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The rapid ascent of speed climbing
For a small, committed group of climbers, a new challenge has emerged. These guys don't formulate new routes or target increasingly elusive first ascents; instead, their mission is to climb mountains in record times. They see speed as the only real challenge left in the mountaineering world.
A Swiss mountaineer named Ueli Steck recently smashed the record for an ascent of the 13,000ft Mount Eiger in the Swiss Alps. The climb had never previously been completed in less than 18 hours, but he did it in a ridiculously quick 2 hours and 47 minutes. Let's just say he wasn't there for the scenery.
Whereas previous generations could experience the true sense of adventure that comes with crossing new frontiers and reaching uncharted places, there are scant opportunities for mountaineers to have these kinds of genuine experiences now. As such, it's no surprise that some climbers are looking for other ways to challenge themselves and to get that feeling of being the first person to accomplish something.
However, some members of the mountaineering community are reluctant to welcome the developments represented by speed climbing (also known as peak running) - they feel that it doesn't fit with the spirit of the sport.
It's hard not to be impressed with the speed at which these specialists are able to ascend a mountain, but, at the same time, it is perhaps lamentable that the more romantic dimensions of climbing - escaping from reality and connecting with nature - are lost amidst this single-minded approach. One climber from Colorado argued that new frontiers do still exist, and that focusing purely on speed is just a "cop-out." What this boils down to is the difference between physical accomplishments and genuine adventure.
Nevertheless, it will be fascinating to see how far speed climbing can go. Chad Kellogg, a 40-year-old climber from Seattle, has already conquered Mt. Rainier in tennis shoes and running shorts, and is currently training for a solo ascent of Everest, where he hopes to set a record for the quickest climb to the summit, without supplemental oxygen.
A Swiss mountaineer named Ueli Steck recently smashed the record for an ascent of the 13,000ft Mount Eiger in the Swiss Alps. The climb had never previously been completed in less than 18 hours, but he did it in a ridiculously quick 2 hours and 47 minutes. Let's just say he wasn't there for the scenery.
Whereas previous generations could experience the true sense of adventure that comes with crossing new frontiers and reaching uncharted places, there are scant opportunities for mountaineers to have these kinds of genuine experiences now. As such, it's no surprise that some climbers are looking for other ways to challenge themselves and to get that feeling of being the first person to accomplish something.
However, some members of the mountaineering community are reluctant to welcome the developments represented by speed climbing (also known as peak running) - they feel that it doesn't fit with the spirit of the sport.
It's hard not to be impressed with the speed at which these specialists are able to ascend a mountain, but, at the same time, it is perhaps lamentable that the more romantic dimensions of climbing - escaping from reality and connecting with nature - are lost amidst this single-minded approach. One climber from Colorado argued that new frontiers do still exist, and that focusing purely on speed is just a "cop-out." What this boils down to is the difference between physical accomplishments and genuine adventure.
Nevertheless, it will be fascinating to see how far speed climbing can go. Chad Kellogg, a 40-year-old climber from Seattle, has already conquered Mt. Rainier in tennis shoes and running shorts, and is currently training for a solo ascent of Everest, where he hopes to set a record for the quickest climb to the summit, without supplemental oxygen.