When I'm in a classical mood, these get me fired up for climbing:

Fanfare to the Common Man - Copland
Alpine Symphony (The Summit) - Strauss
White Tree (Lord of the Rings soundtrack) - Howard Shore
Duel of the Fates (Phantom Menace soundtrack) - John Williams
Resurection (2nd) Symphony - 5th Movement - Mahler
Festive Overture - Shostakovich
Call of the Champions & Summon the Heroes (2002 Winter Olympics) - John Williams

When I'm not in a classical mood, I'll put on the Foo Fighters' "One by One" song.

Resurection (2nd) Symphony - 5th Movement - Mahler


eewwww.....Mahler must have had too many jalepenos that day!

Yeah, some of Mahler's vocal/opera sections are a bit over the top. I prefer the power of the low brass, cause it reminds me of the mountains.

I have a cd I play before every climb that gets me up, its a 3 song mix (for the time Im in the parking lot gearing up) of Immigrant Song, Nobodys fault but mine, and a Ferry Corsten tune. GIDDY UP!

Resurection (2nd) Symphony - 5th Movement - Mahler

I think that when the chorus finally makes their entrance (after sitting silently for the first 4 1/2 movements of the piece) is one of the most poignant and dramatic moments of music in that style which I have ever heard. And what a finale.

If you like the brass in Mahler, I think you should go for the first movement of the 5th as well.

How about the Concerto for Orchestra of Bela Bartok..? He wrote this masterpiece while on retreat at Saranac Lake in The Adirondack Mountains of New York State. I think he captured the soul of the place beautifully.

O Fortuna and the Bonanza theme work great. Ode to Joy for the return.

How about:

Over the Mountain - Ozzy

and

Holy Mountains - System of a Down

I can second http://www.midwinteronline.de/MP3/Midwinter_-_Realm_Of_Slumber.mp3 for climbing music.

Tool reminds me more of a sunny day climbing fun rock scrambles, where as music like Midwinter makes me think of an epic climb on an exposed ridge in a storm. I preffer the feeling the latter produces.

BTW if you havn't listend to that song, its amazing.

edit: Can't forget about Shpongle, especially the song DMT.

For rock climbing that requires a burst of physical and mental strength: Van Halen: Eruption. There is just so much energy in that one, short piece.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B000002NAA001001/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_001

In the mountains, pretty much anything by Dead Can Dance; "Now or Never Land" from Midnight Oil ain't bad to get stuck in your head during a long approach either.

Last time I was in the Sierra Nevada, though, I got "Self Control," old 80s disco-ish number from Laura Branigan??, stuck in my head the whole friggin week. Sheesh!!

Love lies bleeding/funeral for a friend..........Elton John

How bout Elko (2 CD live set from Railroad Earth)?
Joshua Tree
Johnny Irion
old REM
James McMurtry ( a must for traveling through the heartland)

Although I usually listen to a mix on my MP3 player, I always have at least 1/2 of this... perhaps the greatest album ever (I M H O)... in my mix:

I 2nd, 3rd and 4th Tool. Favorite songs are Eulogy, Schism, Pushit (live, of course), Part Of Me, Aenema, The Pot (best song off of 10,000 Days). I listen to anything that makes you go. Music provides energy, so the music must fit the destinatiion. DJ Shadow is also nice to come home to. Check him out if you haven't listened before.

Jan Garbarek / Hilliard Ensemble - officium or mnemosyne, both beautiful albums for the mountains, especially alone. Find the loneliest valley/mountain you can and walk up it listening to this and you will see what I mean.