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The climb of Gasherbrum IV's (7,925 m) 'Shining Wall' in 1985 by Voytek Kurtyka and Robert Schauer is considered one of the greatest mountaineering achievements in the twentieth century, even though the two climbers did not reach the summit. The article explores three ways of understanding mountaineering without the objective of reaching the summit. I start with a game-playing approach and then a view on mountaineering that takes its inspiration from deep ecology and argue that while both have the potential for explaining important aspects of mountaineering, neither will fully account for the value of climbing mountains without summiting. Finally, I argue that we can supplement either of these two views with a radically different way of understanding mountaineering, which involves creating and appreciating a work of art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

À partir des années cinquante, l'alpinisme connaît une évolution éthique et idéologique. Icône de cette période, Lionel Terray promeut un modèle performatif dont les soubassements se situent dans son parcours. Alors que les Premières constituaient un objectif majeur, désormais, le record devient légitime. Cette nouvelle conception va contribuer à ériger le style alpin en modèle de référence. Mobilisant des données issues des revues fédérales de l'univers montagnard, de la presse généraliste et des comptes-rendus d'expédition, cette étude saisit les fondements de l'évolution de l'alpinisme au regard du positionnement de Lionel Terray. Il amorce sa sportivisation par l'intermédiaire de la rationalisation de sa pratique comme de l'évolution des objectifs. L'émergence de cette conception sportive et performative repose sur des innovations matérielles et conceptuelles qui infléchissent les usages, et dont L. Terray a contribué à leur diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article pays tribute to Frantisek "Frank" Turecek, a scientist and mountaineer. The author shares their personal experiences with Frank, including their first meeting in Prague and later joining his research group at the University of Washington. They discuss Frank's work in studying short-lived radicals and his passion for climbing mountains. The article also highlights Frank's contributions to the field of mass spectrometry and his dedication to mentoring graduate students. It provides a personal perspective on Frank's adventurous spirit and his achievements in both science and mountaineering. [Extracted from the article]

This paper examines the narratives of three deceased high-altitude mountaineers who lost their lives while climbing in the Greater Himalaya. These individuals were participants in part of a larger ethnographic study on 'Tourism in the Death Zone' conducted over the space of 150 days fieldwork in Pakistan and Nepal in 2019. The paper seeks to explore how these participants depth of immersion in the 'social world' of high-altitude mountaineering eventually lead to their deaths. To do so, the phenomenological concept of the lifeworld [lebenswelt] is utilized to show how the participants lived realities and aspirations became entwined with high-altitude mountaineering – a serious leisure community. Previously, the connection between the lifeworld and serious leisure viewed within the context of extreme risk taking and possible death, has not been explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2006, mountaineer David Sharp died on the slopes of Mount Everest. Sharp's death led to public outrage after allegedly 40 climbers passed by the dying Sharp on their way to the peak, without stopping to help. But, since the slopes of Everest are a high-risk environment and rescuing Sharp would have entailed great risks for the rescuers, it is not clear whether the other mountaineers had a moral duty to rescue him. In a recent article, Patrick Findler introduces a principle to analyse such cases which states that we have a duty to rescue under dangerous circumstances, if the involved risks are not higher than the risks we are already taking in the pursuit of our own, morally less worthy ends. However, Findler then rejects this principle as too demanding. In this paper I will defend the principle against its inventor and argue in favour of such a duty. And while it may be true that the other mountaineers were justified in passing Sharp for different reasons, the principle shows that not only climbers, but adventure-sport athletes in general and people who engage in high-risk endeavours, may have a duty to rescue that doesn't apply to others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptation of humans to challenging environmental conditions, such as extreme temperature, malnutrition, or hypoxia, is an interesting phenomenon for both basic and applied research. Identification of the genetic factors contributing to human adaptation to these conditions enhances our understanding of the underlying molecular and physiological mechanisms. In our study, we analyzed the exomes of 22 high altitude mountaineers to uncover genetic variants contributing to hypoxic adaptation. To our surprise, we identified two putative loss‐of‐function variants, rs1385101139 in RTEL1 and rs1002726737 in COL6A1 in two extremely high altitude (personal record of more than 8500 m) professional climbers. Both variants can be interpreted as pathogenic according to medical geneticists' guidelines, and are linked to inherited conditions involving respiratory failure (late‐onset pulmonary fibrosis and severe Ullrich muscular dystrophy for rs1385101139 and rs1002726737, respectively). Our results suggest that a loss of gene function may act as an important factor of human adaptation, which is corroborated by previous reports in other human subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across the nineteenth century, European surveyors, explorers and mountaineers often sought to constitute the Himalaya as spaces of imperial duty, escape from civilisation, and manly experiences against and in nature. Rather than focusing on the homosociality of the better known climbing ventures of the twentieth century, this article instead considers the period before Mount Everest became the main prize. In particular, it examines an eclectic mix of Himalayan expeditions that made claims to the world 'altitude record': that is, the highest height ever climbed above sea level. The different ways that climbers discussed and doubted these record-seeking climbs in their accounts, and especially in talks at the Royal Geographical Society in London, provide a series of snapshots into manly self-fashioning around suffering and self-reliance at the edge of the British Empire. Here the masculinities of non-European guides and porters (especially Gurkhas) also always provided both a foil and a challenge. Ultimately, attempts on the altitude record reveal the way that casting the Himalaya as a space for the narration of masculine ideals and imperial expansion could be both mutually reinforcing and in conflict. Expressions of homosociality nevertheless also shifted across the nineteenth century, with the filling in of the last 'blank spaces' on the map seemingly narrowing the canvas for manly outdoor experiences. This was compounded by the way the Himalaya were constituted and maintained as spaces for manly experiences in part by the exclusion of women, even as women like Fanny Bullock Workman were themselves climbing towards record heights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on amateur mountaineers is scarce, and this study aims to delve into the emotional experiences of ten amateur mountaineers during their ascent using the "Befindlichkeitsskala" (BFS) and Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness scoring system (LLS). These subjects were exposed to altitudes of 3140 m, 4300 m, and 5276 m, respectively. We found that LLS scores were negatively correlated with positive emotions (β = −27.54, p < 0.05) and positively correlated with negative emotions (β = 21.97, p < 0.05). At an altitude of 4300 m, individuals with AMS exhibited significant differences in depression, anger, excitement, and inactivity compared to climbers without AMS. Upon returning to 3140 m after completing the climb, significant differences were observed in emotions such as happiness, calmness, anger, excitement, and depression. Throughout the three-day climb, noteworthy differences emerged in activity, happiness, calmness, inactivity, positive emotions (p < 0.01), negative emotions, and overall emotional scores (p < 0.05). Our study suggests a decline in the emotional well-being of amateur climbers with increasing altitude, highlighting AMS as a pivotal predictive factor for emotional experiences while climbing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The English Lake District played a key role in British rock climbing and is arguably the place where rock climbing first separated from mountaineering in the 1880s. This article sets its origins in the wider context of Alpinism. It then explains the attractions of the Lake District to early climbers and the ways and locations in which early rock climbing emerged as key participants exploited the landscape to create the innovative rock climbing challenges that were key to their enjoyment. It provides rich detail on how the sport extended body limits, developed new climbing techniques, and used better equipment. Leading climbers there began to record and measure the standard of climbs—another innovation. Although mountaineering clubs elsewhere were exclusively male, relegating leading women mountaineers to a marginal role, in the Lakes, women rock climbers made a notable contribution. The article concludes by evaluating the wider significance of the Lake District for British climbing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As field change is often explained by recourse to agentic efforts of a few or revolutionary turbulence of many, this paper provides a complementary explanation of change grounded in the quotidian dynamics of physical objects and settings. Using the culinary and mountaineering fields, we demonstrate how attending to the materiality of objects and settings offers analytical leverage into the ways fields conflict and change. More specifically, we argue field instability is normal because, at the level of social action, mass and energy are inherently finite. As a result, actors responding to effects from distal fields may nevertheless collide over the objects and settings in which they are compelled to act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horakova, Lenka, Peter Paal, Jacqueline Pichler Hefti, Marija Andjelkovic, Beth A. Beidleman, Mia Derstine, David Hillebrandt, Dominique Jean, Kastė Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, Alison J. Rosier, Susi Kriemler, and Linda E. Keyes. Women's health at high altitude: An introduction to a 7-part series by the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation Medical Commission. High Alt Med Biol. 24:243–246, 2023. Background: Women have been traveling to high altitude since the inception of modern mountaineering. Although there are distinct female-specific features such as menstruation and menopause relevant to adaptation to and performance at high altitude, very little data exist on women's high-altitude health. To summarize what is known to date, the Medical Commission of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) has created a series of articles on women's health, high altitude illness, and performance at high altitude. Methods: Assembling an international author team, two types of manuscripts were developed: (1) reviews on female-specific topics such as pregnancy; (2) reviews on sex differences in high-altitude related illnesses, nutrition, cold injuries, and mortality. Results: The literature search yielded 7,165 articles, with 482 studies meeting the inclusion criteria for full-text review. The authors of individual chapters reviewed these articles and performed additional hand searches. Conclusions: Some important questions on women sojourning and exercising at high altitude have been studied, but many are still awaiting a qualified and evidence-based response. Our seven reviews, to be published in future issues of this journal, summarize what is known about lowland women sojourning at high altitude, provide recommendations, and highlight knowledge gaps in high altitude women's medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the prevalence of acute mountain sickness (AMS) in 1370 mountaineers at four different altitudes in the Western Alps. We also examined the influence of potential risk factors and the knowledge about AMS on its prevalence. Methods: In this observational cross-sectional study AMS was assessed on the day of ascent by the Lake Louise score (LLS, cut-off ≥3, version 2018) and the AMS-Cerebral (AMS-C) score of the environmental symptom questionnaire (cut-off ≥0,70). The latter was also obtained in the next morning. Knowledge regarding AMS and high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) and the potential risk factors for AMS were evaluated by questionnaires. Results: On the day of ascent, the prevalence of AMS assessed by the LLS and AMS-C score was 5.8 and 3.9% at 2850 m, 2.1 and 3.1% at 3050 m, 14.8 and 10.1% at 3650 m, and 21.9 and 15% at 4559 m, respectively. The AMS prevalence increased overnight from 10.1 to 14.5% and from 15 to 25.2% at 3650 m and 4559 m, respectively, and was unchanged at 2850 m and 3050 m. A history of AMS, higher altitude, lower degree of pre-acclimatization, and younger age were identified as risk factors for developing AMS. Slow ascent was weakly associated with AMS prevalence, and sex and knowledge about AMS and HACE were indistinct. Conclusion: AMS is common at altitudes ≥ 3650 m and better knowledge about AMS and HACE was not associated with less AMS in mountaineers with on average little knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the emergence of the first Canarian environmental associations at the end of Franco's regime. Starting with a general description of environmental policies during the dictatorship, the article then hones in on the role of the sociable, scientifico-naturalist experiences afforded by mountaineering groups, which in turn gave rise to a certain kind of environmental association in the Canary Islands. Furthermore, the article describes the organizational forms, the themes, the repertoires of action and the main environmental conflicts in which such groups participated, assessing their role as precursors of the new environmental movement that emerged during the transition to democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hillebrandt, David, Anil Gurtoo, Thomas Kupper, Paul Richards, Volker Schöffl, Pankaj Shah, Rianne van der Spek, Nikki Wallis, and Jim Milledge. UIAA Medical Commission recommendations for mountaineers, hillwalkers, trekkers, and rock and ice climbers with diabetes. High Alt Med Biol. 24: 110–126.—The object of this advice article is not only to give the diabetic mountaineer general guidance but also to inform his or her medical team of practical aspects of care that may not be standard for nonmountaineers. The guidelines are produced in seven sections. The first is an introduction to the guidelines, and the second is an introduction to this medical problem and is designed to be read and understood by diabetic patients and their companions. The third section is for use in an emergency in mountains. The fourth is for rock, ice, and competition climbers operating in a less remote environment. These initial sections are deliberately written in simple language. The fifth and sixth sections are written for clinicians and those with skills to read more technical information, and the seventh looks at modern technology and its pros and cons in diabetes management in a remote area. Sections One and Two could be laminated and carried when in the mountains, giving practical advice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common knowledge implies that individuals engaging in outdoor sports and especially in regular and extreme mountaineering are exceptionally healthy and hardened. Physical activity in outdoor environments has a positive effect on physical and mental health. However, regular and/or extreme mountaineering might share similarities with behavioural addictions and could thus also have a negative impact on health. In this cross-sectional web-based questionnaire study, we collected data on exercise and mountaineering addiction (Exercise Addiction Inventory; original and adapted version for mountaineering; Exercise Dependence Scale adapted version for mountaineering). Further surveyed parameters included mountaineering habits, Risk-Taking Inventory, Sensation-Seeking/Emotion Regulation/Agency Scale (SEAS), resilience, self-perceived stress, physical activity in metabolic units and mental health. Comparisons were performed between individuals with symptoms of addiction to mountaineering (MA) and individuals without symptoms of addiction to mountaineering or sports in general (CO) using non-parametric analyses. We analysed data from 335 participants, n = 88 thereof with addiction to mountaineering (MA) and n = 247 control participants (CO). The MA group scored significantly higher with regards to self-perceived stress (p < 0.001) and included a significantly higher number of individuals affected by symptoms of depression (p < 0.001), symptoms of anxiety (p < 0.001), symptoms of eating disorders (p < 0.001), alcohol abuse or dependence (p < 0.001), illicit drug abuse (p = 0.050), or current and history of psychiatric disorders (p < 0.001). Individuals with MA showed higher values in all SEAS subscales as well as increased risk-taking (p < 0.001). Regular and extreme mountaineering can display features of a behavioural addiction and is associated with psychiatric disorders. Behavioural addiction in mountaineering is associated with higher levels of sensation-seeking, emotion regulation, and agency, as well as increased risk-taking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel optimization method for solving real-world optimization problems. It is inspired by a cooperative human phenomenon named the mountaineering team-based optimization (MTBO) algorithm. Proposed for the first time, the MTBO algorithm is mathematically modeled to achieve a robust optimization algorithm based on the social behavior and human cooperation needed in considering the natural phenomena to reach a mountaintop, which represents the optimal global solution. To solve optimization problems, the proposed MTBO algorithm captures the phases of the regular and guided movement of climbers based on the leader's experience, obstacles against reaching the peak and getting stuck in local optimality, and the coordination and social cooperation of the group to save members from natural hazards. The performance of the MTBO algorithm was tested with 30 known CEC 2014 test functions, as well as on classical engineering design problems, and the results were compared with that of well-known methods. It is shown that the MTBO algorithm is very competitive in comparison with state-of-art metaheuristic methods. The superiority of the proposed MTBO algorithm is further confirmed by statistical validation, as well as the Wilcoxon signed-rank test with advanced optimization algorithms. Compared to the other algorithms, the MTBO algorithm is more robust, easier to implement, exhibits effective optimization performance for a wide range of real-world test functions, and attains faster convergence to optimal global solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing a post-structural approach, this study relies on the rhizomatic body to understand the Mexican-mestiza women mountaineer, to address negotiations and overcome gender inequalities. Drawing from a larger study and using a qualitative method, it focuses on sisterhood as a core strategy to build mestiza rhizomatic bodies to foster women mountaineering in a traditional society. The main findings suggest that sisterhood supports women's mountaineering and promotes deterritorialization and reterritorialization processes to sustain diverse strata for their negotiations. Accordingly, Mexican-mestiza women mountaineers' rhizomatic bodies embedded vulnerability, adventure, risk, physicality, criticism, or freedom to promote activities that are more inclusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of mountaineers and climbers has increased over the last few years. Considering the geographical features of Iran, this increase in the number of climbers is more significant in this country. Because of the importance of mountaineering injuries, a comprehensive survey of these injuries is needed. In this base, we designed a survey to investigate skeletal injuries in mountaineering accidents. This crosssectional study was conducted on athletes from the Mountaineering Federation of Islamic Republic of the Iran (MFIRI) in 2015 and 2016. A total of 110 athletes were included using a simple random sampling method, and they were examined for any complications after skeletal injuries. Their medical records were reviewed. A total of 110 mountaineers completed the checklists, and 15 mountaineers reported a rock-climbing trauma and injury during 2015 and 2016. The most traumatic location was the lower extremities (46.7%). Additionally, most of trauma occurrences were in descent (80%) and times of day between noon and midnight (64.3%). The mean age of the mountaineers who had a trauma incidence was 37.95±8.76 years. Smoking was significantly different between the two groups. Skeletal injuries during mountaineering and rock climbing mostly affect the lower extremities, followed by the upper extremities and spine. There was no significant difference in age, sex or climbing equipment between the group who had an accident and the group who did not. In this study, there was a relationship between smoking cigarettes and an increased incidence of climbing accidents. Longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are needed to evaluate this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adventure tourism has become one of Malaysia's most attractive tourism demands, and mountain climbing is rapidly becoming a popular recreational sport. Exploring mountain adventures offers a dynamic experience, preserving this fascinating activity, yet the climbers are exposed to the risk of altitude sickness, such as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of AMS and investigate the effects of high-altitude sickness on the climber profile associated with climbing at Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia. Methods:. The Lake Louise acute mountain sickness LLS score questionnaire collected 95 climber's data at four different altitudes. SPO2 and Pulse rate was (PR) measured using a finger pulse oximeter. In a cohort study, AMS was measured on day one at 1866m (1st station), 3622m (2nd station), and day two at 3810m (3rd station), and 4095m (4th station). Results: At the altitude of 1866 (Timpohon Gate), the prevalence of AMS was 0%, 30% at 3622m (Laban Rata), 34.7% at 3810m (Sayat-Sayat), and 37.9% at 4095m (Low's Peak). The overall prevalence of AMS was 37.9% and the majority of AMS cases were moderate in severity and the LLS score is significant with Pulse Rate and peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SPO2). Conclusion: Concisely, this finding has triggered a need for consideration from multi agencies to enhance mountaineering guidance, especially for beginners or inexperienced hikers, for a suitable package for climbing attempts to reduce the incidence of AMS among Mount Kinabalu climbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial mountaineering has gained widespread popularity in recent decades. Global mountaineering challenges - e.g., the Seven Summits challenge to climb the highest summit of each continent - amplify this process, and also raise the profile of individual destinations. The highest volcano on the Earth, the Ojos del Salado in the Dry Andes (Chile/Argentina) is featured in two of the major challenges (Seven Second Summits, Volcanic Seven Summits). Thus, it is a prime extreme outdoor tourism destination. The relative ease of access and the non-technical nature of the ascent have also contributed to the increasing volume of tourism. However, our observations about commercial mountaineering practices reveal surprisingly low success rates on the summit. Based on data from our decade-long environmental monitoring programme and our field experiences, we attribute this to the extreme environment and landscape of the mountain (e.g., cold and dry climate, strong winds, topographical situation, loose surface material), scarce mountaineering facilities, and potential misjudgements by inexperienced climbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountains have long been dominated by men and hypermasculine practices. Women have worked hard to find a legitimate space in them. This paper is drawn from a qualitative study which explores the experiences of 10 women, based in Scotland, who have dedicated part of their lives to mountains. It adds to existing insights on women who have made inroads into mountaineering. Conceptualising mountaineering as a social field structured by masculine domination, the paper seeks to understand the conditions which have enabled the women to successfully embody a disposition to mountaineering over time and interrogates how the women's practices represent a challenge to the continuing dominance of men and hypermasculine narratives that prevail in this field. The paper shows that a number of structural changes in wider society and in mountaineering have enabled women to claim a mountaineering identity but that the field continues to be inflected by narratives of exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study elucidates motives and psychological outcomes of engaging in mountaineering, defined as climbing mountains, trekking, and hiking. Specific activities for completing all 54 Colorado Fourteeners (peaks above 14,000 feet [4,267 meters]) entail long-term nature exposure, incorporating goal orientation. The well-being potential of this goal was examined with respect to the basic psychological needs and organismic integration subtheories of self-determination theory. Data from semi-structured interviews, participant artifacts, and ten years of archived letters were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Goal completion required competence, autonomy, and intrinsic motivation. Relatedness was illustrated through interpersonal relationship, nature connection, and place attachment, indicating that relatedness needs in mountaineering are also met through nonhuman connection. Landscapes above treeline on Fourteeners were highlighted for their importance in place attachment. Finishers experienced persistent positive affect from achieving the goal, contributing to well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is about Tatarpazarı District, which is now within the borders of Bulgaria and also known as Pazardžik, with regard to the kefalet register dated September 14, 1796. The reason why this subject is chosen is that Tatarpazarı found place predominantly in the 15-17th centuries and 19th century in the literature. Therefore, this study contributes to the integration of the history of Tatarpazarı. The examined kefalet register is far beyond being a social control mechanism to prevent the people of the region from mixing with the bandits and not giving them any help, it reveals the demographic, social, and economic structure of Tatarpazarı at a time when the mountaineer revolts ravaged the Balkan cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The diagnosis of acute mountain sickness, which lacks a reliable and objective diagnostic tool, still depends on the clinical symptoms and signs and remains a major threat and unpredictable disease affecting millions of mountaineers. Objectives: To record electroencephalography signals with small, convenient, wireless equipment and to test whether electroencephalography parameters, which are more sensitive and reliable markers, could predict the symptoms of acute mountain sickness. Methods: Twenty-five participants were enrolled and separated into two groups to climb Mount Jade in Taiwan. We collected electrocardiography signals and arterial oxygen saturation data at ground, moderate (2,400 m), and high altitude (3,400 m). A spectral analysis of the electrocardiography was performed to assess the study subjects' electroencephalography activity at different frequencies (α, β, θ, δ) and the mean power frequency of electrocardiography. The clinical symptoms and Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness scores of the subjects were recorded for comparison. Results: A significant change in the δ power of electroencephalography was recorded in subjects ascending from the ground to a high altitude of 3,400 m in a 4-day itinerary. In addition, between the two groups of subjects with and without acute mountain sickness (Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness scores < 3 and ≥ 3), the δ power of electroencephalography at the fronto-parietal 1 and parietal 3 electrodes at moderate altitude as well as the changes of δ power and mean power frequency of electrocardiography over parietal 4 at high altitude showed a significant difference. At moderate altitude, the increasing δ power of electroencephalography at the parietal 4 electrode was related to the headache symptom of acute mountain sickness before ascending to high altitude. Conclusion: At moderate altitude, the δ power increase of electroencephalography at the P4 electrode could be a predictor of acute mountain sickness symptoms before ascending to high altitude. Thus, electroencephalography had the potential to identify the risk of acute mountain sickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Julie Rak's book, False Summit: Gender in Mountaineering Nonfiction, explores the relationship between gender, power, and representation in the climbing world. Rak examines traditional mountaineering narratives and exposes the cultural construct of a "traditional mountaineering body" that perpetuates gender disparities within the climbing community. She highlights how women, disabled, and non-white climbers often face marginalization and their accomplishments are overlooked due to deeply ingrained biases. Rak also delves into the interplay between mountaineering memoirs and national identity, emphasizing the connection between climbing, storytelling, and collective understandings of climbing and human relationships with the natural world. The book calls for more inclusive and diverse representations of climbers' journeys and challenges dominant narratives in the field. [Extracted from the article]

Background: research on physical activity has extensively shown that regular exercise produces many physical and psychological benefits. However, excessively practiced physical activities can also have negative effects, both physical and psychological. One of them is the risk of becoming dependent on exercise, similar to substances such as drugs or alcohol. Most studies on exercise dependence have focused on runners and strength athletes. Aim of the study: This study aimed to explore the prevalence of exercise dependence in climbers. Material and methods: A group of 272 climbers (32.3±8.7 years old) participated in the study. They were divided into three groups: sport/rock climbers (59.6%), boulderers (30.2%), and mountaineers (10.3%). Data was collected using the Exercise Dependence Scale (EDS). Results: Based on EDS scores, 44 climbers (16.2%) were classified as at-risk for exercise dependence, 183 (67.3%) as nondependent-symptomatic, and 45 (16.5%) as asymptomatic. Competitive and non-competitive climbers significantly differed in tolerance, and boulderers scored significantly higher than rock climbers and mountaineers. Conclusions: Climbers are at risk of developing exercise dependence, especially those who participate in climbing competitions and who are boulderers. However, more research is needed to further characterize this phenomenon in the climbing community [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores novel ways in which Corpus Linguistics, Critical Discourse Studies (DHA - the discourse-historical approach), and Feminist Linguistics can be fruitfully combined and thus contribute to a new awareness and knowledge concerning language and gender in discourse. For the paper a large heritage corpus of texts on mountaineering (Alpenwort - Corpus of the Austrian Alpine Club Journal) is explored, which constitutes a type of discourse that has yet rarely been studied in the abovementioned fields. The corpus was used to analyse gendered nomination with the following questions in mind: What frequently occurring patterns and typical ways of producing gendered nomination can be observed? How are the binary categories 'female' and 'male' linguistically produced and reinforced in these texts? These questions are answered using standard corpus linguistic methods: for example, gendered key items are determined via historical keyness-analysis; the concept of c-collocates and the method UFA (Usage Fluctuation Analysis) are used to trace how the meaning of such key items develops over time. These procedures reveal salient patterns of gender referencing that are then interpreted with the background of the DHA framework and can thus contribute to the investigation of gender bias in sports/leisure discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DeLoughery, Emma P. and Thomas G. DeLoughery. Review and Analysis of Mountaineering Accidents in the United States from 1947–2018. High Alt Med Biol. 23:114–118, 2022. Introduction: Given the popularity of mountaineering, it is important to better understand accidents related to this sport. We undertook this review of accidents to better understand the demographics and locations involved in mountaineering accidents over 71 years. Methods: Data collected from "Accidents in North American Mountaineering" booklets from 1947 to 2018 included the date, state and location of the accident, sex and age of the victim, type of accident, injuries sustained, and distance fallen if a fall occurred. If at least 10 accidents occurred in an individual state and/or location, these sites were separately analyzed. Results: From 1947 to 2018, 2,799 people were reported to be involved in mountaineering accidents, and 43% of these accidents resulted in death. Women were involved in 12% of cases. Falls were the most common accident (68% incidence, 45% fatal), followed by falling rock (7%, 26% fatal), avalanche (6%, 75% fatal), and falling into a crevasse (2%, 52% fatal). The average age of victims was 30 years. California had the most accidents (18%), followed by Washington (16%) and Alaska (15%). Denali had the greatest frequency of both accidents and deaths (11%, 8% of deaths), followed by Mount Rainier (6%, 7% of deaths) and Mount Hood (2%, 3% of deaths). Conclusions: Accident victims tend to be young and predominantly male, and the accidents themselves are most often falls. Avalanches were identified as an accident cause with a high fatality rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change leads to deep modifications of high Alpine environments. Those modifications have significant consequences on mountaineering itineraries and make them technically more difficult and more dangerous. Although a growing number of studies have recently documented this issue, they only list the processes affecting the itineraries and do not document their characteristics. Therefore, the acquired data lack relevance to be spread and for prevention making among climbers. In the present study, on the basis of the processes identified in previous studies in the Mont Blanc massif, we developed a legend in order to map the processes related to climate change that affect the itineraries and modify their climbing parameters. Following the UNIL geomorphological legend and using the same color code, 21 symbols were defined to map 23 processes. In order to evaluate the applicability and interest of the legend proposed, we present a first application in the Valais Alps (Switzerland), based on 21 semi-structured interviews with local Alpine guides and hut keepers. The map then allowed to list the processes affecting each of the 36 itineraries studied. On average, an itinerary is affected by 9 different processes and 25% of the itineraries have greatly evolved, which means their ascent in summer cannot be recommended anymore because of climate change. More generally, this legend would provide a common methodological basis, destined to be completed within future studies and to be relevant beyond the European Alps. This basis would also ease the comparability and compilation of results from different future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fortunately, fatal accidents while high-altitude mountaineering have decreased in recent years, but the number of emergencies has increased. These nonfatal emergencies might represent situations where alpinists are stranded (emergencies in which alpinists are no longer able to continue their tour on their own because of, for example, exhaustion, equipment problems, or weather). We analyzed 4596 cases of high-altitude-mountaineering emergencies in the period 2009 to 2020 from the SAC (Swiss Alpine Club) emergency registry. In total, 1951 cases (41.6%) were due to being stranded, 1348 cases were due to falls (28.7%), and 352 cases were due to illness (7.5%); these were the three most common classes. In cases of being stranded, 90% of alpinists were uninjured or not seriously injured. In addition, we found only eight fatal cases. More than 50% of cases occurred while ascending a summit above 4000 m. The main causes of becoming stranded were exhaustion and weather changes. These findings suggest that alpinists contact rescue organizations before experiencing serious troubles; these situations thus present risks and dangers both to those stranded and to emergency services. Since exhaustion and weather changes are the two main causes, adequate preparation and tour planning may help prevent such emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to analyze falls regarding their demographic characteristics, severity, frequency over time, and the localization of injuries while high-altitude mountaineering in the Swiss Alps. Methods: Data on fall-related emergencies during mountaineering between 2009 to 2020 from the Swiss Alpine Club central registry were analyzed retrospectively. The variables age, sex, time of occurrence, severity of an event quantified by NACA-Score (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Score), and injury localization were examined descriptively. Changes in injury severity, number of total emergencies, and fatal emergencies over time were analyzed using linear regression models. Results: Out of 1347 (28.7%) victims of fall-related emergencies, 1027 were men (76.2%) and 320 (23.8%) women. Around 70% of the cases happened during summer in July and August. The mean age was 49.9 ± 14.9 years for men and 51.3 ± 14.4 years for women with no between-sex difference. Higher NACA-Scores were found in men than women (3.6 ± 2.2 vs. 3.1 ± 1.6; p < 0.01). Approximately 80% of all victims originated from the countries close to the Alps (Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, and Austria). There was a slight decrease of total cases (R2 = 0.104) and fatal cases over time (R2 = 0.183). NACA-Scores decreased over time (R2 = 0.168). Likewise, risk aversion decreased over time as the severity of emergencies decreased. Injuries occurred predominantly at the extremities (90%). Out of all cases, 228 fatal emergencies (16.9%) could be identified of which 82 occurred while climbing one of the classic 4000ers. Conclusions: The decrease of the number and severity implies that security standards of the average alpinist have in tendency increased. Nevertheless, the high number of emergencies on classic 4000ers implies that despite the potentially improved security standards, many tours on famous mountains still have high requirements in terms of alpine skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulley injuries and Dupuytren disease are quite common in rock climbing. We report a rock climber who was treated for a Dupuytren contracture with collagenase injection therapy. Two months later, he developed a traumatic pulley injury during climbing and was treated with a ring orthosis. However, the finger contracture deteriorated and both a recurrent pulley rupture and a second pulley rupture were diagnosed. We were unable to find any reports on the use of collagenase in rock climbers with Dupuytren disease. We report a case of pulley rupture in a rock climber, treated for Dupuytren contracture in the treated and an adjacent finger, 2 months after the injection of collagenase. Level of Evidence: Level V (Therapeutic) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain climbing at high altitude implies exposure to low levels of oxygen, low temperature, wind, physical and psychological stress, and nutritional insufficiencies. We examined whether right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) myocardial masses were reversibly altered by exposure to extreme altitude. Magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography of the heart, dual x‐ray absorptiometry scan of body composition, and blood samples were obtained from ten mountain climbers before departure to Mount Everest or Dhaulagiri (baseline), 13.5 ± 1.5 days after peaking the mountain (post‐hypoxia), and six weeks and six months after expeditions exceeding 8000 meters above sea level. RV mass was unaltered after extreme altitude, in contrast to a reduction in LV mass by 11.8 ± 3.4 g post‐hypoxia (p = 0.001). The reduction in LV mass correlated with a reduction in skeletal muscle mass. After six weeks, LV myocardial mass was restored to baseline values. Extreme altitude induced a reduction in LV end‐diastolic volume (20.8 ± 7.7 ml, p = 0.011) and reduced E', indicating diastolic dysfunction, which were restored after six weeks follow‐up. Elevated circulating interleukin‐18 after extreme altitude compared to follow‐up levels, might have contributed to reduced muscle mass and diastolic dysfunction. In conclusion, the mass of the RV, possibly exposed to elevated afterload, was not changed after extreme altitude, whereas LV mass was reduced. The reduction in LV mass correlated with reduced skeletal muscle mass, indicating a common denominator, and elevated circulating interleukin‐18 might be a mechanism for reduced muscle mass after extreme altitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental toughness (MT) is a key psychological variable related to achievement in performance domains and perseverance in challenging circumstances. We sought to understand the lived experiences of mentally tough high-altitude mountaineers, focusing primarily upon decisions to persevere or abort summit attempts. Phenomenological interviews were conducted with 14 mountaineers including guides, expedition leaders, and doctors (Mage = 44 years). A content analysis was employed to identify key themes in the data. Participants emphasized the importance of MT in extreme environments and described rational, flexible, and vigilant decision-making. Turning around without summiting was the toughest decision reported, with recognition of the thin line between persevering and overstretching. In contrast to much MT literature, mountaineers accepted limits, demonstrated restraint, and sacrificed personal goals to aid others. Costly perseverance was also reported with some mountaineers described as "too tough": overcompetitive, goal-obsessed, and biased decision-makers. These findings revealed both benefits and dangers of MT in mountaineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ability to generate high levels of force with the finger flexor muscles and sustain it for the maximum time was reported as a climbing performance factor. This study aimed to answer the question of which is the most reliable edge depth to measure maximum hanging time in non-elite and elite rock climbers: 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14 mm.Methods: Thirty-six climbers (10 female, 26 male; 6b-8c redpoint level) were assessed twice, one week apart.Results: Systematic bias (95 % limits of agreements) was -1.84 (6.31) for HT6, -0.26 (8.83) for HT8, -1.30 (8.72) for HT10, -4.37 (9.57) for HT12, and -2.94 (9.53) for HT14 at non-elite group (all P values > 0.05 but HT12 and HT14). Among elite group, -1.38 (7.58), 0.68 (12.09), -2.20 (13.35), -0.49 (9.80) and 0.73 (10.44) was found (all P > 0.05) for HT6, HT8, HT10, HT12 and HT14, respectively. No patterns of heteroscedasticity were observed for any of the trials for non-elite and elite climbers.Significance: Among all edge depths analysed, 8 mm seemed to be the most accurate edge to evaluate hanging time. Alternatively, a 10 mm hold depth could be recommended for climbers from 6b to 7c, and 12 mm for climbers from 7c+ to 8c. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the environmental impact of mountaineering and climbing. In recent years, they have become one of the enticing sports practiced by amateurs and athletes. The results obtained unequivocally reveal that a commitment of the organizers to the protection of the environment and the natural resources of the mountains and rocks is needed. This includes the protection of endangered plant and animal species, their ecosystems, and the environment. Conclusion: The joint efforts of various institutions are needed in order to increase the popularity and awareness of the commented sports, which should be realized under optimal environmental conditions and not violate its ecological sustainability. This requires a current environmental policy and education aimed at future development in this direction. Mountains and rocks are a limited resource that must be shared by climbers and climbers with different interests and from different generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores Robert Southey's literary responses to his walking experiences in Spain as he recounted them in Letters Written During a Short Residence in Spain and Portugal (1797). Published after a four-month visit to the Iberian Peninsula, Letters departs from previous travelogues in offering, apart from factual details, subjective impressions of the places visited both in prose and verse. Nonetheless, I argue, Southey adopts a more intimate and self-reflective mood when he relates his pedestrian excursions in verse, not only showing a deeper aesthetic engagement with the natural surroundings but also acquiring an inward look. Moved by the bodily exertion of walking and hill climbing in Spain, Southey produced a series of poems in which the fragility of memory, the feelings of isolation and distress and the related poetic incapacity are explored. Encompassing examples from Coleridge's and Wordsworth's poems, in this essay I read Southey's poems in Letters as aligned with and contributing to the then emerging Romantic pedestrian poetics, though at the same time showing their ideosyncracy derived from Southey's complex approach to the Other in 'a land of strangers'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Myofascial stiffness is the biomechanical property that can be considered as a modifiable risk factor injury of athletes. Moreover, the level of muscle stiffness can be crucial to assessment muscle adaptation to exercise. However, stiffness of flexor muscles in rock climbers has never been investigated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the myofascial stiffness of the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) in the rock climbers. Methods: The group of rock climbers (n = 16) has been compared to the non-climbers group (n = 16), matched in terms of anthropometric measures and an average level of physical fitness. Moreover, the impact of the one-time rock climbing training on FDS stiffness was assessed in the rock climbers group. The measurement of myotonometric myofascial stiffness of FDS muscles was performed, when the elbow was flexed and fully extended. In both positions, the measurements were taken with the hand open and closed. Results: It has been shown that rock climber's FDS muscle stiffness before training was significantly higher (from 15 to 20%) compared to non-climbers group. Moreover, after climbing myofascial stiffness of FDS muscles increased significantly from 25 to 40%. Conclusions: Rock climbers have significantly higher stiffness of FDS muscles after rock climbing training. Moreover, the increased stiffness in the FDS differentiates rock climbers from the active and healthy control group. Results may indicate that decrease of muscle stiffness of FDS can be an important factor for the improvement of the climbing effectiveness and prevention of overload in the forearm flexor muscles and their recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of research was to investigat the causal relationship between sustainable development and perception of risk with the mediating role of the personality of mountaineering athletes in country. The research method was descriptive-analytical and the statistical population consisted of northwestern mountaineers. 385 people were selected by cluster stratified random sampling method. The research tools were the researchermade questionnaires for sustainable development of mountaineers that were prepared during the instrument making process, personality (HEXACO, 2004) and perception of risk (Mun, 2004). For confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis were used to evaluate the construct validity and path analysis using PLS2. Findings showed that the measurement and structural model has a good fit, so sustainable development has a positive and significant relationship directly with the perception of risk and personality, personality also has a positive and significant relationship with perception of risk. Sustainable development through sports personality has a slight indirect relationship with perception of risk, indicating partial mediation between the two variables. To achieve the goals of sustainable development mountaineers and mountaineering practitioners pay attention to their perception of risk and personality They can reduce accidents and casualties in mountaineering and take effective steps in managing the sustainable development of mountaineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Velocities within an icefall are typically the fastest within a glacier system and experience complex flow. The combination of convergent and fast flow, and steep slope generate a quickly changing and intensely fractured surface. This complicates velocity extraction from repeat satellite images, especially when common pattern matching procedures are used. In this study, we exploit the high temporal revisit of medium-resolution satellite images using a novel image matching technique, ensemble matching, making it possible to generate a high-resolution (30 m) velocity field from high-repeat image sequences despite challenging image conditions. We demonstrate this technique for the first time in the glaciology domain using repeat Sentinel-2 optical data over the famous Khumbu icefall, situated on the southern slopes of Mount Everest. Estimates of velocity go just over 1 m d−1, which is slower than summer velocities from noisy single pair image matching. This icefall is frequently crossed by high-altitude mountaineers who use a route confined by fixed ropes and ladders set out every season. The mountain climbers typically record their trajectory on their personal satellite navigation device. We use such volunteered geographic information to verify our velocity estimates, confirming our underestimation with ensemble matching. Besides unprecedented remotely sensed surface velocities over the icefall, we also note that the generated velocity field can aid with the planning of a safe passage through this icefall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of the Law on Mountain Trails from 2014, amended in 2015, gives hope that conditions for the development and promotion of mountaineering tourism will be created in Macedonia, by establishing safe conditions for using mountain and hiking trails and paths. The adoption of the Law determines the conditions and the arrangement of mountain trails and paths, their maintenance, classification and categorization, as well as other issues important for their use. In this way, greater protection of the nature and prevention of negative consequences for biodiversity will be achieved. This Law, together with Bylaws, contains numerous regulations that are fully related to the determination of the mountain paths and trails. The legislation is a good precondition for the development of this segment of alternative tourism in Macedonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the strategies women use to negotiate mountaineering participation constraints and the resultant benefits from participation. Survey responses from 321 female mountaineers produced four constraint negotiation dimensions and three participation benefit dimensions using confirmatory factor analysis. Three of the four negotiation dimensions support earlier findings in the literature on women's experiences of adventure activities. The identification of a fourth dimension relating to 'confidence and adaptation' represents a new contribution. Similarly, the three benefit dimensions largely support existing literature. However, some benefits loaded on different dimensions to what has previously been reported and verifying the influence of each negotiation dimension on specific benefit dimensions also represents an original contribution. Therefore, this study extends our understanding of female adventure participants and quantitatively verifies women's constraint negotiation and participation benefits in the context of mountaineering. Accordingly, this study makes an important theoretical contribution to the understanding of women's adventure experiences in mountaineering, which may be of interest to others researching female participation in other adventure activities. The findings also suggest that mountaineering is a space that is being used as a means to resist gendered expectations and to gain empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 3 June 1950, Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, two Frenchmen, began the final climb to the summit of Mount Annapurna. They succeeded, and thus, they became legends. The jubilation of the French Mountaineering Federation is exemplified in the foreword by its president Lucien Devies in the 1951 official photograph album, Regards vers l'Annapurna. He wrote: 'Annapurna! More than a triumph over nature, it is a victory over one's self. There is no more powerful way to show that the destiny of mankind is indeed to surpass one's self'. Our study of Regards vers l'Annapurna explores the mysteries of extremism, ordalic behavior—and both the power issues involved (personal ambitions, national propaganda, editorial, political and economic strategies) and the contexts which favoured their emergence. Our analysis of this masterfully illustrated book shows how the violation of the ethical values that generally drive this sport was presented as a model of success. Our study of this iconographic source also shows the confrontation between two radically different visions of mountaineering (political vs. poetic). It was in the end the political aspect embodied by Maurice Herzog that triumphed. After this victory on the roof of the world, France's international image was significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In one study on collegiate golfers, access to sunscreen and sun protective gear significantly increased sunscreen application during golf practice.8 A new sunscreen designed appropriately for rock climbers may promote sunscreen use. Although climbers demonstrated an understanding regarding proper sun protection through the utilization of sunscreen, this did not necessarily correlate to sunscreen routines. When participants were asked whether sunscreen should be used on skin that has a tan due to prior sun exposure, 85% acknowledged that sunscreen should be used on tanned skin.4 Ninety percent recognized the importance of sunscreen use during cloudy days. [Extracted from the article]