All Blog Posts (84)

4X4 Camping is a great way to access and save setup time when climbing spots in many parts of the world. It allows a climber or hiker to maximize the time enjoying the wilderness.

One of the most important aspects to consider while you roam the beaten tracks, but often neglected, is the vehicle- the 4x4 itself. After all, it is inside it where drivers spend most of their time and make the most important…

One of the joys of hiking is doing it with other people. Especially training for mountaineering, but with busy work schedules and life, it's sometimes hard to find partners to consistently go with. You shouldn't let this stop you. Here are some top tips for hikers that are especially important for solo hiking.

Risk tolerance

Know your limitations…

Hi Hikers,

Looking for people who want to share their experience on the trip from rifugio Emilio Questa in Parc Naturale Alpi Maritime to Le Boreon in Parc mercantour via the passo de prefouns.

Thx

Wim

Hi

We are very happy to announce you our new company Chamonix Mont Blanc guides.

You will find all our main Mont Blanc course but also the famous Matterhorn course and now the historical Haute route Chamonix Zermatt.

Sarah my friend will be very happy to talk to you if you contact her and tell you how fit you must be to climb Mont Blanc. She is a very good alpinist as well.

You will see our web site on…

1. Increased fitness. It’s not easy hiking up snow with a heavy pack for hours on end and doing it at high altitude. Mountain climbing is one of the most physically demanding sports there is. However, if you’ve trained properly, most of your fitness gains will come before your big climb. 

 When training to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, I spent two hours a day training during the week and got out every weekend on mountaineering trips in the Cascade Mountains. Shortly after, I beat my…

Creating your own backpacking meals can be an easy and cost-effective way to enjoy the trail. You also get to enjoy great food and learn new skills. The main challenge that overwhelms some backpackers is finding lightweight ingredients that are easy to prepare, packed with energy, and are non-perishable. 

 Here are ten favorite trail recipes: 

1. Breakfast of Oatmeal, Walnuts, and Blueberries…

We’re super excited to share the new Cairn App which is live in the iTunes store. 

Cairn allows you to share your backcountry trip plans with designated safety contacts and shows you where on the trail (exact…

FitClimb was recently introduced to the 52 Hike Challenge, we think it’s a great program for inspiration and fitness for mountaineering.

The 52 Hike Challenge founded by Phillip and Karla as to inspire and encourage individuals to step outside their comfort zone in order to achieve the mental, physical, and spiritual benefits…

This is a cool project FitClimb recommends others check out and contribute to:

12 mountains. 30 days. This summer a team of six college students will be climbing 12 Cascade volcanoes and making a full length documentary on both their journey and the effects of climate change on these mountains and their shrinking glaciers. While challenging themselves physically and mentally for this journey, the team also hopes to spread awareness of climate change and…

The family and I were recently on vacation in Bangkok, which is pretty flat, congested, and not conducive to outdoors workouts that a climber or mountaineer needs.  We were looking for a great workout that would keep us in climbing shape when we found out about a demo class through friends at Physique57 Bangkok, which is opening in January of 2015. …

With winter many climbers, hikers, and backpackers tend to get out of shape and gain weight.  The cold doesn’t have to get in the way of fun, as long as you follow some basic winter camping and survival principles the snow can be your friend.   Here’s 10 tips for a fun and safe winter trip outdoors.

1.  Clothing – This is your first line of defense against the environment and one of the most important factors.  Focus on layering.  Start with a good base layer (long underwear…

At Odyssee Montagne my guide company, this is the main question that mostly clients asking us. Mont Blanc normal route is a beautifull climb but to enjoy it it require a very good physical condition.

We use to tell people to start their training few month prior their climb, by running or cycling in different terrain. Training endurance is essential. Two main factors are crucial!

You must run or cycle a minimum of one…

This along with what is the safest month to climb Mt. Rainier is a popular questions from our members.   Late spring and summer are when conditions are best, starting in May and ending in September.  Realize conditions on the mountain change weekly and may be different from year to year but generally you can expect the following in each month:

May

Much of the mountain is still in deep snow, even at the parking lot.  Most of the crevasses are covered…

Climbing has become one of the preferred recreational activities of adventure seekers. In fact, a 2010 study from The Outdoor Foundation revealed that more than 6.1 million enthusiasts in the United…

Last Thursday May 15^th all four major US . carriers, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint have started offering text to 911 in some states.   Text to 911 is the ability of a mobile phone or device to reach emergency services by texting a message.   The main use cases are when a person can’t speak, hear, or need to call for help in a stealthy mode.  The main benefit for outdoor enthusiasts is to get through to 911 in areas of…

With the start of the climbing season we're already hearing about fatalities in the mountains.  On April 13th, 2014 there was an avalanche on Mt. Everest that killed 13 Sherpas.  

This week we've had two separate fatalities in the Pacific Northwest first a climber on…

Trail running is fun alternative to hiking for those with limited time.  It is also one of the best ways to train for mountaineering, as the uneven ground on a typical trail will work muscles similar to those used in climbing and hiking.  The key is to prevent injury, stay safe, and get home.  Here are 7 mistakes to avoid when trail running:

1.  Not leaving your plans with a reliable person.  You should tell someone where you’re running, including the trail, distance,…

Beyond clothing shelter is anything that protects a person from environmental hazards such as rain, wind, lightning, snow, cold, insects, and more.   Shelter helps you maintain a 98.6 body temperature, stay dry, and warm.   When most people think of shelter in the wilderness they imagine a tent, spend enough time outdoors and you’ll find that in most situations you aren’t carrying or have easy access to a tent.  Think about the last time you hiked, were on the summit of a mountain, skied, or…

Not only is this a good skill to woo friends with but its useful in navigation and outdoors.  Take a look at the following picture, can you tell how far different land features are?    Here’s a general rule that works in areas with trees, you can use trees as a reference point for pin pointing the distance of other objects.

1. You can see individual…