When did you first start climbing Mountains?

[rob runkle]

When did you first start climbing mountains? Not hiking, but actual mountains, that you would today consider calling "mountaineering." Most higher elevation peaks fall into this category for me, and some of the lower, more serious Eastern US peaks would also.

For me, it was 2002, and I started hiking 14ers, because one of my Colorado friends mentioned to me something about a place called "Longs Peak." I googled it, and my eyes were opened. I was (and still am) a pretty serious marathon runner, and I wanted to take the next step in my adventure/endurance evolution. My first trip was: Day 1 - Grays, Torreys, Bierstadt; Day 2 - Longs Peak; Day 3 - Sherman, Sheridan, Quandary; Day 4 - The Decalibron. I was hooked!!

[huffy13]

Hiked Mt. Elbert on Aug. 1, 2007. Became an addict on that day.

[jrbren_vt]

I think I am going to get hung up the definition of "mountaineering" & "actual mountain". I became interested in mountains when I moved to Vermont in 1989 and climbed Mt Mansfield. I grew up in the midwest & never traveled so Mt Mansfield was the first mountain I ever saw. When your used to the plains, it looks impressive. That's hiking though, not mountaineering, with my definition of mountaineering. I would also not call any of the peaks I have done in CO as "mountaineering", they are all class 1 or 2 walk ups (hikes). I would call a couple of the peaks I did in Scotland closer to mountaineering then those. Is is class 3/4 scrambling Mountaineering (to me, yes) ? Is it mountaineering if you go as a client with a guide service ? I think all of my glacier climbs have been, and will in the future be done in that capacity. I think we all agree class 5 peaks are mountaineering in summer. What about class 1/2 winter ascents ? Good topic though, sorry for being a wet blanket.

[rob runkle]

I think I am going to get hung up the definition of "mountaineering" & "actual mountain". I became interested in mountains when I moved to Vermont in 1989 and climbed Mt Mansfield. I grew up in the midwest & never traveled so Mt Mansfield was the first mountain I ever saw. When your used to the plains, it looks impressive. That's hiking though, not mountaineering, with my definition of mountaineering. I would also not call any of the peaks I have done in CO as "mountaineering", they are all class 1 or 2 walk ups (hikes). I would call a couple of the peaks I did in Scotland closer to mountaineering then those. Is is class 3/4 scrambling Mountaineering (to me, yes) ? Is it mountaineering if you go as a client with a guide service ? I think all of my glacier climbs have been, and will in the future be done in that capacity. I think we all agree class 5 peaks are mountaineering in summer. What about class 1/2 winter ascents ? Good topic though, sorry for being a wet blanket.

Yeah, that is an inevitable difficulty in the definition. I would have gone with Mt Mansfield as the start.

[Sean Nunn]

Long's 2001. What a stupid way to start climbing mountains. Not recommended as a first mountain.
Very much recommended as a 15th mountain.

[Jon Frohlich]

Depends on what exactly you count as my first "mountain" but sometime in 2001 regardless. My first 14er was Quandary in late July of 2001. My coworkers that took me swore that the way I looked after the first one that I'd never do another peak.

Their prediction was just a bit off...

[climbingcue]

This was my 1st hike over 6,300 ft and it was the summer after I finished high school. Ever since that trip to Zermatt I have wanted to move to Colorado, and I made it happen November 2016. I have hiked 26 14ers since I moved out here.

Mettelhorn elevation 10,892 ft with some of the best views of the Matterhorn. Hike was 6,030 ft vertical gain.

https://www.zermatt.ch/en/Media/Plannin ... Mettelhorn

[Trailrunner]

I think I am going to get hung up the definition of "mountaineering" & "actual mountain". I became interested in mountains when I moved to Vermont in 1989 and climbed Mt Mansfield.

As a Vermonter, climbing Mt. Mansfield seemed to be a rite of passage - my 5th grade class climbed it (the school took the 5th graders on a field trip every year, after hiking Mt. Pisgah in 4th grade to "warm us up").

[Markwise]

Early 90's leaning towards a mountaineering definition.

Mid-to-late 80's if you start with simple mountains like Mt. Herman north of the Springs.

[Mtnman200]

First 10: Deer Mtn. (8/28/66) [as a five-year old]
First 11: Marmot Point (7/20/69)
First 12: Specimen Mtn. (7/22/69)
First 13er: Fairchild Mtn (7/1/70)
First 14er: Longs Peak (6/29/72)

This thread makes me feel old!

[boudreaux]

It was Pikes Peak on June 25, 1991 via the Barr Trail. Been in Colorado for all of 7 days. What was I thinking? Donuts and the hot chocolate never tasted better. Got a ride back to Manitou from a Mountain House employee. Does that still count? I tried to climb Bross from Quartzville as my 1st 14er, but failed on June 21st. After Pikes Peak, I made it up to South Elbert from Twin Lakes at the Willis Gulch/CT TH. The TH wasn't there yet, but campers had been using this place for decades. I know, how come you didn't go all the way to the top? I had no map, was tired and it looked far, far away! Just getting up Parry was a tremendous feat. 3rd peak and already learning those bushwhacking skills. Game trails were the key that day. Darwin move of the day was jumping off a cliff into a tall aspen tree to get down quickly from a seemly never ending cliff face.

My 1st ever peak attempt was Sheep Mountain over by Cheeseman in August 1971. I didn't make it that day, wanted my momma, Big things start from small beginnings as they say.

[rob runkle]

First 10: Deer Mtn. (8/28/66) [as a five-year old]
First 11: Marmot Point (7/20/69)
First 12: Specimen Mtn. (7/22/69)
First 13er: Fairchild Mtn (7/1/70)
First 14er: Longs Peak (6/29/72)

This thread makes me feel old!

You are one of the inspirations for the thread...