I've done a couple of multi-day trips into the mountains recently, both of which were safe and enjoyable but neither of which resulted in a summit. Ah well, things don't always go the way you want them to. I thought it might help the learning process if I wrote down what went wrong, and what I'd do differently next time. I've done similar things in my professional environment and found it a really useful educational exercise. Has anyone else done this sort of thing, and what questions did you ask yourself?

Thanks in advance!

Matt

Dingus Milktoast wrote:A harsh but necessary 'first question'

"Were my excuses valid or do I need to grow a pair?"

DMT

But seriously, debriefing oneself after a climb that was successful or not is a very good learning experience. I've done this on many occassions and it's helped in several areas.

Gear - What did you take, what did you use and what could you have left at home? Usually this lightens your load considerably.
Food - What did you eat, was it too much or too little and what would you change? This leads to better eating on the climb.
Clothing - too much, too little or just right? This is a personal thing but usually helps lighten the load.
Team members - Were they good, bad, too fast or out of shape and holding you back? Very important if the summit, not the climb, is important to you.

Last but not least (see above):

Balls - Too big, not big enough or just non-existent? Again a personal thing based on the level of risk you're willing to accept.

Good luck in the future.

I always do this on the trip home when everything is fresh in my mind.