WHEN THE URGE TO GO HOME SETS IN YOU CAN SEE IT IN THEIR EYES. IT’S PRIMAL, IT’S ABOUT ESCAPING THE THINGS THAT HAS MADE A CLIMBING TRIP FEEL LIKE A TRIP TO THE DENTIST FOR ROOT CANAL WORK
EXPEDITIONS ARE ABOUT HAVING THE MOTIVATION TO RISE TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS. MOST TRIPS GO ON LONG ENOUGH TO NEED MORE THAN A PASSING DEGREE OF ENTHUSIASM, SO IT’S FUNDAMENTAL TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE STOKE AFLOAT. WHEN TRIPS LOSE THEIR MOJO THINGS GRIND DOWN FAST & THE URGE TO GO HOME CAN SET IN, USUALLY FURTHER EXACERBATING TENSIONS WITH OTHERS WHO HAD THEIR STUFF SQUARED AWAY. WHEN THE STEAM IS GONE PEOPLE START MAKING EXCUSES & SELF-CENTRED CHOICES AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT IT BECOMES A TENSE RETURN TO CIVILIZATION. THIS IS ALMOST ALWAYS AVOIDABLE.
OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPEDITIONS ACROSS ALL SORTS OF PLACES FROM 8000m TRIPS TO JUNGLE RIVERS, CROSSING TIBET & THE KARAKORUM BY HORSE AND LOTS OF TRIPS TO 6000m PEAKS, THERE’S THINGS IN COMMON THAT WILL ERODE A TRIPS SPIRIT IF NOT DEALT WITH. THESE THINGS NEED PLANNING FOR, YOU CAN’T EXPECT TO FIX THEM AT THE SHARP END OF A TRIP.
THESE THINGS ARE ACTUALLY EASY TO ADDRESS – WHAT CAN MAKE THEM LEFT OUT IS THEY MAY NOT PLAY INTO THE COMMON IMAGE OF EXPEDITION CLIMBING. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT PROBABLY WON’T MAKE THE INSTA-FEED OR THE SLIDES ON THE MOTIVATIONAL CIRCUIT, BUT THEY ARETHE THINGS THAT WILL GET YOU YOUR MONEYS WORTH.
1) EATING
WE ALL KNOW ABOUT KCALS, CARBOHYDRATES & FAT, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO EAT WELL TO STAY ON TOP OF AN EXPEDITION. NOTHING SUCKS THE LIFE FROM A TRIP MORE THAN RETURNING FROM DAYS ON A ROUTE EATING DEHY & MUESLI KNOWING YOU BASECAMP FOOD IS – DEHY & MUESLI.
EVEN ON THE MOST GLAMOROUS TRIPS THE FOOD LOSES IT’S FUN FOR THE SIMPLE REASON IT ALL COMES FROM THE SAME KITCHEN, SAME STAFF & THE SAME STORES BACK IN THE CITY. IT’S THE VERY NATURE OF INDUSTRY TRIPS. THE WAY TO SOLVE IT IS TO PLAN & BUY PROPERLY FROM THE START, USING A GOOD DEGREE OF KNOWLEDGE FOR WHAT A CLIMBERS BRAIN WILL WANT. IF YOU’VE NOT CLIMBED EXPEDITION STYLE BEFORE, THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW.
STARTING ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH A TRIP CLIMBERS START TO CRAVE THINGS. SOMETIMES IT’S ABOUT NUTRIENT DEFICIENCES, SOMETIMES IT’S ABOUT FAMILIARITY, BUT ALWAYS IT’S ABOUT CHANGE. THE SOLUTION IS TWO FOLD; HAVING A MENU ROTATION & PERSONAL FOODS THAT KEEP THE MOMENT AT BAY INITIALLY, THEN HAVING SOME MEALS AT THE READY TO SATISFY THE MOMENT. IN CHINA THIS IS EASY BECAUSE THE CITIES WE BASE FROM HAVE EVERYTHING AVAILABLE. WHEN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS THE JOBS HALF DONE – WE’VE PULLED OFF LAKSA IN PORTALEDGES AT 5000m TO PROVE IT.
2) SHOES
‘THE RIGHT SHOES’ MEANS MUCH MORE THAN JUST EXPENSIVE DOUBLE BOOTS THAT FIT PROPERLY. ACROSS AN EXPEDITION ‘THE RIGHT SHOES’ MEANS AN ARRAY OF THINGS TO PUT ON YOUR FEET TO KEEP THEM IN CONDITION. CLIMBING BOOTS ARE WELL COVERED ELSEWHERE, WHAT ALMOST NEVER IS IS THE SHOES YOU WEAR IN TOWNS, ON THE APPROACH & AROUND CAMPS. NOTE THAT IS A PLURAL – THINKING A SINGLE PAIR OF SHOES WILL BE OK FOR 8 WEEKS IS JUST LACK OF INSIGHT.
IT’S ALWAYS WORTH THE EXTRA COST OF HAVING THE RIGHT SHOES FOR THE TRIP, WHETHER IT’S THE EXTRA LUGGAGE OR BUYING SOMETHING IN-COUNTRY. AROUND TOWNS & IN TRANSIT YOU WANT SOMETHING COMFORTABLE LIKE SNEAKERS, NOT SOMETHING RUGGEDIZED LIKE YOU DO FOR THE APPROACH.
APPROACHES NEED SOMETHING YOU CAN WALK IN ALL DAY, PROBABLY WITH A LOAD ON YOUR BACK, AND ALL UP YOU WILL PUT MORE MILES ON THESE THAN YOU WILL IN ANY OTHER FOOTWEAR YOU HAVE. DESPITE THE MARKET FOR SOMETHING CALLED ‘APPROACH’ SHOES, MOST OF THESE AREN’T REFERRING TO ALTITUDE APPROACHES IN THE MARKETING. THE DAYS OF FULL SPEC LEATHER BOOTS WAS ABOUT 50 YEARS AGO, WITH CLIMBERS SINCE THE 80’S KNOWING GOOD RUNNING SHOES ARE THE WAY FORWARD, AND THESE DAYS LIGHT BOOTS CLOSER TO TRAIL RUNNING SHOES FILL THE NEED WITH COMPANIES LIKE HOKA ONE ONE, SALOMON & SPORTIVA DOING GOOD STUFF.
NOTHING SUCKS MORE THAN COMING IN OFF THE ROUTE AND ONLY HAVING OTHER TYPES OF BOOTS TO PUT ON. AROUND CAMP YOUR FEET WILL BE CRAVING RECOVERY JUST LIKE YOUR APPETITE AND LEGS. AMONGST THE BEST WE’VE SEEN ARE CROCS FOR WHEN CONDITIONS ARE GOOD, AND SORREL’S FOR WHEN THINGS ARE MORE EXTREME.
ON ALL BUT THE HARDEST ROUTES A PAIR OF TENT BOOTIES ARE WORTH THEIR WEIGHT. HANGING OUT IN YOUR INNER BOOTS WORKS FINE FOR A FEW NIGHTS, BUT AS MUCH AS YOU NEED A BREAK FROM THEM THEY NEED A BREAK FROM YOU, TO REALLY DRY OUT & DECOMPRESS THEIR INSULATION.
DOES ALL THIS MEAN AN EXPEDITION NEEDS YOU TO HAVE A RANGE OF SHOES LIKE LADY GAGA? YES IT DOES. WHEN YOU’VE PAID A LOT FOR THE WHOLE THING, AND YOUR FEET ARE WHAT GET YOU ALL THE WAY OUT AND BACK AGAIN, IT’S AMONG THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU CAN MAKE.
3) CAMP GEAR
LIKE FOOD & SHOES, NOTHING SUCKS LIKE COMING IN FROM DAYS OF CLIMBING ONLY HAVING GRIMY CLIMBING CLOTHES TO WEAR, THE GROUND TO SIT ON & AND A DAMP SLEEPING BAG FOR THE NIGHTS. IF YOU DON’T RECUPERATE BETWEEN THE TIMES UP HIGH YOU CAN’T SUSTAIN THE EFFORT AND EVENTUALLY YOU HIT A WALL YOU CAN’T COME BACK FROM. SO GET YOURSELF CIVILIZED & COMFORTABLE.
CLOTHES & GEAR FOR AROUND CAMPS DOESN’T NEED TO BE THE HIGH SPEC CLIMBING GEAR YOU HAVE UP HIGH, THE DEMANDS ARE ABOUT COMFORT NOT PERFORMANCE. PUFFY PANTS & JACKETS, A NICE SLEEPING BAG YOU CAN ZIP OPEN TO A QUILT, AN INFLATABLE PILLOW, A FOLDING CHAIR, A DECENT COFFEE CUP, AN UMBRELLA – BASICALLY THE STUFF YOU’D TAKE CAMPING WITH THE KIDS, WHICH IS ABOUT HOW BASECAMPS AND EVEN ADVANCE BASECAMPS SHOULD FEEL.
DECKING OUT YOUR TENT SO IT’S SHADED IN THE DAY & INSULATED AT NIGHT IS ABOUT THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO TO GET GOOD SLEEP. ALSO A DEDICATED TENT LIGHT AND WAY TO SIT UP COMFORTABLY MEANS YOU CAN HAVE DOWNTIME TO YOURSELF AWAY FROM BUSY MESS TENTS.
HAVING A PORTABLE SET UP SO YOU WANDER OFF AWAY FROM CAMP ALTOGETHER DOES WONDERS; A SMALL STOVE FOR COFFEE, SOMETHING TO SIT ON & A DAY PACK.
4) MENTAL STIMULATION
AS INTERESTING AS EXPEDITIONS ARE, THEY ALSO SUFFER FROM SENSORY DEPRIVATION. THINK BACK OVER A TRIP AND YOU REALIZE THT WEEKS IN THE SAME PLACE – OFTEN MADE OF NOTHING OTHER THN ROCK, ICE & SKY – COMPRESS INTO DAYS WITH NOTHING TO DEFINE THEM OTHER THAN THE CLIMBING. YOUR BRAIN NEEDS MORE THAN THAT.
COMMERCIAL TRIPS TO THE POPULAR DESTINATIONS IDENTIFIED THIS LONG AGO, SEEING THAT BORED CLIMBERS CAN BECOME DISRUPTIVE AND IT’S BAD FOR BUSINESS. FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS DON’T HAVE THE SOCIAL COMPRESSION THOSE TRIPS DO, BUT THE SAME FUNDAMENTAL STRESSORS ARE THERE, AND IT NEEDS A HEALTHY OUTLET TO KEEP PEOPLE POSITIVELY ENGAGED.
GAMES, BOOKS & OCCASIONAL FESTIVITIES ARE THE STANDARD GO-TOS, BUT THE FACT THAT PROBLEMS STILL ARISE SHOWS THEY HAVE THEIR LIMITS. THESE THINGS DON’T GO FAR ENOUGH TO ALLEVIATE BOREDOM, THEY ONLY ADDRESS THE SYMPTOMS.
THE TWO THINGS WE’VE SEEN WORK LONG TERM ARE MEDITATION & RESEARCH BECAUSE THEY GET AT THE ROOT CAUSE OF WHAT THE BRAIN IS SEARCHING FOR; QUALITY STIMULATION. BOTH THINGS ADDRESS THE DEMANDS OF THE BRAIN TO ENGAGE CIRCUITRY OUTSIDE THE FEEDBACK LOOPS OF THE 75% MUNDANENESS AND 25% HIGH ALERTNESS THAT EXPEDITION CLIMBING CONSISTS OF. EITHER OF THESE THINGS – OR IDEALLY A MIX OF THE TWO – INFUSES ALL MENTAL ELEMENTS OF A TRIP WITH A HEALTHY LEVEL OF STIMULATION.
MEDITATION NEED NOT MEAN YOGA OR ANY KIND OF PHILOSOPHY, IT ONLY NEEDS TO INCLUDE THE INTENTION OF DISENGAGING SUPERFICIAL THOUGHTS FOR SOMETHING DEEPER, TEMPORARILY NOT GOING DOWN ALL THE REPETITIVE RABBIT HOLES OF EXPEDITION LIVING & GIVING THE BRAIN A REST TO BEING OVER-STRETCHED. AN HOUR OF THIS A DAY SEEMS TO GENERATE ABOUT 2hrs OF EFFECT.
LIKEWISE ‘RESEARCH’ DOESN’T MEAN TAKING ON A PHD (THOUGH WE’VE SEEN THAT DONE), IT MEANS WORKING ON SOMETHING. EITHER SUBJECTS BOUGHT FROM HOME OR PROJECTS MADE UP ON THE TRIP, TIME AND AGAIN WE SEE HAPPY CLIMBERS ARE CLIMBERS USING THE SPACE TO ADVANCE IDEAS & SKILLS WITH THINGS LIKE DOCUMENTING TOPOGRAPHY, DESIGNING BETTER GEAR, RESEARCHING THE EFFECTS OF ALTITUDE, TRAINING, STUDYING LITERATURE & SCIENCES….RATHER THAN JUST KEEPINGTHEIR BRAINS ENTERTAINED THEY ARE DOING THINGS THAT USE THEIR BRAINS TO GENERATE A RESULT THEY DIDN’T HAVE BEFORE THE TRIP.
5) HEALTH & CLEANLINESS
HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING ITSELF IS TOUGH ON THE BODY, IT DOESN’T NEED A LEGION OF MINOR PHYSICAL GRIPES TO MAKE IT WORSE. WE SEE LOTS OF CLIMBERS WITH SMALL PROBLEMS ADDING UP TO BE BIGGER ONES BECAUSE THEY OVERLOOK SIMPLE HEALTH MEASURES. THINGS LIKE BLISTERS, SMALL NICKS & GRAZES, MOUTH ULCERS, CONSTIPATION, SUN BURN & GENERAL GRIME – AND MANY CLIMBERS HAVE ALL OF THESE AT ONCE – ACCUMULATE TO DEGRADE MOTIVATION YET ARE TOTALLY FIXABLE.
IT’S NOT A LUXURY TO HAVE A WARM SHOWER, WASH YOUR CLOTHES & TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS TAKE PROVISIONS FOR ALL THIS ON LONGER TRIPS, AND THINGS LIKE WASHING YOUR HAIR & FEET WITH HOT WATER ARE BASIC ONCE YOU GET A METHOD DOWN. CLEAN CLIMBERS ARE HAPPY CLIMBERS.
WE ALSO SUGGEST A MULTI-VITAMIN, GREEN POWDERS & PRO BIOTICS SENSIBLY TAKEN (THOUGH MINIMIZE CONSUMPTION OF OTHER POWDERS & PILLS), GOOD ORAL HYGEINE, BRINGING NICE SOAPS (DON’T JUST TAKE THE CHEAP STUFF FROM THE HOTELS) & DECENT WASHING POWDER AND A CLOTHES LINE FOR YOUR CLOTHES (ALL BIODEGRADABLE OF COURSE).
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ADD ALL THIS UP AND EXPEDITIONS START TO HAVE THAT HOLIDAY FEEL AGAIN, RATHER THAN THE SUFFER-FESTS AIRPORT BOOK STORE PUBLICATIONS SELL. THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF GRISTLY CONTENT GUARANTEED, BUT IT’S THE REST OF THE TRIP AWAY FROM THE COAL FACE THAT DETERMINES GETTING YOUR MONEY’S WORTH – AND NOT BEING THE FLY IN THE OINTMENT FOR EVERYONE ELSE.
