| Generations and generations of people have lived in | | | | of the trained and dedicated Swiss guides was |
| the mountains all over the world. They have learned | | | | established. These guides would go with expeditions |
| and mastered the ways of these mountains. These | | | | that began to explore and climb the other great |
| people have come to live easily in them and have | | | | mountains of the world. |
| developed techniques in order to move safely | | | | The first ever successful ascent of Mount Everest, |
| through and over them. These people are called | | | | the highest peak in the world, is probably the most |
| "mountaineers" and this exercise of their skills is called | | | | famous climb in history. It was done in the year 1953 |
| "mountaineering". When these mountaineers climb a | | | | by a British expedition under the command of Colonel |
| particular mountain with the aim of reaching its | | | | John Hunt. Two members of the expedition, Edmund |
| summit, they become "mountain climbers". | | | | Hillary who was a New Zealander and Tenzing Norkey |
| Mountain Climbing is actually just part of the wider | | | | who was a Sherpa (a Tibetan tribesman), reached |
| adventure activity called mountaineering and for a | | | | the peak on May 29. 32 years before this colossal |
| long time, these two were practiced only because | | | | achievement, 11 attempts to summit were made and |
| they were useful skills. Mountaineers used mountain | | | | a lot of lives were lost. This included the great British |
| climbing to rescue stranded people or strayed sheep. | | | | climber George Leigh-Mallory and Andrew Irvine, his |
| They used it for hunting animals in higher terrain. | | | | fellow climber. They were last seen heading for the |
| Mountaineers would also guide travelers over difficult | | | | summit of Mount Everest during their expedition in |
| and often high paths that they had to cross. | | | | 1924. |
| However, they would never do it for the sake of | | | | Since the scaling of Mount Everest, the sport of |
| adventure or for fun. This was because they thought | | | | mountain climbing has become more popular than |
| that there were monsters and demons lurking in the | | | | before. Every year, more and more people are |
| higher peaks so they stayed away and lived as close | | | | starting to climb and more expeditions are sent that |
| to the plains as they could. | | | | try new routes to reach different mountain peaks. |
| However in early Renaissance Europe, individuals | | | | There is a growing list of countries making serious |
| started to venture into the mountains simply for the | | | | mountaineering efforts. The list includes, of course, |
| pleasure of it and sometimes as a sport. For instance, | | | | the European countries that have actively |
| Petrarch wrote about his 1335 climb of Mont | | | | participated long before. South American countries |
| Ventoux in France as being exhilarating. Instead of | | | | are also joining in. They compete with nations like |
| being tired or terrified, he rejoiced in the mountain's | | | | India, People's Republic of China, Australia, Japan and |
| hidden beauty, views and closeness to heaven. By | | | | New Zealand. Since mountain climbing is a sport that |
| 1786, these individuals started climbing in sizable | | | | is practiced worldwide, all cities that have a mountain |
| groups. They started scaling higher and higher peaks | | | | or a cliff in its area is sure to have a local |
| and others were ambitious enough to climb the | | | | mountaineering club where people can learn to climb |
| unclimbed peaks of Europe. In 1786, mountain climbing | | | | safely and skillfully. These local clubs are often |
| was given a boost as a sport in Europe with the | | | | affiliated with their national counterparts. The Alpine |
| successful ascent of the 15,781-foot Mont Blanc, the | | | | Club of London is the oldest and most famous |
| highest point in the Swiss Alps. By 1850, the Swiss | | | | climbing club. In the United States, three of the most |
| Alps were regularly climbed by English climbers during | | | | important clubs are the Appalachian Mountain Club, |
| their summer vacations. Because of this, the tradition | | | | the Sierra Club and the American Alpine Club. |