People have been challenging themselves to climb mountains for hundreds of years. Scaling the world’s most formidable alpine ranges can provide an amazing sense of achievement, which is why it has always been considered an extreme sport. The golden age of alpinism occurred in the 1850s, and this was when some of the world’s highest mountains were explored for the first time. The tech involved has come a long way since then, and there is now a lot of equipment available to enhance the mountaineering process.
Where is Mountaineering Most Popular?
There are hundreds of popular mountaineering locations all over the world, with Mount Everest in Nepal, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and Mount Fuji in Japan being some of the top destinations.
In terms of the following alpinism as a sport, it has proven to be hugely popular in Nordic countries. The people of Norway love winter sports, with mountaineering being loved due to the numerous opportunities to enjoy it in the country. Indeed, there are more than 70 mountaineering routes that attract tourists and Norwegians alike.
Aside from venturing on alpine trails, the people of Norway enjoy watching other people do it. Some people even stake money on major events, with NordicBet betting odds on markets like the Alpine Men World Cup. This isn’t quite climbing, but more to do with skiing back down at high speeds. At the time of writing, Alexis Pinturault is the favorite to win this year.
How Does Tech Help in Mountaineering?
One of the reasons why the golden age of alpinism occurred in the 1850s was because people had been able to develop the necessary safety equipment needed to traverse the world’s most dangerous terrain. No matter what inventors have been able to develop, though, there is still a certain amount of risk involved. New tech is coming about to try to reduce the number of accidents on mountains further.
In training, climbers can use VR goggles to simulate real-world environments, helping them to literally visualise the journeys they are going to be taking. The use of 3D printers can help with the planning process as well, as they allow for much more accurate maps of the trail. There are also some digital training platforms to help mountaineers learn the ropes and communicate with other like-minded people. Lab Rock is the best-known example of this, and it answers almost any question you may have about climbing.
On top of the digital developments, the actual equipment needed for mountaineering is more advanced than ever. The ropes are incredibly strong now, with companies like Edelrid recently doubling the cut resistance of their offerings. This is a huge development, seeing as around 70 per cent of climbing accidents are due to cut ropes. Climbing shoes, harnesses, and ice clippers have all been improved in recent years as well.
If you want to follow in the footsteps of legendary alpinists like Adrian and Alan Burgess and climb some of the world’s most impressive mountains, it would be a good idea to invest in the latest mountaineering tech beforehand. The English brothers didn’t have all the equipment in the 1970s, but it is useful to today’s climbers and can massively improve safety.
