer time...so I think I really just like 'scrambling' most...

Alun

Reminds me of this film ...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112966/plotsummary

lg123

Alun wrote: »

Reminds me of this film ...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112966/plotsummary

sounds riveting

Sev

In my mind, it becomes mountaineering when I tie into a rope.

Another equally vague transition, is where "rock climbing" turns into "mountaineering".

Again, in my mind, its when the route you are undertaking is long enough, that if you were slow or ran into trouble, you would have to bivvy on the route.

Therefore my two criteria for "mountaineering" are :

1. Rope: You need to bring one with you.
2. Committment: The route is long and not easily escapable.

Sev

Sev wrote: »

In my mind, it becomes mountaineering when I tie into a rope.

I thought that was 'climbing', and 'mountaineering' was when ascending a mountain, which ascent might involve elements of climbing, hiking, bouldering maybe as you say possibly having to bivvy etc.

lg123

just reading K2: Life and Death on the Worlds Most Dangerous Mountain, the author coins the following:

"I suppose that true mountaineering begins
with “alpine climbing.” Alpine warriors set
their sights on fiendishly difficult routes in
ranges such as the Alps, the Canadian
Rockies, and the Fitz Roy Massif of
Patagonia."

Sev

Deleted User wrote: »

I thought that was 'climbing', and 'mountaineering' was when ascending a mountain, which ascent might involve elements of climbing, hiking, bouldering maybe as you say possibly having to bivvy etc.

Sure... but the question was "when does a hiking expedition turn into a mountaineering expedition?".

My answer was, "when I tie into a rope".

Sev

Sev wrote: »

Sure... but the question was "when does a hiking expedition turn into a mountaineering expedition?".

My answer was, "when I tie into a rope".

I know.

You posted it above. I read it. I commented. Sometimes it's just how threads go!

Sev

Oh ok, I get you now. Well I was just giving my opinion, my own personal definition.