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The climb of Gasherbrum IV's (7,925 m) 'Shining Wall' in 1985 by Voytek Kurtyka and Robert Schauer is considered one of the greatest mountaineering achievements in the twentieth century, even though the two climbers did not reach the summit. The article explores three ways of understanding mountaineering without the objective of reaching the summit. I start with a game-playing approach and then a view on mountaineering that takes its inspiration from deep ecology and argue that while both have the potential for explaining important aspects of mountaineering, neither will fully account for the value of climbing mountains without summiting. Finally, I argue that we can supplement either of these two views with a radically different way of understanding mountaineering, which involves creating and appreciating a work of art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurial clients are always searching for ways to do more with less. Planners can support their clients by introducing them to the concept of digital transformation. To help them further, they can provide basic guidance on how to avoid common mistakes with digital transformation by showing them the digital transformation mountain. This framework will help their clients understand their business value, select and pay for relevant/appropriate technology, and get the most out their teams--all of which will help them accomplish more with less. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

À partir des années cinquante, l'alpinisme connaît une évolution éthique et idéologique. Icône de cette période, Lionel Terray promeut un modèle performatif dont les soubassements se situent dans son parcours. Alors que les Premières constituaient un objectif majeur, désormais, le record devient légitime. Cette nouvelle conception va contribuer à ériger le style alpin en modèle de référence. Mobilisant des données issues des revues fédérales de l'univers montagnard, de la presse généraliste et des comptes-rendus d'expédition, cette étude saisit les fondements de l'évolution de l'alpinisme au regard du positionnement de Lionel Terray. Il amorce sa sportivisation par l'intermédiaire de la rationalisation de sa pratique comme de l'évolution des objectifs. L'émergence de cette conception sportive et performative repose sur des innovations matérielles et conceptuelles qui infléchissent les usages, et dont L. Terray a contribué à leur diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to determine the push and pull motivations of sport climbers within the scope of outdoor and adventure tourism. The phenomenology approach, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was preferred in the study. The study group consisted of twenty-one (21) rock climbers who were determined by convenience and criterion sampling methods. The research was conducted in the Köklüce Canyon region in Gaziantep. As a result of the analysis, two main themes (push and pull motivation), twelve sub-themes and thirty codes were emerged. It was determined that the most important pushing motivations for choosing sport climbing were spiritual regeneration and then socialization. Having fun, being happy, meeting new people and socializing at the destination were important intrinsic motivation reasons of the climbers. The most important pulling motivations in choosing the climbing area were the results such as having many and different difficulty levels of the routes and the ease of transportation. As the routes in the climbing destination have a wide variety, quality and are in different difficulty; the easy access to the region and the proximity of the region are an important environmental motivation. As a result, it could be said these motivation sources for the rock-climbing destination provide opportunities for diversifying the adventure tourism products, providing a sustainable adventure tourism, and guiding the relevant federations and local governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is initiated in response to a hypoxic and hypobaric environment at a high altitude. The precise prevalence of AMS in Jade Mountain climbers remained largely unknown, particularly data obtained from real medical consultations. An overnight stay at the Pai-Yun Lodge (3402 m) is usually required before an ascent of the Jade Mountain. Since 2004, a Pai-Yun Clinic has been established in the Pai-Yun Lodge. The Pai-Yun Clinic provided regular and emergency medical service every weekend. We conducted a retrospective study by using medical records from the Pai-Yun Clinic between 2018 and 2019. A total of 1021 patients were enrolled, with 56.2 % males. Different age groups were 3.2 %, 54.5 %, 37.9 %, and 4.4 % in <20, 20−39, 40−59, and ≥60 years, respectively. There were 582 (57.0 %) patients diagnosed to have AMS (230 [39.5 %] were mild type and 352 [60.5 %] were severe type). The factors associated with AMS development included young age, absence of climbing history (>3000 m) within the last 3 months, first climbing (>3000 m) experience, taking preventive medication, low oxygen saturation, and a high Lake Louise AMS score (LLAMSS). The factors associated with AMS severity included absence of taking preventive medication, low oxygen saturation, and a high LLAMSS. Approximately 15 % of Jade Mountain climbers needed medical service, of which 60 % had AMS. 60 % of patients with AMS must require oxygen supply or medication prescription. Oxygen saturation measure and LLAMSS evaluation are reasonable tools to predict the occurrence and severity of AMS on Jade Mountain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We studied the postural behaviour of a 52-year-old professional mountain climber who underwent bilateral amputation of all five toes after severe frostbite. Methods: Two tasks were examined: static posturography (SP) and gait initiation (GI), both performed barefoot and with prosthetic shoes. During SP, the participant kept the upright stance for 30 s while an optoelectronic system with reflective markers recorded feet position and body sway, and two force plates measured the Center of Pressure (CoP) displacement and Ground Reaction Force (GRF) of each foot. During GI, the participant stood on the force plates for at least 10 s and then spontaneously started walking, while optoelectronic system was used to monitor heel-off events; wireless EMG probes recorded the anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) in trunk and lower limb muscles. Results: Compared to shod condition, during barefoot SP the participant showed a reduced anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) extension of the Base of Support (BoS), and the whole-body CoP shifted about 7 mm more anteriorly, approaching the "safer" geometric center of the BoS. Despite this difference, the AP and ML ranges of CoP oscillations were similar in both conditions. In GI, the trunk dorsal muscles showed different APA patterns: when barefoot they were excitatory in the trailing and inhibitory in the leading side while they were bilaterally inhibitory when shod. Discussion: In parallel to CoP shift toward a "safer" position in SP, in barefoot GI the body rotation toward the trailing side may reveal a more "cautious" approach; this also shows that different postural strategies may be adopted in GI by one and the same individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climbing in the U.S. resembles other 'alternative' and 'lifestyle' sports in that it has long been an exclusionary leisure pursuit. Whiteness, a history of land dispossession, and settler colonialism have reinforced exclusive boundaries to the sport through a 'hierarchy of participation'. Formal moves from climbing advocacy organisations, gyms, and brands have increased diversity and justice efforts in climbing through funding, pledges, and social media messaging. However, these initiatives receive varied support from within climbing communities. This paper employs a social-psychological approach to examine which factors likely help shape and maintain variation in U.S. climbers' concern for matters related to inclusion and justice in climbing. We draw data from a national survey conducted in collaboration with the national advocacy organisation Access Fund. We then apply multiple regression to examine how various climbing and demographic attributes are associated with inclusion and justice concerns by testing three hypotheses: experienced privilege and/or marginalisation, partisan political affiliation, and issue prominence. Our findings suggest that variation in climbers' inclusion and justice attitudes appears driven more by respondents' affiliation with one or more marginalised identities, political leanings, and other sociodemographic characteristics that we suggest are representative of the 'politics of everyday life'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competitive ice climbing involves ascending ice and natural rock/manmade features using specialized equipment. Despite its growing popularity, there is limited knowledge regarding the relationship between ice climbers' biomechanics and performance. The purpose of this study was to analyze spatiotemporal variables and upper-extremity joint kinematics during an elite lead ice-climbing competition. A total of 24 (16 male, 8 female) competitors participated. Video data was recorded during the ice climbing competition, and biomechanical analysis software was used to measure kinematic variables (shoulder and elbow angles) and spatiotemporal (time climbing/resting and number of moves/rests) throughout a section of the competition route. Independent t-tests examined differences between the top and bottom 50% of competitors, and correlations assessed the strength of the relationship between the measured variables and competition rank. We found a strong correlation between elbow and shoulder angles at weight bearing on the ice tool, indicating that ice climbers rely on more extended arm positions, which may decrease muscle fatigue, maintain optimal muscle fiber lengths, and keep the trunk close to the wall with lower contact forces. Additionally, we found that higher-performing ice climbers moved faster with fewer moves, which is likely due to their ability to identify specific holds as affordances to guide their movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the narratives of three deceased high-altitude mountaineers who lost their lives while climbing in the Greater Himalaya. These individuals were participants in part of a larger ethnographic study on 'Tourism in the Death Zone' conducted over the space of 150 days fieldwork in Pakistan and Nepal in 2019. The paper seeks to explore how these participants depth of immersion in the 'social world' of high-altitude mountaineering eventually lead to their deaths. To do so, the phenomenological concept of the lifeworld [lebenswelt] is utilized to show how the participants lived realities and aspirations became entwined with high-altitude mountaineering – a serious leisure community. Previously, the connection between the lifeworld and serious leisure viewed within the context of extreme risk taking and possible death, has not been explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ability to hang for a long time before forearm muscle fatigue is a crucial element of successful rock climbing. Electromyography (EMG) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) are also useful for measuring hemoglobin oxygenation for determining muscle endurance. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of muscle endurance indices derived using EMG and NIRS during a hanging task. Methods: A bilateral hanging task was designed to compare rock climbers and non-climbers in terms of the slopes of changes in the median frequency (MDF) and tissue oxygenation index (TOI) of forearm muscles. Results: A total of 17 participants were included in each of the two groups. The intraclass correlation coefficient (3,1) values derived for the MDF slope, TOI slope, ΔTOI, percentage change in oxygen concentration, and ΔHbt were 0.85, 0.73, 0.65, 0.75, and 0.65, respectively. The MDF slope, TOI slope, and ΔHbt differed significantly between the groups (p < 0.05). The MDF slope, TOI slopes, and ΔHbt were significantly correlated with V-scale levels for climbing (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The satisfactory reliability and observed distinctions between climbers and non-climbers imply that these indices are a valuable tool for assessing muscle endurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a new approach to market area analysis. Market area analysis is conducted in various academic fields, such as retail geography, marketing science, transportation science, and tourism study. It aims to understand the factors that affect visitors' choice behavior, which improves the performance of various sites, such as stores, restaurants, museums, and stadiums. Methods for market area analysis, however, have not been fully developed in the literature. To fill the research gap, this article proposes new methods of market area analysis. The first method considers the relationship between a site and its visitors. Our focus is on the spatial pattern of visitors around a site. The second method discusses the spatial relationship between the visitors of two sites. We evaluate the competing relationship between different sites. We applied the methods to the analysis of mountain climbers in Japan. The results gave us useful and interesting empirical findings, indicating the method's soundness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to: (a) assess the relationships between climbing performance and finger and shoulder girdle muscle endurance; and (b) provide evidence on the validity of the specialized exercise tests used for the purpose. Materials and methods: 28 male sport climbers (climbing ability 23 ± 2.43 IRCRA scale) performed four tests muscle failure, including two-finger hang tests (using 2.5 and 4 cm holds) and two variants of pull-up exercises (classical pull-ups and a combination of dynamic and isometric actions - the so-called Edlinger). Climbing performance and test results were subjected to correlation, taxonomic and regression analysis. Results: The correlations between the results from all tests and climbing performance were notably strong (r between 0.54 and 0.61) and statistically significant (p, 0.05). The taxonomic analysis indicated that the two variants of each test type reflect two different latent variables 2.5 cm and 4 cm finger hang durations were highly correlated (r = 0.76, p, 0.01). A similar correlation was found between the results from the pull-up tests (r = 0.72, p, 0.01). Thus, the finger hang and pull-up test results were determined to a high extent (43% and 49%, respectively) by factors that cannot be assessed when only one test of each type is used. The regression model of the two-finger tests allowed individual endurance profiles to be assessed. Conclusions: The muscular endurance of the elbow flexors and shoulder girdle muscles predicts climbing performance within the specific sport level studied to a comparable degree as finger flexor endurance. The use of two variants of a test intended to assess one physical ability provided important details on a climber's fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the second contribution from Dresden, unlike in the three other interviews, the interviewee does not have management responsibility for research and/or service-oriented information organisation (library). Markus Walter is responsible for a travel company and his own highly demanding, high-alpine travel ventures. At the end of the interview on 8 June 2023, Walter formulated his own conclusion as follows: "You always have to differentiate between mistakes that you are allowed to make, yes, and you also have to consciously allow them, because you learn a lot from mistakes in particular, and mistakes that you are not allowed to make." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies and analyses current clothing options available to rock climbers in New Zealand, drawing from data collected via a survey of experienced climbers, relevant literature and a detailed design analysis of garments that are currently on the market. The study considers some of the limitations of current rock-climbing clothing and identifies issues that need to be taken into account to design more practical, responsive, sustainable clothing options for climbers. Drawing on professional design expertise in patternmaking, material selection and garment construction, this analysis is used to inform the development of more appropriate and innovative garment design strategies for rock-climbing. It also recognises the potential for novel development by employing innovations from the field of advanced textiles and apparel, in particular the integration of smart sensing technologies into garments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Elite and recreational climbers may be at risk for disordered eating, low energy availability (LEA), and increased injury as a result. Social media use among athlete and non-athletes can lead to body image disturbances resulting in unhealthy weight loss practices exacerbating LEA and injury risk. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine relationships between social comparative behaviors on social media, body type ideals and outcomes, and health behaviors among adult recreational climbers. Methods: Participants (n = 324) were adult recreational climbers from the U.S. (29.30 ± 9.99 years old and 50% female). Participants answered a 66-item questionnaire comprised of demographics, climbing characteristics, social media behaviors, body type ideals, training and nutrition-seeking behaviors, and weight and food tracking behaviors. Results: Most participants (78.7%) indicated strength-to-weight ratio was important for climbing performance. Many participants perceived they could perform better at rock climbing if their body proportions were different (59.3%). These body type ideals were found to be significant predictors of performing weight loss and food-tracking behaviors (all p < 0.001). Higher amounts of social comparative behaviors on social media and social physique anxiety independently and significantly predicted attempting weight loss to improve climbing ability (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001 respectively). Those who followed climbing influencers, used Instagram frequently for training and nutrition information, perceived they could perform better at rock climbing if their body proportions were different, or were female and college-aged had significantly higher mean social comparative behavior scores (all p < 0.01). Discussion: This study expands on prior work with elite climbers by providing a possible explanation for how climbing-related body type ideals and certain social media behaviors can perpetuate negative body image and compensatory behaviors among a general climbing population. Because unhealthy weight management behaviors can lead to injury and health disturbances, broad education programming and social media campaigns should be developed to shift body ideals and nutrition behaviors among recreational climbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2006, mountaineer David Sharp died on the slopes of Mount Everest. Sharp's death led to public outrage after allegedly 40 climbers passed by the dying Sharp on their way to the peak, without stopping to help. But, since the slopes of Everest are a high-risk environment and rescuing Sharp would have entailed great risks for the rescuers, it is not clear whether the other mountaineers had a moral duty to rescue him. In a recent article, Patrick Findler introduces a principle to analyse such cases which states that we have a duty to rescue under dangerous circumstances, if the involved risks are not higher than the risks we are already taking in the pursuit of our own, morally less worthy ends. However, Findler then rejects this principle as too demanding. In this paper I will defend the principle against its inventor and argue in favour of such a duty. And while it may be true that the other mountaineers were justified in passing Sharp for different reasons, the principle shows that not only climbers, but adventure-sport athletes in general and people who engage in high-risk endeavours, may have a duty to rescue that doesn't apply to others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecoevolutionary drivers of species niche expansion or contraction are critical for biodiversity but challenging to infer. Niche expansion may be promoted by local adaptation or constrained by physiological performance trade-offs. For birds, evolutionary shifts in migratory behavior permit the broadening of the climatic niche by expansion into varied, seasonal environments. Broader niches can be short-lived if diversifying selection and geography promote speciation and niche subdivision across climatic gradients. To illuminate niche breadth dynamics, we can ask how "outlier" species defy constraints. Of the 363 hummingbird species, the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) has the broadest climatic niche by a large margin. To test the roles of migratory behavior, performance trade-offs, and genetic structure in maintaining its exceptional niche breadth, we studied its movements, respiratory traits, and population genomics. Satellite and light-level geolocator tracks revealed an >8,300-km loop migration over the Central Andean Plateau. This migration included a 3-wk, ~4,100-m ascent punctuated by upward bursts and pauses, resembling the acclimatization routines of human mountain climbers, and accompanied by surging blood-hemoglobin concentrations. Extreme migration was accompanied by deep genomic divergence from high-elevation resident populations, with decisive postzygotic barriers to gene flow. The two forms occur side-by-side but differ almost imperceptibly in size, plumage, and respiratory traits. The high-elevation resident taxon is the world's largest hummingbird, a previously undiscovered species that we describe and name here. The giant hummingbirds demonstrate evolutionary limits on niche breadth: when the ancestral niche expanded due to evolution (or loss) of an extreme migratory behavior, speciation followed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article pays tribute to Frantisek "Frank" Turecek, a scientist and mountaineer. The author shares their personal experiences with Frank, including their first meeting in Prague and later joining his research group at the University of Washington. They discuss Frank's work in studying short-lived radicals and his passion for climbing mountains. The article also highlights Frank's contributions to the field of mass spectrometry and his dedication to mentoring graduate students. It provides a personal perspective on Frank's adventurous spirit and his achievements in both science and mountaineering. [Extracted from the article]

Affordance perception is a forward-looking act of the opportunities of action offered by the environment and relative to individual capacities. This is exemplified by experienced rock climbers who must determine the task goal (use hold for support or facilitate movement) when balancing on one or both of their feet. The present study examined how the base of support (single and dual leg balance) and hold size affect an individual's ability to determine their maximum boundary of reach- and grasp-ability. The maximal boundary of reach-ability and grasp-ability was determined using a sliding assessment hold. Twenty participants (10 climbers and 10 non-climbers) provided verbal estimates of maximal reach to a big and a small hold while balancing on one or two feet. Perceptual accuracy differed depending on whether the objective was reach-ability or grasp-ability (p < 0.001). Neither standing on one or two feet, nor climbing expertise affected perceptual accuracy. The results suggest that the task goal (e.g., grasp-ability or reach-ability) affects the accuracy of perception of action boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Adaptation of humans to challenging environmental conditions, such as extreme temperature, malnutrition, or hypoxia, is an interesting phenomenon for both basic and applied research. Identification of the genetic factors contributing to human adaptation to these conditions enhances our understanding of the underlying molecular and physiological mechanisms. In our study, we analyzed the exomes of 22 high altitude mountaineers to uncover genetic variants contributing to hypoxic adaptation. To our surprise, we identified two putative loss‐of‐function variants, rs1385101139 in RTEL1 and rs1002726737 in COL6A1 in two extremely high altitude (personal record of more than 8500 m) professional climbers. Both variants can be interpreted as pathogenic according to medical geneticists' guidelines, and are linked to inherited conditions involving respiratory failure (late‐onset pulmonary fibrosis and severe Ullrich muscular dystrophy for rs1385101139 and rs1002726737, respectively). Our results suggest that a loss of gene function may act as an important factor of human adaptation, which is corroborated by previous reports in other human subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Peri-urban forests play crucial role in quality of life and environment for citizens. To effectively utilize the services provided by these forests, it is essential to establish an integrated forest management system that aims to achieve a balance of all ecosystem services. This can be accomplished through a participatory approach that involves key citizen stakeholders. Mountaineers shape a specific group which have showed high pro-environmental behaviors to protect natural resources. This research aimed to examine the influencing factors on mountaineers' intention to participate and their actual behavior in the management of riparian peri-urban forests in this field using extended theory of planned behavior. Methods: Environmental values and perceived barriers were added to original model as additional components to enhance its explanatory power. A sample size of 416 individuals was surveyed using a questionnaire. Data was analyzed using Smart-PLS. Results: The findings of the analysis revealed that the developed model accounted for 75.2% of the variance in mountaineers' intention and 67.8% of behavior. The results demonstrated that three main components of model including attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control significantly influenced individuals' intentions to participate in peri-urban forests management. Furthermore, intentions were cleared to have a positive influence on actual behavior in this context. Additionally, environmental values were found to be positively correlated with individuals' intentions but not statistically significant behavior toward participate in urban forest management. Perceived barriers were found to have a negative impact on individuals' intentions toward participate in urban forest management. The perceived barriers and behavior had not statistically significant relationship. Conclusion: The results of study provide valuable insights for the development of effective management strategies to promote mountaineers' participation in riparian PUFs management. The study emphasizes the importance of environmental education and awareness campaigns targeted at mountaineers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across the nineteenth century, European surveyors, explorers and mountaineers often sought to constitute the Himalaya as spaces of imperial duty, escape from civilisation, and manly experiences against and in nature. Rather than focusing on the homosociality of the better known climbing ventures of the twentieth century, this article instead considers the period before Mount Everest became the main prize. In particular, it examines an eclectic mix of Himalayan expeditions that made claims to the world 'altitude record': that is, the highest height ever climbed above sea level. The different ways that climbers discussed and doubted these record-seeking climbs in their accounts, and especially in talks at the Royal Geographical Society in London, provide a series of snapshots into manly self-fashioning around suffering and self-reliance at the edge of the British Empire. Here the masculinities of non-European guides and porters (especially Gurkhas) also always provided both a foil and a challenge. Ultimately, attempts on the altitude record reveal the way that casting the Himalaya as a space for the narration of masculine ideals and imperial expansion could be both mutually reinforcing and in conflict. Expressions of homosociality nevertheless also shifted across the nineteenth century, with the filling in of the last 'blank spaces' on the map seemingly narrowing the canvas for manly outdoor experiences. This was compounded by the way the Himalaya were constituted and maintained as spaces for manly experiences in part by the exclusion of women, even as women like Fanny Bullock Workman were themselves climbing towards record heights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a disorder characterized by obsessive behavior towards healthy eating. Some groups present a higher prevalence of ON and athletes seem to be a population at risk. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ON in the rock and sport climbing community. Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (PL-DOS) was used to assess ON. The study involved 236 climbers (including 159 men and 77 women, 67.4 and 32.6%, respectively), with an average age of 34.7 ±9.2 years. The group was divided into groups according to criteria such as the preferred type and style of climbing, participation in climbing competitions or the volume of training undertaken. Orthorexia was diagnosed in 12.7% (n = 30) of climbers, with a mean score of PL-DOS of 32.8 ±2.4 with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 31.9 to 33.7. Another 25% of the respondents were diagnosed with ON risk (mean ±SD 26.8 ±1.5, 95% CI 36.4–27.2). It was not found that the adopted stratification variables significantly differentiated the groups distinguished on their basis. The only exceptions were age and weekly training frequency. However, the effect sizes were small in both cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specialised community of (Anglophone) mountaineers began producing their own systematic lexicographical output in the second half of the 19th century. Since then, digitalisation has led to more and more online resources of 'Mountaineering English' (MountE) being created. In this contribution, a major print dictionary by Samet (2011) is compared to four online resources of MountE in terms of their micro-structure and their macro-structure. The study shows that, with few exceptions, the online resources make little use of digital affordances; the print dictionary is the most comprehensive and the most complex in almost all aspects. However, there are important differences between all five resources as far as their micro- and macro-structures are concerned. Overall, the paper highlights that, while the lexicographical efforts of the community are laudable, more work needs to be done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The English Lake District played a key role in British rock climbing and is arguably the place where rock climbing first separated from mountaineering in the 1880s. This article sets its origins in the wider context of Alpinism. It then explains the attractions of the Lake District to early climbers and the ways and locations in which early rock climbing emerged as key participants exploited the landscape to create the innovative rock climbing challenges that were key to their enjoyment. It provides rich detail on how the sport extended body limits, developed new climbing techniques, and used better equipment. Leading climbers there began to record and measure the standard of climbs—another innovation. Although mountaineering clubs elsewhere were exclusively male, relegating leading women mountaineers to a marginal role, in the Lakes, women rock climbers made a notable contribution. The article concludes by evaluating the wider significance of the Lake District for British climbing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on amateur mountaineers is scarce, and this study aims to delve into the emotional experiences of ten amateur mountaineers during their ascent using the "Befindlichkeitsskala" (BFS) and Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness scoring system (LLS). These subjects were exposed to altitudes of 3140 m, 4300 m, and 5276 m, respectively. We found that LLS scores were negatively correlated with positive emotions (β = −27.54, p < 0.05) and positively correlated with negative emotions (β = 21.97, p < 0.05). At an altitude of 4300 m, individuals with AMS exhibited significant differences in depression, anger, excitement, and inactivity compared to climbers without AMS. Upon returning to 3140 m after completing the climb, significant differences were observed in emotions such as happiness, calmness, anger, excitement, and depression. Throughout the three-day climb, noteworthy differences emerged in activity, happiness, calmness, inactivity, positive emotions (p < 0.01), negative emotions, and overall emotional scores (p < 0.05). Our study suggests a decline in the emotional well-being of amateur climbers with increasing altitude, highlighting AMS as a pivotal predictive factor for emotional experiences while climbing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case: A 15-year-old female rock climber presented with a traumatic coracoid process fracture of her dominant upper extremity that failed extensive nonoperative treatment. She was treated successfully by arthroscopic reduction and suture anchor fixation. Conclusion: A novel surgical technique for coracoid fracture that combines arthroscopic reduction with suture anchor fixation can result in expeditious and durable clinical improvement in a young, high-demand athlete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholarship on special interest tourism has burgeoned since the 1980s. Although this expanding research interest is relatively new, the phenomenon of special interest tourism is not of recent origin as many of its forms, such as mountaineering, exhibit a long historical record. Most research on special interest tourism concentrates on contemporary issues. The objective is to present a historical perspective on special interest tourism. Using archival sources an analysis is undertaken of the evolution of mountaineering in South Africa as a recreational sport and incipient form of special interest tourism. Cape Town's Table Mountain and the Drakensberg mountains provide the geographical focus of discussion. The results demonstrate that during the 1920s and 1930s tourism promoters in South Africa acknowledged the potential of special interest mountaineers to contribute to tourism growth. The documented experience of early mountaineering in South Africa provides an example of racism in recreation by showing that the country's recreational practices became constructed around politically-imposed racial hierarchies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Company leaders are frequently confronted with highly uncertain and risky situations for which they are often ill-prepared, and consequently, in which they often panic. Based on an exploratory case study of extreme rock climber Alexander Honnold, we have developed propositions that help decision-makers to learn to avoid panic in crises. Our findings suggest that gradual exposure to incrementally more challenging tasks by adjusting individual learning goals allows decision-makers to leverage existing skills, and to develop their physical, mental and emotional states simultaneously. Deliberate confrontation with the challenges that may trigger panic through real-life simulation and imagination helps decision-makers to retrain and transform triggers for panic responses, and to build systemic confidence. This organic and holistic growth provides decision-makers with the simultaneous preparation and mastery of their physical, mental, and emotional states to ensure the lightness and calmness necessary not to panic when facing a crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As field change is often explained by recourse to agentic efforts of a few or revolutionary turbulence of many, this paper provides a complementary explanation of change grounded in the quotidian dynamics of physical objects and settings. Using the culinary and mountaineering fields, we demonstrate how attending to the materiality of objects and settings offers analytical leverage into the ways fields conflict and change. More specifically, we argue field instability is normal because, at the level of social action, mass and energy are inherently finite. As a result, actors responding to effects from distal fields may nevertheless collide over the objects and settings in which they are compelled to act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horakova, Lenka, Peter Paal, Jacqueline Pichler Hefti, Marija Andjelkovic, Beth A. Beidleman, Mia Derstine, David Hillebrandt, Dominique Jean, Kastė Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, Alison J. Rosier, Susi Kriemler, and Linda E. Keyes. Women's health at high altitude: An introduction to a 7-part series by the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation Medical Commission. High Alt Med Biol. 24:243–246, 2023. Background: Women have been traveling to high altitude since the inception of modern mountaineering. Although there are distinct female-specific features such as menstruation and menopause relevant to adaptation to and performance at high altitude, very little data exist on women's high-altitude health. To summarize what is known to date, the Medical Commission of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) has created a series of articles on women's health, high altitude illness, and performance at high altitude. Methods: Assembling an international author team, two types of manuscripts were developed: (1) reviews on female-specific topics such as pregnancy; (2) reviews on sex differences in high-altitude related illnesses, nutrition, cold injuries, and mortality. Results: The literature search yielded 7,165 articles, with 482 studies meeting the inclusion criteria for full-text review. The authors of individual chapters reviewed these articles and performed additional hand searches. Conclusions: Some important questions on women sojourning and exercising at high altitude have been studied, but many are still awaiting a qualified and evidence-based response. Our seven reviews, to be published in future issues of this journal, summarize what is known about lowland women sojourning at high altitude, provide recommendations, and highlight knowledge gaps in high altitude women's medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kriemler, Susi, Kastė Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, Alison Rosier, Linda E. Keyes, Peter Paal, Marija Andjelkovic, Beth A. Beidleman, Mia Derstine, Jacqueline Pichler Hefti, David Hillebrandt, Lenka Horakova, and Dominique Jean; for the UIAA MedCom Writing Group on Women's Health in the Mountains. Frostbite and mortality in mountaineering women: a scoping review—UIAA Medical Commission recommendations. High Alt Med Biol. 24:247–258, 2023. Background: The harsh environment of high altitudes (HA) poses many serious health risks for mountaineers, including cold injuries and death. The aim of this work was to review whether female mountaineers are at special risk for frostbite or death at HA compared with their male counterparts. Methods: The UIAA Medical Commission convened an international author team to review women's health issues at HA and to publish updated recommendations. Pertinent literature from PubMed and Cochrane was identified with additional publications found by hand search. The primary search focus was for articles assessing cold injuries and death in women mountaineers at HA. Results: We reviewed the literature and identified 20 relevant studies: 2 studies on frostbite at HA, plus 7 studies and 1 report for death at HA. An additional 10 studies about frostbite at low altitude were included. We found that female mountaineers at HA were at lower risk of death than their male counterparts, but sex differences in frostbite were inconclusive. Conclusions: The frequency of cold injuries and mortality in female mountaineers is not yet well studied, and the studies that have been published tend to lack precise exposure data. More studies and registries with sex-differentiated data are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Overexposure to sunlight and sunburn are the main preventable causes of skin cancer. Outdoor sports are associated with significant levels of sunlight exposure. Aims: We sought to quantify the sun radiation exposure received by outdoor rock climbers and assess their sun exposure habits, sun protection behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge regarding skin cancer. Methods: From April to June 2021, outdoor rock climbers contacted via email completed an online validated self-reported questionnaire on sun related habits, behaviors, attitudes and knowledge. As a pilot trial, ten participants wore a personal dosimeter during two outdoor climbing weekends in May and November 2021. Ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) was also recorded. Results: A total of 217 outdoor rock climbers (103 women), mean age 36.8 ± 8.8 years (range 20–70 years) and median climbing practice per week of 8 h (IQR 7.5) were studied. Two in three (65.9%) participants reported at least one sunburn event during the previous rock climbing season. Of the survey respondents, 49.3% reported using sunscreen with SPF ≥ 15, 47% wore sunglasses, and 14.3% indicated they reapplied sunscreen every two hours. The median personal UVR dose measured during the two outdoor climbing weekends analyzed was 5.2 (IQR 1.8) and 8.8 (IQR 1.1) standard erythemal doses, respectively. Conclusions: The high rates of sunburn, the elevated personal UVR measured and the clearly insufficient sun protection practices followed during rock climbing together with unsatisfactory attitudes towards tanning reveal the need to develop explicit sun protection campaigns and educational strategies to reduce the risk of skin cancer among the athletes studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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To promote carbon neutrality, carbon compensation in mountaineering tourism destinations must be studied from the perspectives of both carbon sources and carbon sinks. This study established a carbon neutral calculation framework for the Qomolangma mountaineering tourism area using the "bottom-up" tourism carbon footprint analysis model and a carbon sink calculation model. Three types of data were obtained through field surveys, Internet searches, and literature review and used for the subsequent quantitative analysis. The results showed that: (1) in 2019, the case site had a carbon surplus, with a total 3.87E + 06 kg in carbon emissions and a total 3.22E + 09 kg in carbon sequestration capacity; (2) among the carbon sources, tourist catering accounted for 45.78% of the total, which was the largest share, followed by transportation at 39.83%; the carbon footprint of waste was the smallest, accounting for only 0.66%; and (3) according to the current carbon price in China, the Qomolangma mountaineering tourism area should have theoretically been compensated with 1.15E + 07 CNY (equivalent to 1.67E + 06 USD) in 2019. Finally, based on the above research conclusions, suggestions were proposed to further improve the nature reserve's carbon balance and plan for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of bouldering on upper and lower limb muscle strength and body balance. Material and Methods. The study group consisted of 22 climbers (aged 27.23 ± 4.81) with at least 2 years of bouldering experience, while the control group consisted of 20 men (aged 23.10 ± 5.28) not practicing rock climbing. The study received approval from the local bioethical commission in Poland. Static and dynamic stabilographic parameters were measured with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC) on the Biodex Balance System SD USA (BBS) platform. Subsequently, the maximum muscle torques of the elbow, hip, knee and ankle joints were measured in isometric conditions. Hand-grip strength (HGS) with and without the thumb was assessed using a handheld dynamometer. Results. Climbers achieved significantly higher values of HGS with the thumb of both hands (p < 0.005), foot extensors strength (FES) in both limbs (p < 0.05) and left hip extensors (HES L) (p < 0.05). They also achieved significantly lower values of all stabilographic parameters, indicating better balance compared to the control group (p < 0.05). An interaction of HES x SIDE across the groups was observed (F(1,40) = 13.588, p < 0.001 η2 = 0.254). Moreover, there was a statistically significant negative correlation of ankle extensors strength with medial-lateral stability index (MLSI EC) (right: r = -0.418; left: r = -0.331) and fall risk index (FRI6-2) (right: r = -0.520; left: r = -0.435). Conclusions. Regular climbing training develops muscle strength, especially FES, HES, HGS, and improves balance. Climbing can be used for prevention of muscle weakness and equilibrium disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain guides play an important role in the provision of nature-based tourism activities, such as mountaineering, in alpine environments around the world. However, these locales are uniquely sensitive to climate change, and despite extensive documentation of bio-geophysical changes, there are few studies evaluating the impacts of these changes on mountaineering routes and the livelihood of mountain guides. This constrains adaptation planning and limits awareness of potential loss and damage in the mountain tourism sector. In response, our study explored mountain guides' lived experiences of working on Mt. Athabasca in Jasper National Park, Canada, to reveal the effects of climate change on mountaineering routes and implications for the mountain guiding community. To do this, we used a mixed methods approach that combined spatio-temporal trend analysis, repeat photography, and semi-structured interviews with mountain guides. We found that rising temperatures and changing precipitation regimes in the Mt. Athabasca area are driving glacial retreat and loss of semi-permanent snow and ice, which is impacting climbing conditions and objective hazards on mountaineering and guiding routes. Guides' experiences of these changes varied according to socio-economic conditions (e.g., financial security, livelihood flexibility), with late-career guides tending to experience loss of guiding opportunities and early-career guides facing increased pressure to provide services in more challenging conditions. Our findings offer novel insights that identify salient issues and bolster support for actions in response to the concerns of the mountain guide community. This study also underscores the need for further research, as the underlying issues are likely present in mountaineering destinations globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionPeri-urban forests play crucial role in quality of life and environment for citizens. To effectively utilize the services provided by these forests, it is essential to establish an integrated forest management system that aims to achieve a balance of all ecosystem services. This can be accomplished through a participatory approach that involves key citizen stakeholders. Mountaineers shape a specific group which have showed high pro-environmental behaviors to protect natural resources. This research aimed to examine the influencing factors on mountaineers’ intention to participate and their actual behavior in the management of riparian peri-urban forests in this field using extended theory of planned behavior.MethodsEnvironmental values and perceived barriers were added to original model as additional components to enhance its explanatory power. A sample size of 416 individuals was surveyed using a questionnaire. Data was analyzed using Smart-PLS.ResultsThe findings of the analysis revealed that the developed model accounted for 75.2% of the variance in mountaineers’ intention and 67.8% of behavior. The results demonstrated that three main components of model including attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control significantly influenced individuals’ intentions to participate in peri-urban forests management. Furthermore, intentions were cleared to have a positive influence on actual behavior in this context. Additionally, environmental values were found to be positively correlated with individuals’ intentions but not statistically significant behavior toward participate in urban forest management. Perceived barriers were found to have a negative impact on individuals’ intentions toward participate in urban forest management. The perceived barriers and behavior had not statistically significant relationship.ConclusionThe results of study provide valuable insights for the development of effective management strategies to promote mountaineers’ participation in riparian PUFs management. The study emphasizes the importance of environmental education and awareness campaigns targeted at mountaineers.