I'm looking for some ideas, about hiking, vs climbing. If your going up a mountain, when does a hike become a climb? Are all mountains climbed? or are you only climbing when, you are using your hands, and feet (scrambling)? Or is it climbing only when your using a rope ( class 4, or 5), What about glacier travel?

I would say if a person is scrambling, they are climbing . Just looking for some ideas, what people out there think?

If I go up a mountain, it is climbing. If you made it, it must have just been a hike.



(And I don't know pyerger. It is a comment directed at all of you!)

The so-called self-identified "<b>purists</b>" would say you have to be familiar with the route and process the rudimentary skills necessary to tackle a challenging and technical route.

Basically, I agree with that, but I still think there's room for sunsets, moths and mushrooms on
SP. As John Muir once said, "<i><b>Everything is connected to something else.</b></i>"

And on SP CLIMBING forums, it always HELPS to have your brain "connected" to your head!

Woooops, I forgot to add Mister Smiley !!!

Class 3 is where you have to use your hands. On class 2 terrain you can keep your hands in your pockets, maybe bringing them out for balance. So IMO class 3 is where "climbing" begins as opposed to just hiking.

For snow-climbing if you are using your ice axe as a cane, then to me it's basically hiking. Sure, I'll tell non-climbers it was a "climb" But really, it was hiking with a balance aid, sort of like when I had to use forearm crutches after my accident. Yes, you do need to know some basic techniques (flat footing, self-arrest, etc). OK, maybe it's "climbing" too

I tend to think of glacier travel in the same way as snow-climbing on moderate slopes. Sure, you are usually roped up (unless you are soloing) and if so you may need to know some basic things like group arrest and crevasse rescue. Well, unless you are with guides who handle that all for you -- believe it or not I have met people who have "climbed" Mt. Rainier and didn't know a lick of crevasse rescue technique. But otherwise I will usually consider that "climbing" too.

The broadest possible definition of course is going from lower elevation to higher. Climbing stairs for example. It all depends on who you are trying to impress

Yes, and SOME people are much easier to impress than others.




I think a lot of it depends on your "<b>climbing background</b>."

If your granny was a climber, and both your parents were climbers, you're "under the gun"
to TRY harder to fulfill your climbing needs and impress other folks more.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

rhyang wrote:It all depends on who you are trying to impress

Exactly! For example:

Me: I hiked up Longs Peak this weekend. It was a fun day; I got up and down before the weather came in.
Real Climber: Nice; fun stuff.

vs.

Me: I climbed Longs Peak this weekend without a rope, on limited sleep, with bad weather threatening, and there was no toilet on the summit!
Random Person: Are you crazy? Who are you and why are you talking to me?

But in "Climbing forums," does it really matter WHO you're talking to or about ???




That's why it always helps to have PICTURES to back up your claim - just like DMT and The
Chief !!!

squishy wrote:I have trouble explaining my trips now...Well we slept on the side of the road in the dirt, got up early and had a world class breakfast at a gas station then climbed a mountain via class 2.4r...most people would stare at me and wonder what kind of retardation I had...because everyone knows you can't get a world class breakfast at a gas station...duh....

Yes, but at least you have the PHOTOS to prove what you're talking about!

Dingus Milktoast wrote:If you think of yourself as a climber likely you will have climbed the mountain, unless it was so easy as to be a hike. Then you hiked it.

If you think of yourself as a hiker, then you will have hiked the mountain, unless it was so hard you wet yourself, then you climbed it.

If you think of yourself as a nature photographer and an online political warrior then you will have never left the class 1 trail, in which case you *would have* walked it, had you bothered trying at all. Buyt I'm sure you were too busy with knitting classes and what have you...

There is a special forum for that 3rd type...

DMT

Careful, now. Knitting needles are handy for self-arrest particularly when the Yak Trax are left in the Channel 7 satellite van. And then EVERYONE's a climber.

It's all pretty simple, though.

You're a hiker if you hiked it.
You're a climber if you climbed it.
And you're a moron if you didn't make it back down. (JK!)

squishy wrote:I have trouble explaining my trips now...Well we slept on the side of the road in the dirt, got up early and had a world class breakfast at a gas station then climbed a mountain via class 2.4r...most people would stare at me and wonder what kind of retardation I had...because everyone knows you can't get a world class breakfast at a gas station...duh....

Hot dogs 2/$1 slathered in yellow mustard are pretty world class to me. Add some relish and you have your four basic food groups.

MarthaP wrote:Hot dogs 2/$1 slathered in yellow mustard are pretty world class to me. Add some relish and you have your four basic food groups.

Where have you been all my life ???

rhyang wrote:For snow-climbing if you are using your ice axe as a cane, then to me it's basically hiking.

So a 50 degree couloir counts as a "hike"?

rhyang wrote:Class 3 is where you have to use your hands. On class 2 terrain you can keep your hands in your pockets, maybe bringing them out for balance. So IMO class 3 is where "climbing" begins as opposed to just hiking.

I would agree with this statement.

When you are on snow and glaciers with equipment like crampons, ice axe, ropes, etc, I wouldn't really call it hiking anymore. To me, a hike is a walk anyone can do (when having the required physical shape) without any special skills.

mconnell wrote:

rhyang wrote:For snow-climbing if you are using your ice axe as a cane, then to me it's basically hiking.

So a 50 degree couloir counts as a "hike"?

You know what I mean .. if you are using the axe like a walking stick, then ..