SummitPost.org

I would like to get readers feedback on what it is believed constitutes a true Sea Level to Summit expedition.

Should it be Solo, guided, with porters and so on?

If a road exists should this be considered acceptable to hike along the road near to a peak?

How should Sea Level to Summit success be measured

What evidence is required?

AS numerous people have attested to having done sea to summit there must be some sort of guidline to measure the accuracy of any claims.

Let me hear all your thoughts, ideas and feedback

Cheers

Roger

You can take the BELOW sea level-to-summit trip from Shorty's Well in Death Valley to the top of Telescope Peak at ~11050'. No porters required, best to do in one day.

But my guess is that you want something more exotic.

Strictly speaking anyone who has been to the ocean before reaching a summit has made a 'sea level to summit' climb, even if a car was used or a year has passed. To make it more interesting, there must be a time restriction and restriction on transportation used.

For example, climb Denali from the sea with no cars or planes in one week.

But who really cares...

Read Goran Kopp's acount of his Everest trip. He cycled from Scandinavia, hiked to basecamp without porters, summitted unsupported and cycled home. I'm not sure if he lived by the sea, but I guess its within the spirit of what you were asking about.

N

Lolli wrote:He lived in Jönköping, which lies approx. 200 meters (around 700 ft) above the sea, in the middle of the country. I have biked from there to the coast, it's doable in one day, but we took our time and did it in two.

Hmmm... That's only 150 km. Pussy. Bet you chilled in Malilla about halfway

I guess however that riding your bicycle to Everest from Jönköping could be considered good training for the mountain...

hiked to basecamp without porters, summitted unsupported and cycled home

I'm always amazed people still think he did this. He didn't. He had support, he used the Sherpa-made route through the icefall* and did not cycle all the way home. Even he himself admitted some of this. A great trip, but not nearly like many people think.

D

*he initially made his own, used it once, then used the Sherpa one for the rest of the exped and asked climbers not to tell.

I read a book a few weeks back about this. It was called A Most Hostile Mountain by Jon Waterman. He sailed to Alaska from Seattle, and then attempted Mt. St. Elias. I really liked the book. It was his way of re-creating the Duke of Abruzzi's way of getting the summit. His description of the way the Duke climbed the mountain showed that is was really hard core, and it's probably the ultimate sea to summit climb.

baumann_pat wrote:Strictly speaking anyone who has been to the ocean before reaching a summit has made a 'sea level to summit' climb, even if a car was used or a year has passed...

Doesn't sound very strict to me

I agree with your point though, there need to be limitations. But, I don't think they can be standardized. In any type of non-professional challenge, it should be up to the individual climber to choose and report on their own goals and achievements. Obviously, site-specific climbing "contests" are different, and require specific parameters.

Damien Gildea wrote:hiked to basecamp without porters, summitted unsupported and cycled home

I'm always amazed people still think he did this. He didn't. He had support, he used the Sherpa-made route through the icefall* and did not cycle all the way home. Even he himself admitted some of this. A great trip, but not nearly like many people think.

D

*he initially made his own, used it once, then used the Sherpa one for the rest of the exped and asked climbers not to tell.

So was he supposed to carry 50 ladders on his bike to build his own route through the icefall! Give the man a break. It's still a far more impressive achievement than 99 percent of the Everest tourists manage.

Goran, Messner and others are inspirational men of our time. The rest of us that are not loaded with trustfunds or endowed with vast amounts of free time should be allowed, even encoraged to enjoy life's adventures without being held to arbitrary standards. Set your records, we'll write about it, but be prepared to be exposed as a spoiled snob if you act like one.

Live free or die...what happened to that mindset?

Roger wrote:What evidence is required?

Why would you need evidence that I climbed something?

Dear Readers

Thank you for your input.

Based on the replies from our vast database of readers and the off topic replies received I can only assume that no clear guidelines exist for a sea to summit expedition.

Given this it must be presumed then that one just sets a goal of a sea to summit trip and then report on the merits of such an adventure.

No doubt then many would come out of the woodwork and find fault with the manner in which such an expedition was undertaken regardless.

If any others are able to provide reference to other detailed sea to summit expeditions then this input would be appreciated

Cheers

Roger

If any others are able to provide reference to other detailed sea to summit expeditions then this input would be appreciated

It would help if you could be a bit more specific about your goals. Do you want to go to a mountain over 20k'? Do you want glacier travel? When you asked about "solo", a lot of us were a bit confused. You can go to Acadia National Park and do some nice sea-level-to-summit climbs in 30 minutes.

Hi MoapaPak

Say an exotic jungle region like West Papua and a mountain of around 5000 metres.

Does a sea to summit begin at the Coastline or does one travel up the many rivers to a point where boat travel ends then go on foot?

Is a sea to summit by fair means one that follows a road or by following the many paths of local tribes?

Does one carry all gear? Should a porter be used? Summit solo? Bring your own food or eat with villagers?

Cheers

Roger

Roger wrote:No doubt then many would come out of the woodwork and find fault with the manner in which such an expedition was undertaken regardless.

Unfortunately, yes.