Mountaineering
Climbing your first mountain

Researching which mountains to climb first and in what order can be a daunting task for anyone thinking about taking up mountaineering. There are mountains that are well suited to the first time climber and there are those which should only be attempted by experience mountaineers.

If you are new to mountaineering it goes without saying that you can forget any of the seven and eight thousanders for a while, at least until you get some experience under your belt. There are, however some quite lofty six thousand metre peaks that are well within your limits as long as you are well trained up in terms of physical fitness.

Each of the featured mountains below posses their own unique characteristics and 'personalities'. Each is suitable as a first ascent for the beginner and each can be climbed, if necessary, without having completed at Technical Mountaineering Course. Keep in mind though, that they are all mountains in every sense of the word and as such are capable of showing their ugly sides at a moment's notice. Respect for these towering giants at all times is paramount.

Mera Peak 6471m - The ultimate first ascent

Although unlikely to be much of a challenge to the seasoned mountaineer, Mera Peak is considered by many to be the ultimate first Himalayan ascent for the budding novice climber. There are several reasons for this.

At a lofty height of 6471 metres, Mera Peak is the highest and arguably the most famous of Nepal’s eighteen Trekking Peaks. It is also in the Everest region and from it’s slopes unsurpassed views of several of the 8000 metre giants such as Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, Cho Oyu and Kangchenjunga are clearly visible during your ascent. Another characteristic that makes Mera Peak ideal as a first ascent is that the mountain requires minimal technical climbing experience in order to summit safely. The skills required are usually taught by the team leader/guide upon arrival at base camp. There is usually ample time in your schedule to master these skills before attempting an ascent of this mountain.

Although not technically challenging, Mera Peak offers the novice climber good experience at altitude and a successful summit bid requires exceptional physical fitness and a lot of determination. Although this mountain is no pushover, photos of Mera Peak can often be deceptive, giving the illusion that it is a leisurely stroll given that there are no sheer drops other than at High Camp (via the glacier approach).

Unfortunately, this often gives novice climbers a false sense of security in creating the illusion that this is a very safe mountain. It needs to be understood from the outset that THERE ARE NO SAFE MOUNTAINS!. All mountains are potentially dangerous and there is an element of risk in climbing all of them. Mera Peak is renowned for having deep crevasses and is no stranger to severe storms and whiteouts. Like any mountain, weather can change very quickly and unpredictably. Mountaineering by it's very nature commands a great deal of respect from it's participants, NO EXCEPTIONS!

If you are interested in considering Mera Peak as your first ascent or as a follow-up to a previous climb and would like information in regards to joining an expedition
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Island Peak (Imja Tse) 6189m

Although nearly 300m lower in altitude than it's big brother Mera, Island Peak in the Everest region of Nepal is somewhat more challenging from a technical perspective. While like Mera Peak, completing your TMC is not a requirement a more substantial knowledge of the use of ice axe and cramponing techniques is required. Like Mera Peak, it has it's fair share of crevasses but in addition there is a 100m ice wall to be negotiated en route to the summit. While not completely vertical, this ice wall does require front point cramponing techniques along with the use of an ascender device attached to a fixed rope. Knowledge of the use of prussics and self arresting techniques are required along with a good head for heights. Fixed rope techniques are required from here to the summit.

Although Island Peak is well within the scope of the first time climber it is often chosen as a follow-up climb to Mera Peak. It's really an individual decision.

If you are interested in considering Island Peak as your first ascent or as a follow-up to a previous climb and would like information in regards to joining an expedition
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Mount Kilimanjaro 5895m

Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant stratovolcanoe is the highest mountain on the continent of Africa making it one of the world's 'seven summits' (the highest mountain on each of the world's seven continents).

There are several possible routes to the summit that are attainable by the first time climber. Kilimanjaro, like Mera Peak is a non-technical climb, however this mountain poses a real danger in regards to altitude sickness. A contributing factor to this it seems is the fact that Tanzanian authorities charge climbers daily fees to be on the mountain. It is estimated that climbers often sacrifice vital acclimatisation time in order to summit quicker and thus save money. Another contributing factor is possibly that unlike the Himalayas, Kilimanjaro rises out of a fairly flat surrounding environment making acclimatisation en route to base camp problematic.

If you are interested in considering Mount Kilimanjaro as your first ascent or as a follow-up to a previous climb and would like information in regards to joining an expedition read more >

Visit our Further Reading page for suggested reading material on the subject of mountaineering.

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