Why do it?
Is “Because it’s there” a good enough reason to do something? Do you want to do it to become wealthier, to be more secure, to learn something or just to get to the top?
Prepare
You need to work out what you resources you need, you need to work out a rough schedule as well. You also need to make sure you’re up to the task and have the right team around you.
Plan Your Route
A map isn’t a requirement if the terrain is easy and recognisable. The more complicated it is, and the more unknown it is, the more you need to think about where you’re going.
Take Notice Of Paths
Paths are only there because people have done it before. You can use known good paths to your goal, you can use them as rough guides to the direction you should be heading or you can ignore them altogether. The only thing to remember is the well-trodden path is well-trodden for a reason. Is it the right reason?
Stop And Enjoy The View
Enjoy the journey. If you plough on to your summit, you can miss out on what you’ve achieved so far, and there’s nothing better for your motivation than to take stock of how much you’ve done. Take the time to resurvey your surroundings. Is there a better path from your current position that you didn’t spot until now? Are you on schedule?
The Summit
Take time to enjoy it while you are there. If it doesn’t feel satisfying, was it challenging enough?
Other Peaks
Once you’ve reached the summit you wanted, or even before you get there, are there any other peaks worth going to? You’ve already done most the hard work, so sometimes it’s only a minor detour to acheive something in addition to your original plan.
Shortcuts
There are no real shortcuts. The shortest routes are steeper, more dangerous and more difficult. The easier routes are longer, but safer. You just have to work out how to balance the two.
The Journey Down
Even once you’ve achieved your goal of the summit, there’s still a lot of work to do to finish the job off properly. It’ll be easier than getting to the top, but it won’t be plain sailing.
Thanks to Brian Drought who wrote the first draft of this, Image from Totem staff
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goals, journey, motivation, mountaineering, outdoor development, planning, preparation
