Style

/ a way of doing something, especially one that is typical of a person, group of people, place, or period /

/ Alpine style is mountaineering in a self-sufficient manner, thereby carrying all of one’s food, shelter and equipment as one climbs, as opposed to expedition style (or siege style) mountaineering which involves setting up a fixed line of stocked camps on the mountain which can be accessed at one’s leisure. Additionally, alpine style means the refusal of fixed ropes, high-altitude porters, supplemental oxygen and portable hyperbaric bag. /

What is important is to tell how we do what we do. ➡️ STYLES AND VERIFICATIONS

I believe there’s not a good and a bad style for climbing mountains. It should be a personal decision. For me the style is always more important than the reaching, and I try to apply from a steep ski descent to a big mountain climb.

Leave mountains untouched 

Have the minimum footprint, in terms of ecology ( leave no trace, minimum carbon footprint for the project , don’t spend -money and resources- that are the minimum necessary…) Also means to climb mountains when are less crowded to find that “exploration” feeling, because tracks or visual information are artificial. And when executing the activity leave nothing but footprints, and that means using the less artificial techniques to progress. To downclimb is better than abseiling, to solo is better than protecting because even a cam or a piton are an artificial mean in the mountain.

Carry only what you need and only what you can

If you cannot carry the gear to climb a mountain, I believe that mountain isn’t to be climbed by you. The use of porters, cabins, base camps…is taking you away from the animal we are. Less is more, less we need to climb closer is the experience, and when we need help to carry what we need we’re to far away from that animal. Unsupported isn’t UN – Supported but supported is artificial.

Keep moving 

Single push, fast as a consequence of all the facts above but never as a goal itself if it changes the style. As we move – day, night, non stop – mountains move and change conditions so we adapt changing our goals at the sound of what mountains allow us to do at every moment.