You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
T'missus and I really want to climb a 20 000 ft mountain when we retire ( 4 years time) 6 000m would do or even something close to that.
I am used to scottish hillwalking including in winter and have (years ago) done some hiking in south american over 15 000 ft. We are also used to spending multiple days on our own in wild country but have no real "dangling" experience
I do not want to do a guided trip up Kilimanjaro or similar - I want to do it unguided although I realise this might not be possible but I do not want to be one of a party of tourists queuing to get on the top. If we have to have a guide then I want it to just be me and t'missus and a guide
I have been looking at Bolivia - there are "trekking" peaks ie non technical that would be possible and we would have plenty of time to acclimatise to the altitude as we could spend 2 or 3 months trekking in bolivia on the altiplano.
My Dad did Gokyo Ri in the Himalayas at 64 with only 75% lung capacity but that was a very organised trek. I'd like to do something a bit less supported / organised
I realise this is a big and difficult thing to attempt but it is not completely impossible aim.
So - I know there is a wealth of experience in all sorts of outdoorsy stuff here. anyone done any big mountains? any thoughts on what would be possible that fits the bill?
Ta
Going to be tricky getting you to that altitude unguided. In north America, only Denali hits that height.
Aconcagua is the closest to fitting the bill, I think. Pretty non-technical, as much as any mountain above 6000m can be. And that's nearer 7000m so potentially a lot more complicated.
Anything in Asia you would probably require either a fair bit of trekking/mountaineering experience to self-organise or some guiding. Island Peak I think is 6000m or so and not that technical, but not sure of the logistics of DIY expeditions in terms of permits and legals.
what about the one round the back of nationwide in swindon?
Ýou need to be careful with the term trekking peak certainly with regards the Himalayan peaks and patagonia as they can be more like mountaineering peaks for mortals and quite serious propositions. The trekking peaks of nepal is worth buying as a bit of a day dreaming book.
If you fancy an alps 4000m peak that's straightforward, with isolation and i'm pretty sure the crevasse danger is very low, can i recommend gran paradiso. It's basically a snow and ice walk to great height. When i was there, there were people camping and bivi-ing rather than staying in the hut. Go mid week in September and you'll pretty much have the mountain to yourselves.
And TBH you might well get as much if not more sense of achievement from that as from a smallish peak (relatively!) in the Himalaya.
Aconcagua is permit and guide only. I know that there are 6 peaks in the Bolivian andes at 6000m that are non technical - hoping to do one of those. Even lower than 6000m would be OK if we could do it unguided and it had the big mountain feel.
I think you are right about Himalayas - would need to be an organised trek. We don't have the experience and you have to have guides and permits
Island Peak? Where is that?
Done a couple of 10 000 ft peaks in the Pyrenees and a couple of tops in the julian alps as well as a couple in the swiss alps ( can't remeber the hights)- not the same as being really high tho I know. Highest I have been is 15 000 ft and that was thru a pass in the Andes ( very frustrating in a way as I could see the summits each side and a route up but I was the most experienced in our little group so couldn't make an attempt) - that was unguided but I believe to do that route now the authorities insist on a guide
Martin - you are right about the sense of achievement - Dad said gokyo ri didn't feel that high as at 17500 ft he was looking at 25 000 peaks all around him
Just dreaming now really and I know enough to know that I don't know a lot and would need really good advice and perhaps a guide to succeed.
Plenty of accessible 4000m peaks in Switzerland. The Eiger is quite doable (clearly not via North Face)
Everest Base Camp is 5300m and it would be cool to see the mountain "up close", the camp itself might be a bit dissapointing.
4000m is not enough to fufill the dream. Been there already near enough. Its not 6000m or nothing but our feelings are quite close to this. Needs to be the biggest in the area as well really and to be a really big mountain
Everest base camp / annapurna circuit is not enough I ant wild. unsupported and to be the only people on the summit
I know - pie in the sky and moon on a stick 😉
Elbrus, surely? Seem to remember plenty of guided trips on offer if you desire. But I'm told easily walkable if not.
Do your research first though obvs 🙂 I think someone on here has done it.
EDIT https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbrus_climbing_routes
I've been to Aconcagua and whilst it isn't technical by the tourist route it is extremely arduous or attritional. It's near to 7000m so that's a serious issue and the weather can be punishing. We turned back on summit day because of frozen feet. We didn't have a guide, have things changed since 2003?
It also quite busy and 'dirty' so I don't think I'd recommend it for a 'once in a lifetime' trip. There are plenty of prettier peaks in the world.
Perhaps something in Nepal like Mera Peak [s]or how about the Annapurna circuit (5,416m)?[/s]edit
Ta Donald
thats why Aconcagua is not really on the list - 6000m is easier than 7000m and there are some peaks possible in the andes that because they are not the highest are not often climbed and are easier than aconcagua. I can't remember the names of them right now but have a guide book with them in and also guides on the net
Elbrus sounds an interesting call
the main advantage of Bolivia is you can do your acclimatisation propping up a bar in La Paz 😉
I've been to Aconcagua... It's brutal. The year I went was one of the worst weather wise. I ended up getting air lifted off with pulmonary edema, 4 other chaps (not on my expedition) weren't so lucky. 😥 I would love to go back and try again tho as its a beautiful country and lovely people...
My mate got pulmonary oedema at the monchjoch hutte whilst waiting to do the eiger route jambi is probably referring to, it's only 3600m.
That is why we are waiting till we retire - so as not to try to pack it into a fortnights holiday but to take months to acclimatise properly - although I know pulmonary oedema can strike any time to anyone but by spending weeks at 10 - 15 000 ft you should reduce your risk
the Garhwal Himalaya - lots there and easy travel.
Snowdon x 6? 😉
No first hand experience but my first thought was Mera Peak.
https://www.adventurepeaks.com/shop/mera-peak/
This is bigger but looks 'easy'
https://www.adventurepeaks.com/shop/kedarnath-peak/
https://www.adventurepeaks.com/shop/ojos-del-salado-expedition/
Chimborazo in Ecuador?
https://www.adventurepeaks.com/shop/ecuador-volcanoes/
if 6 times snowdon counts then how about my stairs - 25 m lived here 20 years, climbed at least once a day *mumbles, takes off shoes, runs out of digits*
thats 18 000m! Two Everests!
Elbrus is the highest thing for hundreds of miles too.
Acotango seems to be acclaimed as the easiest 6000m in the world - Bolivia / chile border Possible to drive ( offroad) to over 5000m but I wouldn't want to do that. Just under the majic 20 000 ft tho
Elbrus was my first thought after reading your OP.
My bro attempted Aconcagua, didn't get to the top, had to bring down a buddy with altitude sickness. Others in the group made it.