Mountaineering

The term mountaineering describes the sport of mountain climbing, including ski mountaineering.Hiking in the mountains can also be a simple form of mountaineering when it involves scrambling, or short stretches of the more basic grades of rock climbing, as well as crossing glaciers.

While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed big mountains it has branched into specializations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists of three (3) areas: rock-craft, snow-craft, and skiing, depending on whether the route chosen is over rock, snow or ice. All require experience, athletic ability, and technical knowledge to maintain safety.

Mountaineering is often called Alpinism, especially in European languages, which implies climbing with difficulty such high, and often snow and ice-covered mountains as the Alps. A mountaineer with such great skill is called an Alpinist. The word alpinism was born in the 19th century to refer to climbing for the purpose of enjoying climbing itself as a sport or recreation, distinct from merely climbing while hunting or as a religious pilgrimage that had been done generally at that time.

Alpinist Unit

The Alpinist Unit is a special Israeli Defence Force infantry reserve unit, under the command of the Israeli Northern Command, specializing in mountain warfare, snow warfare and difficult terrain warfare in the northern front, especially Mt. Hermon.

The Alpinists are proficient in many aspects of snow warfare, among them shooting and attacking while sliding on skis and custom-made Snowcats, defensive tactics, and more. The unit was established in 1983. The unit's training is usually conducted by elements of Indian MARCOS, Special Frontier Force/Gorkhas, and the Nepalese Special Army Rangers/No. 10 Brigade.

Their standard equipment includes M4 Carbine assault rifles, the new Israeli TAR-21 Tavor assault rifle, "Negev" light machine gun and sniper rifles, mostly M24 and SR-25.

References

Alpinist (magazine)

Alpinist is a quarterly American magazine focused on mountaineering ascents worldwide.

History and profile

Alpinist was originally published out of Jackson, Wyoming and was founded in 2002. With resurrection in 2009, the magazine is now based in Jeffersonville, Vermont.

Alpinist won the Maggie Award for Best Overall Design/Consumer Category from the Western Publication Association (WPA) for Alpinist's Autumn issue (Issue 8) in 2005 and the Maggie Award for the Best Quarterly/Consumer Division in April 2004 for its Winter 2003–2004 issue (Issue 5). The magazine focuses on 'fast and light' ascents and advocates a rigorous clean-climbing style (not leaving gear behind).

On October 16, 2008 the magazine announced that it was closing operations due to financial problems. The magazine was re-launched on April 15, 2009 with Michael Kennedy as the new Editor-in-Chief by Height of Land Publications, home of Telemark Skier and Backcountry magazines.

See also