I'm rather tired of the confusion between 'alpine' climbing which is essentially a synonym for mountaineering, and 'alpine-style' climbing.

Why not just capitalize it into 'Alpine-style' climbing, which would make it clear that it's a climbing style derived from the Alps?

To clear up some confusion, and that I hail from the 20th Century, my understanding was that "alpine style" climbing is a term as opposed to Himalayan "expedition style" climbing. I have always taken it to mean fast and light, as opposed to siege tactics. To say, leaving out normally essential items to be able to complete a route or peak climb in speedy ascents, as opposed to bringing along everything including the campstove (said here figuratively) for safety and comfort.

Then, that's my gist of the literature referring mainly to the Sierra and a Yosemite big wall, say.

1000Pks wrote:To clear up some confusion, and that I hail from the 20th Century, my understanding was that "alpine style" climbing is a term as opposed to Himalayan "expedition style" climbing. I have always taken it to mean fast and light, as opposed to siege tactics. To say, leaving out normally essential items to be able to complete a route or peak climb in speedy ascents, as opposed to bringing along everything including the campstove (said here figuratively) for safety and comfort.

Then, that's my gist of the literature referring mainly to the Sierra and a Yosemite big wall, say.

Well, my understanding was that Alpine-style was first brought to the big ranges by Messner and others who wanted to use the single-push tactics common in the Alps, hence the name.

Exactly.

Revel in the confusion. Celebrate it! Introduce some of your own.

Its climbing afterall, its not supposed to make sense.

DMT

Alpine style should be a way of life!

If I read Kheegster post correctly, his concern is not with the definition of "alpine-style" but rather with the ambiguity of the phrase "alpine climbing."

If someone asks you what sort of climbing you do, possible choices are:

- rock (trad, sport, aid, boulder, etc.)
- ice
- snow/glacier

But how do you describe the sort of "all mountain" climbing that requires each of those three disciplines? "Mountaineering" comes to mind, but so does "alpinism." Does "alpinism" only describe climbing mountains alpine-style? Does it only pertain to climbing in the Alps? Or does it include a broader range (in terms of style, technique, and geography) of mountain climbing activities?

Perhaps it's best to simply stick with the term "mountaineering," as that avoids the sort of confusion I believe the OP to be referring to. But to me "mountaineering" increasingly (for reasons I can't put my finger on) implies snow slogs like Aconcagua or the West Buttress of Denali while "alpinism" more closely invokes routes like, say, the Cassin Ridge on Denali.

This might just be a continuation of the "hiking vs. climbing" semantics debate. And while it matters more to get out there and do your thing, and less what you call it, I find it enjoyable, if not entirely useful, to strive for precision in terms.

Isn't it all just hiking anyways?

I wasn't referring to the definition of the style, but rather using 'Alpine-style' with a capitalized 'A' would help differentiate it from the general use of 'alpine' as an adjective referring to mountains.

Yes, I'm bored.

xDoogiex wrote:Alpine style should be a way of life!

Isn't it??

Is it still Alpine Style if the team calls for a chopper rescue?

Huh?

HUH???!!!!!

DMT

I only alpine summitpost

Dingus Milktoast wrote:Is it still Alpine Style if the team calls for a chopper rescue?

Huh?

HUH???!!!!!

DMT

Depends...Is the phone call to mom and chopper ride before they summit or after? Bragging rights are riding on it.

Doggie style

TheOrglingLlama wrote:Doggie style

....thats where he "begs for it" and she "rolls over and plays dead"