How to Not Be a Noob?

I’m a mountaineering noob, and I realize that bagging a few peaks with the help of AllTrails does not elevate me from that status. I want to be a mountaineering guru someday – the kind that can safely take the lead on outdoor adventures. What advice do you have for getting to that point?

A few things you might want to know about me:

1. I’m a family man. Dirtbagging for a month isn’t an option. I’m always looking for ways to involve the kids in my adventures.
2. I’m on a budget and I'm not willing to blow $50 on a Patagonia trucker hat. That being said, I am willing to invest in quality gear if I feel like it’s worth the cost.
3. I’m a weekender. I like my job and can’t take the summer off to thru hike the PCT. Since I live in a rural community on the boarders of Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, I don’t have a lot of local resources, but I DO have easy access to some pretty epic wilderness. Day trips, single nights, and the occasional multi-day adventure is what I have to work with.
4. I care about safety. I want to protect myself, the people I’m with, and the places I visit.
5. I have limited experience with hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, skiing, snowshoeing, rafting, canoeing, swimming, running, and biking. But for the sake of being thorough, feel free to respond as if I’ve never set foot in the outdoors.

Annnd….GO!

Positive attitude 

Don't trust other's judgement. The best thing is to find a mentor or take a class. The next best thing is to read a book and then actually go out and practice the concepts in it. 

Outdoors sports are full of overconfident young dudes who don't take risk very seriously. If you want to take it seriously you will have to follow a different path to them. 

Its all about linear progression. Ill assume you are talking about 'summiting Denali' as something you consider to be a mountaineering goal. 

For that type of mountaineering you have to really be immune to suffering. Its not mentally easy at all and camping in the snow isn't that fun for me personally.

Anyways - how to not be a noob for someone who lives near Wy, Co, Ut. Start doing 14er's and see how that goes for you. Work up to doing the Grand Teton and see how you like that. Try some winter car/tent camping. 

I agree that some low-commitment snow camping is a good start. Dig some platforms/snow caves/wind breaks and learn what you need to sleep and how to manage gear when it’s freezing.

IDK your area, but around mine (CA) I always like Lassen in early spring as an entry. Casual walk in, camp at the foot overnight, and more or less a walk to the top. Just enough misery to see if you want more and few skills needed (a little crampon and axe technique).

I think you might run into some heightened challenges with “I’m on a budget” and “I care about safety”, though some will disagree with me. A safe sleeping bag that will last is going to be expensive. Having the right boot (and as you’ll probably get to, boots) are all expensive. Sure, people have historically done it without the awesome gear we have now, and still do—but safety wasn’t their priority. Not impossible to resolve with patience, FS forum sleuthing, and so on… but def more challenging. 

You're not going to be a mountaineering guru. Too many limitations for you (e.g., weekends only). Set your goals more realistically.

And occasionally post something new in this thread to show that you're not a troll or a bot.

Read Freedom of the hills. Then get out and start wandering up easy things.

100.

One hundred peaks for you Noob, to elevate your status and to be admitted to the ranks. 

If Senior Noob is good for you, 50 peaks will do.

Cherokee Nunes wrote:

100.

One hundred peaks for you Noob, to elevate your status and to be admitted to the ranks. 

If Senior Noob is good for you, 50 peaks will do.

• I'm only at 6, so I'd better get busy!

I appreciate all of the responses; they've given me some good things to think about, especially the suggestions to try out some winter car camping. Thanks everyone!

Steve Nelson wrote:

I’m a mountaineering noob, and I realize that bagging a few peaks with the help of AllTrails does not elevate me from that status. I want to be a mountaineering guru someday – the kind that can safely take the lead on outdoor adventures. What advice do you have for getting to that point?

A few things you might want to know about me:

1. I’m a family man. Dirtbagging for a month isn’t an option. I’m always looking for ways to involve the kids in my adventures.
2. I’m on a budget and I'm not willing to blow $50 on a Patagonia trucker hat. That being said, I am willing to invest in quality gear if I feel like it’s worth the cost.
3. I’m a weekender. I like my job and can’t take the summer off to thru hike the PCT. Since I live in a rural community on the boarders of Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, I don’t have a lot of local resources, but I DO have easy access to some pretty epic wilderness. Day trips, single nights, and the occasional multi-day adventure is what I have to work with.
4. I care about safety. I want to protect myself, the people I’m with, and the places I visit.
5. I have limited experience with hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, skiing, snowshoeing, rafting, canoeing, swimming, running, and biking. But for the sake of being thorough, feel free to respond as if I’ve never set foot in the outdoors.

Annnd….GO!

Find a adventure partner and go backpack/hike/run/climb more. Learn your systems with easy overnight adventures. Go car camping in the snow. Hike more. Push your limits. Start finding 14'ers that you can go do. 

I've had to learn the hard way that adventures with my now 13 year old are a very different thing when he's around vs solo trips or trips where a buddy and I are peak bagging. Taking the kid out for easy backpacking trips are some of my favorite memories with him, but they're still about doing something the he finds fun and not a 2 day peak bagging sufferfest where we go from 6k to 14k to 6k in a _very_ long day. 

I suppose a better question would be... what is your actual experience with outdoor stuff?

Do you have backpacking gear?

Climbing gear? 

Have you done overnight backpacking trips?

Have you done a 10 mile day hike?

Have you ever done off-trail route finding?

Summer P wrote:

Find a adventure partner and go backpack/hike/run/climb more. Learn your systems with easy overnight adventures. Go car camping in the snow. Hike more. Push your limits. Start finding 14'ers that you can go do. 

I've had to learn the hard way that adventures with my now 13 year old are a very different thing when he's around vs solo trips or trips where a buddy and I are peak bagging. Taking the kid out for easy backpacking trips are some of my favorite memories with him, but they're still about doing something the he finds fun and not a 2 day peak bagging sufferfest where we go from 6k to 14k to 6k in a _very_ long day. 

I suppose a better question would be... what is your actual experience with outdoor stuff?

Do you have backpacking gear?

Climbing gear? 

Have you done overnight backpacking trips?

Have you done a 10 mile day hike?

Have you ever done off-trail route finding?

Do you have backpacking gear?

Yes. It's not the latest and greatest ultralight stuff, but I feel pretty confident in my gear and my ability to use it.

Climbing gear?

Some. Most of my climbing experience is in the gym.

Have you done overnight backpacking trips?

Yes, several. My longest was a 3 night 50 miler in the High Uinta Wilderness.

Have you done a 10 mile day hike?

Yes, a few. The most recent one was Mount Massive last summer.

Have you ever done off-trail route finding?

No. I honestly don't have any experience in this area.

"I want to be a committed expert while making no sacrifices to a lifestyle far removed from the subject" 

Agree with Frank. You can't become a guru this way. You can still have a lot of fun and find some fulfillment though. 

Expertise is a reflection of time investment.

There is no substitute for time. 

I'd expand to time (repetitionand intensity), reflection, and honest internal and external feedback. 

A Wilderness First Aid certification (WFA, pronounced woof-ah) or the higher level Wilderness First Responder (WFR, woof-er) are industry standard certs for professional guides and instructors (who usually have activity specific certs as well). Lots of good info to be had from a quality WFA course, especially if you are completely new to outdoor/wilderness sports generally and want to take others like family along on your adventures.

Take an avalanche class if you are doing much in the winter around there - a Colorado based class is more representative of your snowpack than a wasatch class would be.

Lots of mileage is a good start to build experience and mountain sense.  The Mexican volcanoes are easy, cheap, and a great adventure for beginner mountaineers.

Time, mileage and intensity of pursuit accelerate experience and knowledge. 

Humility, constant vigilance, open mindedness and never ceasing to question one's own skill level and decision making keeps you safer.

The wannabe a guru thing is just ego fluffery, which can get you hurt, Be careful with that.

climb a mountain every weekend of the summer. dosent even have to be a big one. Just do it.  The #1 requirement to be a mountaineer is strong legs and lungs. Best acquired by climbing mountains.