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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 paper identifies and analyses current clothing options available to rock climbers in New Zealand, drawing from data collected via a survey of experienced climbers, relevant literature and a detailed design analysis of garments that are currently on the market. The study considers some of the limitations of current rock-climbing clothing and identifies issues that need to be taken into account to design more practical, responsive, sustainable clothing options for climbers. Drawing on professional design expertise in patternmaking, material selection and garment construction, this analysis is used to inform the development of more appropriate and innovative garment design strategies for rock-climbing. It also recognises the potential for novel development by employing innovations from the field of advanced textiles and apparel, in particular the integration of smart sensing technologies into garments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecoevolutionary drivers of species niche expansion or contraction are critical for biodiversity but challenging to infer. Niche expansion may be promoted by local adaptation or constrained by physiological performance trade-offs. For birds, evolutionary shifts in migratory behavior permit the broadening of the climatic niche by expansion into varied, seasonal environments. Broader niches can be short-lived if diversifying selection and geography promote speciation and niche subdivision across climatic gradients. To illuminate niche breadth dynamics, we can ask how "outlier" species defy constraints. Of the 363 hummingbird species, the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) has the broadest climatic niche by a large margin. To test the roles of migratory behavior, performance trade-offs, and genetic structure in maintaining its exceptional niche breadth, we studied its movements, respiratory traits, and population genomics. Satellite and light-level geolocator tracks revealed an >8,300-km loop migration over the Central Andean Plateau. This migration included a 3-wk, ~4,100-m ascent punctuated by upward bursts and pauses, resembling the acclimatization routines of human mountain climbers, and accompanied by surging blood-hemoglobin concentrations. Extreme migration was accompanied by deep genomic divergence from high-elevation resident populations, with decisive postzygotic barriers to gene flow. The two forms occur side-by-side but differ almost imperceptibly in size, plumage, and respiratory traits. The high-elevation resident taxon is the world's largest hummingbird, a previously undiscovered species that we describe and name here. The giant hummingbirds demonstrate evolutionary limits on niche breadth: when the ancestral niche expanded due to evolution (or loss) of an extreme migratory behavior, speciation followed. [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]

Case: A 15-year-old female rock climber presented with a traumatic coracoid process fracture of her dominant upper extremity that failed extensive nonoperative treatment. She was treated successfully by arthroscopic reduction and suture anchor fixation. Conclusion: A novel surgical technique for coracoid fracture that combines arthroscopic reduction with suture anchor fixation can result in expeditious and durable clinical improvement in a young, high-demand athlete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Overexposure to sunlight and sunburn are the main preventable causes of skin cancer. Outdoor sports are associated with significant levels of sunlight exposure. Aims: We sought to quantify the sun radiation exposure received by outdoor rock climbers and assess their sun exposure habits, sun protection behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge regarding skin cancer. Methods: From April to June 2021, outdoor rock climbers contacted via email completed an online validated self-reported questionnaire on sun related habits, behaviors, attitudes and knowledge. As a pilot trial, ten participants wore a personal dosimeter during two outdoor climbing weekends in May and November 2021. Ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) was also recorded. Results: A total of 217 outdoor rock climbers (103 women), mean age 36.8 ± 8.8 years (range 20–70 years) and median climbing practice per week of 8 h (IQR 7.5) were studied. Two in three (65.9%) participants reported at least one sunburn event during the previous rock climbing season. Of the survey respondents, 49.3% reported using sunscreen with SPF ≥ 15, 47% wore sunglasses, and 14.3% indicated they reapplied sunscreen every two hours. The median personal UVR dose measured during the two outdoor climbing weekends analyzed was 5.2 (IQR 1.8) and 8.8 (IQR 1.1) standard erythemal doses, respectively. Conclusions: The high rates of sunburn, the elevated personal UVR measured and the clearly insufficient sun protection practices followed during rock climbing together with unsatisfactory attitudes towards tanning reveal the need to develop explicit sun protection campaigns and educational strategies to reduce the risk of skin cancer among the athletes studied. [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]

Kriemler, Susi, Kastė Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, Alison Rosier, Linda E. Keyes, Peter Paal, Marija Andjelkovic, Beth A. Beidleman, Mia Derstine, Jacqueline Pichler Hefti, David Hillebrandt, Lenka Horakova, and Dominique Jean; for the UIAA MedCom Writing Group on Women's Health in the Mountains. Frostbite and mortality in mountaineering women: a scoping review—UIAA Medical Commission recommendations. High Alt Med Biol. 24:247–258, 2023. Background: The harsh environment of high altitudes (HA) poses many serious health risks for mountaineers, including cold injuries and death. The aim of this work was to review whether female mountaineers are at special risk for frostbite or death at HA compared with their male counterparts. Methods: The UIAA Medical Commission convened an international author team to review women's health issues at HA and to publish updated recommendations. Pertinent literature from PubMed and Cochrane was identified with additional publications found by hand search. The primary search focus was for articles assessing cold injuries and death in women mountaineers at HA. Results: We reviewed the literature and identified 20 relevant studies: 2 studies on frostbite at HA, plus 7 studies and 1 report for death at HA. An additional 10 studies about frostbite at low altitude were included. We found that female mountaineers at HA were at lower risk of death than their male counterparts, but sex differences in frostbite were inconclusive. Conclusions: The frequency of cold injuries and mortality in female mountaineers is not yet well studied, and the studies that have been published tend to lack precise exposure data. More studies and registries with sex-differentiated data are needed. [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]

Abstract Exploring the connection between leisure activities and environmental behavior is crucial to help leisure destination managers understand leisure participants’ behavior and reduce environmental damage. This study aimed to examine the relationship between leisure crafting and pro-environmental behavior. The mediating role of engagement was also examined. Precisely, 535 mountaineers were surveyed on the Tashan trail in Alishan, Taiwan. The results demonstrated that leisure crafting is positively associated with engagement, while engagement is positively associated with pro-environmental behavior. Additionally, engagement mediates the relationship between leisure crafting and pro-environmental behavior. Based on these findings, the study presented theoretical and practical implications as well as suggestions for future studies. [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]

The Gruta da Lancinha has been receiving visitors in an unorganized manner for over 150 years, causing a series of environmental impacts that threaten this sensitive ecosystem. This work aimed to characterize the caverns' visitors, investigating their origin, motivation, previous experiences, and the way in which their visitation has taken place. An online and physical qualitative survey was applied by adapting "summit books", which are commonly used in mountaineering. Furthermore, the main environmental impacts caused by human visitation were registered and spatialized in GIS, revealing the relationship between both. Lastly, the lack of governmental support for the management of this important natural cavern was discussed, highlighting the urgent need for an environmental management plan for the Gruta da Lancinha Natural Monument. [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]

Drawing on video-recorded data from pre-climbing route mapping with visually impaired climbers and a sight guide, this study uses conversation analysis to investigate the situated deployment of the Italian presentative (e) hai '(and) you have' within locally routinized multimodal Gestalts. The study shows that the guide uses (e) hai to progress route mapping and engage the athlete in tactile actions that target specific features of the route. In this context, (e) hai is packaged with noun phrases, silent pauses, bodily movements, and touch. The arrangement of such syntactic and embodied components is shown to follow a recurrent trajectory in which, between (e) hai and its grammatical completion, syntactic suspension creates a dedicated slot for guide and athlete to physically attain the target object. Routine embeddedness of (e) hai within such arrangement is shown to provide specific affordances to the athletes to anticipate subsequent action and engage in its embodied implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A little explored area of human activity recognition (HAR) is in people operating in relation to extreme environments, e.g., mountaineers. In these contexts, the ability to accurately identify activities, alongside other data streams, has the potential to prevent death and serious negative health events to the operators. This study aimed to address this user group and investigate factors associated with the placement, number, and combination of accelerometer sensors. Eight participants (age = 25.0 ± 7 years) wore 17 accelerometers simultaneously during lab-based simulated mountaineering activities, under a range of equipment and loading conditions. Initially, a selection of machine learning techniques was tested. Secondly, a comprehensive analysis of all possible combinations of the 17 accelerometers was performed to identify the optimum number of sensors, and their respective body locations. Finally, the impact of activity-specific equipment on the classifier accuracy was explored. The results demonstrated that the support vector machine (SVM) provided the most accurate classifications of the five machine learning algorithms tested. It was found that two sensors provided the optimum balance between complexity, performance, and user compliance. Sensors located on the hip and right tibia produced the most accurate classification of the simulated activities (96.29%). A significant effect associated with the use of mountaineering boots and a 12 kg rucksack was established. [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]

Background and purpose: Animal studies suggest that exposure to severe ambient hypoxia for several days may have beneficial long‐term effects on neurodegenerative diseases. Because, the acute risks of exposing human beings to prolonged severe hypoxia on brain structure and function are uncertain, we conducted a pilot study in healthy persons. Methods: We included two professional mountaineers (participants A and B) in a 35‐day study comprising an acclimatization period and 14 consecutive days with oxygen concentrations between 8% and 8.8%. They underwent cerebral magnetic resonance imaging at seven time points and a cognitive test battery covering a spectrum of cognitive domains at 27 time points. We analysed blood neuron specific enolase and neurofilament light chain levels before, during, and after hypoxia. Results: In hypoxia, white matter volumes increased (maximum: A, 4.3% ± 0.9%; B, 4.5% ± 1.9%) whilst gray matter volumes (A, −1.5% ± 0.8%; B, −2.5% ± 0.9%) and cerebrospinal fluid volumes (A, −2.7% ± 2.4%; B, −5.9% ± 8.2%) decreased. Furthermore, the number (A, 11–17; B, 26–126) and volumes (A, 140%; B, 285%) of white matter hyperintensities increased in hypoxia but had returned to baseline after a 3.5‐month recovery phase. Diffusion weighted imaging of the white matter indicated cytotoxic edema formation. We did not observe changes in cognitive performance or biochemical brain injury markers. Discussion: In highly selected healthy individuals, severe sustained normobaric hypoxia over 2 weeks elicited reversible changes in brain morphology without clinically relevant changes in cognitive function or brain injury markers. The finding may pave the way for future translational studies assessing the therapeutic potential of hypoxia in neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of sports performance mainly depends on the scientific degree of sports training. The best monitoring and control of the whole process of sports training is an important guarantee for improving the scientific degree of training. For the scientific monitoring of sports training process, many scholars have carried out research from many aspects. Current research still finds that athletes still have many problems with the protection of their own physical endurance. (1) The monitoring of the sports training process by coaches and athletes is still mainly spontaneous. The monitoring of athletes has not yet formed a system. (2) At present, the monitoring of athletes is mainly carried out from a single discipline or a certain field, and there is no systematic monitoring system. (3) There are many common problems in the monitoring items of the training process in the existing research. Existing studies have relatively little content on specific characteristics. In this paper, a dynamic monitoring system for the training process of elite rock climbers is established, and a training operation mode for rock climbers is established. (1) This paper sorts out the various subsystems of the training system. The monitoring system of sports training process mainly includes target system, personnel organization system, and software and hardware system. In addition, the sports training system proposed in this paper also includes monitoring content system, implementation system, and evaluation system. The sports training process monitoring system also includes a subsystem for monitoring the development of athletic ability of athletes. We take on the training load condition monitoring subsystem; daily physical function state and psychological state monitoring subsystem; and physical and mental health monitoring subsystem. (2) In addition, this paper establishes an operation mode dominated by "scientific research leaders." The model includes three parts: "Administrative Managers, Scientific Research Leaders, and Coaches." (3) Finally, this paper establishes five basic guiding ideologies for the evaluation of training process monitoring results. This paper establishes three reference standards for the evaluation of monitoring indicators. [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]