Hiking

by

Tips to Keep Your Feet Awake When Climbing a Mountain – When we want to climb a mountain, we will definitely pay attention to many things. One of them is health, before climbing the mountain we must ensure that we have a healthy body. Feet are part of the body that must be considered because the feet will be used to climb mountains

1. Wear trekking shoes
Shoes are an essential item that supports mountain climbing activities. When doing mountain climbing activities, of course you will be faced with various steep and unpredictable terrain. Therefore, you need trekking shoes that have been specifically designed to help you face the hiking trail and protect your feet from the risk of injury.

Tips to Keep Your Feet Awake When Climbing a Mountain

2. Make sure the shoes you wear are waterproof
When buying mountain shoes, make sure that the shoes you buy are equipped with a waterproof or waterproof concept. This function will help protect your feet from being dry when traversing wet and damp terrain.

Conversely, if you use mountain shoes that are not equipped with a waterproof concept, water can penetrate your shoes when passing through wet and damp terrain. As a result, this can trigger fungus and unpleasant odors on your feet.

3. Wear special socks
Often considered trivial, it turns out that using socks is very important when doing climbing activities, you know! Socks will be useful to prevent blisters on the feet, protect feet from bacteria and fungi, and prevent foot odor.

However, make sure the socks you wear are made of soft materials and dry quickly. Don’t forget to bring spare socks, if you go through wet terrain and make your socks wet, you should change them right away!

Also Read : Benefits of Climbing Mountains for Health

4. Use trekking poles
To help ease the burden carried on the body and legs, it is recommended that you use a trekking pole when climbing. In addition, trekking poles also help ease your steps when passing through steep and rocky terrain, and reduce the risk of injury to your feet.

5. Avoid bending your knees at rest
Who likes to bend their knees while resting on the hiking trail? In fact, many rest in a sitting position with their legs crossed. Although often unconscious, these two positions make your muscles and nerves unable to rest properly. Therefore, so that your muscles and nerves can rest too, what you have to do is straighten your legs while resting.

by

Benefits of Climbing Mountains for Health – Mountain climbing is a hobby that can make us feel challenged and requires courage to be able to do it. But do you know the benefits of climbing a mountain? Here are the benefits

1. Improve heart and lung health

Mountain climbing activities will make the heart and lungs work harder than usual. At the time of climbing oxygen supply and circulation will increase.

Plus the fresh air will certainly add a good effect to your body. Thus, of course, it can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Benefits of Climbing Mountains for Health

2. Relieve stress

Climbing can also be a way to reduce fatigue from daily routines that often make us stressed. Beautiful scenery, shady trees and cool air will make your mind fresh again.

In addition, according to research, hiking with a long enough duration can increase levels of happiness. Especially if you do it with friends, it will be more exciting and fun.

3. Strengthens leg and hand muscles

Terrain which is dominated by incline paths will certainly make the work of the leg muscles more extra. Dirt, gravel and rocky roads can actually make your leg muscles get stronger.

But remember to warm up before going up the mountain to avoid cramps or injury. For beginners, don’t forget to climb with experienced friends, so that it will be safer and more comfortable.

Also Read :Tips for Climbing Mountains in the Rainy Season

4. Make the bones of the body become denser

Climbing the mountain is an activity that requires strong physical because starting from the feet, spine and hands become the foundation of climbing. Of course, by climbing a mountain for a certain duration, our muscles and bones will become stronger and denser.

Moreover, when climbing in the morning that gets sunlight will certainly have a positive impact on the health and strength of our bones. But still don’t force it if your body condition is not prime.

5. Train memory and emotions

According to research, physical activity, one of which is mountain climbing, has a positive impact on brain health. Because climbing requires the right instincts to remember and manage emotions well. By climbing regularly, it will certainly make memory more honed and emotions in our bodies can be managed properly.

by

Tips for Climbing Mountains in the Rainy Season – The rainy season is often an obstacle in a long vacation trip. During the rainy season, many accesses are closed and the roads are slippery. Then what about the soul of the climber who wants to keep climbing even though it is the rainy season? The following are tips for climbing mountains during the rainy season

Tips for Climbing Mountains in the Rainy Season

1. Use proper layering

The right layering will keep the body warm during the climb, especially during the rainy season. Generally, layering consists of three parts, namely the base layer, the insulating layer (the middle layer), and the shell layer (the outermost layer).

The base layer is the part that is in direct contact with the skin. This section functions to maintain a stable body temperature, even when facing extreme temperature changes.

The recommended material is polyester or synthetic. These materials are able to absorb sweat well and help sweat move to the next layer.

Next there is the insulating layer that functions to regulate humidity. Choose a material with high flexibility, such as polarguard, fleece, or down. Finally, there is a shell layer that serves to protect the body from bad weather, such as rain or strong winds.

This section is very crucial because it also serves to protect the previous two sections. For this section, choose clothing materials with waterproof, windproof, and breathable capabilities.

2. If possible, don’t need to set up a tent

Camping in the mountains when the rainfall is high will feel very inconvenient and uncomfortable. If possible, climb the ‘tek-tok’ way or go straight down without having to stay overnight.

You can choose mountains with relatively short hiking trails, such as Mount Andong, Mount Merapi, and Mount Prau in Central Java, or Mount Batur on the island of Bali.

Also Read : Tips for Safe Solo Traveling

3. Store your belongings in a dry bag

Dry bag is a waterproof bag that serves to protect your belongings from wet conditions while climbing. Put all your belongings in a dry bag before putting them in the carrier.

For the cheap version, you can use a trash bag instead of a dry bag. The function is the same, namely to keep the luggage from getting wet.

4. Use gaiters

Gaiters serve to protect the ankle from the top so that water, mud, or sand does not enter the shoe.

Of course it will be very inconvenient if the inside of your shoes gets mud. If you have more budget, there’s nothing wrong with buying gaiters.

by

mendaki mendaki

Equipment That Must be Brought When Climbing The Mountain – Climbing a mountain is a hobby for most people who like to vacation and try extreme things. In climbing a mountain, we can enjoy the vast natural scenery above the height of a mountain. Climbing the mountain requires some equipment to take care of yourself. You have to bring very useful equipment there, because you can’t predict anything that will happen in the future. Here is the mandatory equipment that you must bring when climbing the mountain.

Mountain bag

One of the equipment that must be carried when climbing a mountain is of course a mountain bag. It is impossible to go to the mountains with only a plastic bag. Choose a mountain bag that is waterproof and able to hold a lot of things. A brightly colored mountain bag will make you easily visible when in the forest.

Mountain Shoes or Sandals

Next, make sure you use mountain shoes or sandals when climbing. The road to reach the top of the mountain is not as smooth as the highway that people usually pass, but sand with boulders on its feet.

Moreover, when it rains, the road or climbing terrain will be very slippery and often make climbers slip. For this reason, shoes or sandals have been created specifically for stepping through the steep mountains full of dense forests. It is recommended that you use shoes to be more secure.

Use a Parachute Jacket

When climbing the mountain, it is highly recommended to use a parachute jacket. Because if you wear a jacket made of cotton or other materials, it can get wet due to dew and make your body heavy. This of course can make the trip choked up because of the cold.

In addition, you also need to bring a raincoat. This raincoat is of course useful when it rains. Put the raincoat in an easily accessible place, so that when it rains, it can be used immediately.

Tent

If you stay in the mountains, of course, this tent is obligatory to bring. This tent will protect you from wind, rain, cold, animals, and other disturbances. So before leaving to climb the mountain, you must first discuss with friends what type of tent to bring, as needed.

Also Read :Tips for Traveling Without Spending a lot of Money

Sleeping bag and mattress

Mattresses and sleeping bags are very useful for sleeping. When sleeping on a mountain, of course you will be cold if you only rely on clothes and jackets. Especially on a very cold night. You will need a mat to block the cold from the ground, and a sleeping bag to block the cold from outside. By using a sleeping bag, you will be warmer and avoid the cold.

Drugs

One of the equipment or equipment that is often forgotten is medicine. Even though this is very important in overcoming various diseases that you suddenly experience while climbing the mountain. Various general medicines must be brought, and for those of you who have special diseases that sometimes can recur suddenly, it is better to take the medicine that the doctor has given you just in case.

Eating and drinking utensils

You must bring eating and drinking utensils if you want to cook on the mountain. The cutlery includes plates, glasses, spoons, small knives, small gas stoves, nesting tools, and so on. However, if you don’t need to cook food on the mountain, these items also don’t need to be brought because they are quite heavy on luggage.

Flashlight or headlamp

Flashlights and headlamps are very useful to provide lighting in the dark. The flashlight from a smartphone is not strong enough to help light the way, so don’t rely on the light from a smartphone flashlight alone. Also try to bring a waterproof flashlight so it doesn’t get damaged in case you need it in the rain.

Match

Matches are very useful for cooking on the mountain. These matches are also useful if you want to make a bonfire. Be careful with matches so you don’t burn the forest.

by

Parents-Take-child-to-Climb-the-10.000ft-Mountain-Range

Parents Take Son, Three, and Daughter to Climb the 10,000ft Mountain Range – A three year old became the youngest toddler to reach the summit of a 10,000ft mountain, thanks to his adventurous family. The little boy, named Jackson Houlding, was joined by his seven year old sister Freya Houlding and their parents Leo Houlding, 40, and Jessica Houlding, 41, on the treck up Piz Badile – which is on the border of Switzerland and Italy.

Leo is a professional climber, having trecked up some of the most dangerous peaks on Earth.

And it seems his kids are set to follow in his footsteps, as thanks to their latest pursuit, Freya has now become the youngest person to climb the mountain unaided, while little Jackson is the youngest person to get to the top – 153 years to the day since the peak was first climbed.

As a reward for being so brave, Jackson was given some Haribo to enjoy at the end.

Speaking from Bregaglia, Switzerland, Leo said: “It’s a super classic route, the best of it’s grade in the world.

“What was exceptional was we did it with our seven year-old-daughter Freya and our three-year-old son Jackson.

“My daughter climbed it all by herself, all the way, including all the hiking and everything – it was very impressive. She only just turned seven last week.

“My wife Jess carried Jackson on her back who weighs about 15kg, I carried all the camping equipment and food which weighed a bit more.”

He added: “We’ve done quite a bit of stuff in the UK and Europe in previous years, but every summer the kids are bigger and more capable than the past year.

“We did Triglav in Slovenia, but this was a league above that in terms of grandeur and difficulty.

“If I was on my own, I could have run up it really quickly. I would do it in my hiking shoes without a rope, but for a normal team the guidebook time is about 8hrs on the climb, a two day round trip.

“Having your own children there, I was conscious that we were on a big adventure together but I never felt that we were in an unacceptable position and I never thought we were out of our depth.

“We paced it out because it’s a long walk up on the first day, and it’s a really beautiful place.”

Piz Badile is a mountain in the Bregaglia range and stands at 10,853ft (3,308m) and it’s north face is considered one of the six great faces of the Alps.

The first ascent was completed by W. A. ​​B. Coolidge with guides François Devouassoud and Henri Devouassoud on July 27, 1867.

It might sound tricky to many, but to Leo it was a walk in the park, given that just last year he became the first Brit to climb the world’s remotest mountain, Specter, which is so isolated only ten people have ever seen it.

Specter is a jagged mountain peak in Antarctica, 450km south of the South Pole, and he battled Antarctic conditions for more than 2,000km to make the climb.

Leo began the family trip up Piz Badile at 39-years-old and ended it at 40, celebrating his 40th birthday on the summit of the mountain with his loved ones.

The Houlding family set off on July 25th and took their time completing the route – spending one night in an alpine hut and another two in bivouacs.

“We started down in the valley and it takes about five hours to get up to a beautiful mountain hut on the Swiss side,” Leo explained.

“They’re kind of like hotels, they provide you with a bed and food – it’s a nice one, called the Sasc Fuca. We spent the night there.

“With an adult team you would normally go from there to the top of the mountain then down on to the Italian side, but because we were with the kids we had a short day from there to a bivouac site.

“We camped on a shoulder right below the start of the difficult climbing. It was a magnificent site. Then we did the big climb on the third day.

“Then right on the summit we stayed in a bivouac hut – it’s a tiny metal shed, it was a spectacular spot with a huge drop 1m from the front door.

“On the fourth day we woke up in that hut and it was my 40th birthday, we descended the other side.

“It took six abseils, then a long five hour walk through beautiful scenery to San Martino valley in Italy. Then we got a taxi back round to the camper van in Bregaglia.”

The super-fit dad, who is an ambassador for Berghaus, said he never worried about his children’s safety on the treck, given his experience with mountaineering.

“It’s a proper rock climb, not a walk up a mountain, and one of the finest climbs of it’s standard in the world. It’s a 1,000m long knife edge ridge and you’re using your hands the whole way, it’s a really long rock climb, “he said.

“There’s always danger in the mountains, there’s hazards of fall, hazards of weather, hazards of rockfall. The benefits of being on a ridge is that the threat of rock fall is much lower, if you’re on the face it’s worse.

“These days mountain weather forecasts are so accurate you can mitigate that risk too. For falling, it’s the person who goes first at risk – so I led the whole climb. I’m a professional climber, the most experienced person goes first.

Discussing his impressive feat at the end, little Jackson said: “It was really good, I enjoyed the bit I climbed on my own and the Haribo sweets.”

Jessica adde: “It was great, we keep upping the level each year. It’s a huge achievement, especially for my daughter.

Meanwhile, Freya reflected: “I found it really fun and really scary. I’m very proud.”

What an impressive achievement to have under your belt at such a young age!

by

Hiking-Is-Better-On-Mountain-Bikes-And-Extended-Ascent

Hiking Is Better On Mountain Bikes And Extended Ascent – Climbing on a mountain bike is hard for everyone. Your bike is heavy, your suspension and squishy tires steal power from your legs and your wide handlebars are better suited to working the front end through corners and over rocks than going uphill.

The key to climbing better on your mountain bike, no matter your fitness level or your body type, is practice. If you always try to blast uphill as fast as you can, you may improve your speed somewhat, but to develop good climbing technique, you will need to back off and go a pace you can sustain. Speed will come later.

And, think positive. Most long climbs end with a fun descent!

Long, sustained climbs are usually not very technical and take place on fire roads, paved roads or single track trails. Grades may be from barely noticeable to a difficult 12 percent or more for at least a quarter mile. In mountainous areas, it’s not uncommon to find grinders over 3 miles long at 6-14 percent, with sections much steeper.

Climbing long, sustained hills on a mountain bike isn’t much different than on a road bike except the road may be bumpier. Relaxing, finding your rhythm, pacing yourself and preparing yourself mentally will help you not only climb faster, but might even allow you to enjoy the experience.

Accept the climb. You’re outside and on a mountain bike. You are hopefully already having a good day! Embrace the climb. Hating climbing won’t help, and will actually make you slower. Avoid being the one in your group complaining about the hills.

Some mountain bikes are much better suited to climbing than others. Generally, hardtails and trail bikes with short travel full suspensions climb better than long-travel bikes regardless of wheel size. If you have bike with 6” of travel or more, long hills will probably require some extra patience, but you will more than make up for it on the way down!

Breathe and relax. If you’re stiff, you’ll burn more energy than you need to, and you won’t react well to sudden changes such as bumps or holes. Start from the top of your forehead and work down. Make sure you’re not frowning, relax your eyebrows and your jaw by exhaling. Relax your neck, your shoulders, your elbows, wrists and fingers. Wiggle your fingers a little to symbolize releasing the tension.

Your actual breathing should be deep and rhythmic with full exhalations. This will help you relax as well as lower your heart rate.

Body position: stay seated. If you have one, raise your dropper post to the high setting. Lock out your suspension if you can. Your body position should be neutral and comfortable, with your shoulders wide and chest open for easier breathing. Keep your head up, eyes looking where you want to go, relax your shoulders and bend your elbows slightly. Your wrists should be flat, to be in line with your forearms. Your grip should be loose. If the trail or road is not bumpy, rest your thumb on top of the grip to save a little more energy.

Stay seated to conserve energy as much as you can. Keep your upper body quiet and relaxed. As the pitch steepens or you lose traction, you may need to lean forward to put more weight over the front wheel. For a quick steep rise with plenty of traction, stand and pedal hard to give yourself a little power. For a technical rise or where traction is poor, you may need to “hover” slightly over your saddle while leaning forward. Otherwise you may spin out your rear tire if you apply too much power. Pulling back on the bars with each pedal stroke increases traction even a little more.

If it’s a very long climb you may need to give your rear a break from the saddle and vary the muscles you’re using. It’s OK to pedal standing up for a while on a very steep part. Or shift gears one or two harder and stand. Stay smooth and keep your momentum and lower your cadence to keep your heart rate down. Standing uses more energy than riding seated, so keep the standing breaks short.

Find your rhythm for efficiency. You may think that mashing a big gear at a cadence of 40 to 50 will make you go faster. Really it will only wear you out. Pick an easy gear and spin as high a cadence as you can with smoothness and power. Aim for 70 rpm or higher, ideally 90, as long as you can pedal smoothly. If you’re bouncing on your saddle or on the suspension, you’ll be wasting energy you’d rather see converted into forward motion.

Pace yourself. Your pace during a fun ride with friends will probably be different than if you’re racing, but either way you should feel not completely spent at the top. Plan to go slower early on in the climb, and in an easy gear. If you’re fresh as a daisy at the top, go a little harder next time, or push your pace as you get closer to the crest. Conversely, if you’re completely toast halfway up, go easier at the start next time. Use your breathing or heart rate to help you judge your effort.

On a road or trail you’re familiar with, choose some markers such as rock formations, tree stumps, signs or whatever at regular intervals to help you tick off progress. Roadies often use mile markers. On a MTB, you get to be creative. For a three mile climb, as an example, you may want to break it down into six roughly half mile segments.

A good mental exercise is to think of pedaling circles, and imagine a winch at the front of your bike. Toss the imaginary hook and cable uphill to a tree or post, and visualize the winch pulling you up. When you get close to that tree, imagine tossing the hook to another tree.

If you’re out for a leisurely ride or are working on improving your fitness, feel free to stop at the top or at a particularly scenic place on the way up to enjoy the view. Otherwise, try to maintain your pace to get your body accustomed to longer duration efforts.

Eat and drink! A long, sustained hill may be a good opportunity to refuel yourself, since your hands are less busy. Catch up on plain water especially if it’s hot out. If you’re racing, grab some food in small bites. Liquid nutrition or chews that you can let dissolve in your mouth may be best for climbs, since these are less likely to interfere with breathing and make your heart rate spike. Don’t overdo the food, however. Eating too much at once (more than 100 calories at a time, or more than 200-300 calories per hour, depending on the person) may cause stomach issues just as it would during any intense activity.

In summary, do the best you can. Hills are difficult on any bike. Eventually, with training and practice, you’ll go faster up long, sustained hills on your mountain bike. It will always be hard, your speed will just be faster. Enjoy your improvements and these hills may even become a fun way to get to the downhill part.