{"id":44076,"date":"2023-10-13T16:02:56","date_gmt":"2023-10-13T22:02:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?p=44076"},"modified":"2023-10-13T16:02:56","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T22:02:56","slug":"the-best-guides-for-an-8000-meter-mountain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2023\/10\/13\/the-best-guides-for-an-8000-meter-mountain\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Guides for an 8000-Meter Mountain"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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We continue to see preventable deaths on the 8000-meter mountains. In this article, I\u2019ll explore how they can be safely climbed, minimizing but never eliminating the risk of injury or death. To be clear, mountain climbing is dangerous whether you climb alone, with friends, are a sponsored professional or a client on a commercial team. If you don\u2019t think you could die, you shouldn\u2019t go.<\/span>
<\/h1>\n

It comes down to five basic principles: experience, leadership, judgment, risk management and personal responsibility. Let\u2019s break them down.<\/p>\n

Experience<\/strong><\/h1>\n

The best climbers go to an 8000er fully prepared<\/u>\u2014physically, emotionally, mentally and with the right attitude. You gain these attributes through climbing lesser peaks over the years, slowly gaining the needed skills and appreciation for the challenge of an 8000-meter mountain. The biggest sin a climber can commit is the sin of arrogance<\/u>. This is where you underestimate the difficulty of climbing above 26,000 feet and overestimate your capability. This combination puts people in an intractable position on the mountain, where their lives become dependent on the generosity of others. Another way of saying this is the best climbers find that fragile balance between confidence and humility.<\/p>\n

Leadership and Organization<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Many climbers use commercial teams to spread costs across many people. They depend on the guides’ experience to reach their goals and come home safely. The best guides will tightly vet their clients<\/u> for ability, personality and attitude. One company has a \u201cNo D*ckheads\u201d policy where they say,<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will only enroll climbers who we feel will be an asset to our team, and we regularly deny applicants. This selection is not necessarily about your resume, fitness, age, skill set or even your previous climbing experience (as we can work with you to create a custom plan to achieve your goals around these things). Instead, this criterion is based on your character and is designed to create a powerful, cohesive culture and a sense of belonging on all of our expeditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

The best guides have some type of accreditation<\/u>, like the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association (IFMGA) Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification and avalanche training.  Aspiring IMGA guides invest at least 94 days split up as follows:<\/p>\n