Above the Snow Line Part 11

A man of average activity could, probably, actually climb, without any particular experience, most of, or all, the more difficult rock peaks under good conditions of weather and the like. But how different from the really practical mountaineer, who strives to make an art of his pastime.

Watch the latter. First and foremost, he knows when to turn back, and does not hesitate to act as his judgment directs. He bears in mind that there is pleasure to be obtained from mountaineering even though the programme may not be carried out in its entirety as planned, and realises to the full that

Tis better to have climbed and failed Than never to have climbed at all.

His companions are always safe with him, his climbing unselfish; he never dislodges a loose stoneexcept purposelyeither with hands, feet, or the loose rope; he is always as firm as circ.u.mstances will permit, prepared to withstand any sudden slip; he never puts forth more strength at each step than is necessary, thus saving his powers, being always ready in an emergency, and never degenerating into that most dangerous of enc.u.mbrances, a tired member of a united party: not, of course, that the vast majority of amateurs can ever hope, with their imperfect practice, to attain to the level of even a second-rate guide; still, by bringing his intelligence to bear on this, as he does on any other amus.e.m.e.nt, the amateur can render himself something more than a thoroughly reliable companion on any justifiable expedition.

(M151)

Let the spirit of compet.i.tion lead young climbers to strive after excellence in this direction, rather than, as is too commonly the case, induce them to take Times as the criterion of mountaineering proficiency. There are instructors enough. Even from an inferior guide an infinite amount may be learnt; at the least such a one can recognise the real danger of the Alps, and in this respect possesses a faculty which is one of the chief the mountaineer has to acquire. Let the spirit in which the Alps are climbed be of some such nature as that I have attempted to indicate, and accidents such as those recorded in Mr. C. E. Mathews grim list will be of such rare occurrence that they will never be called up to discredit mountaineering. If, perchance, any words here written shall prompt in the future the climber to perfect his art more and more while frequenting the old haunts, and to extend and utilise mountaineering still more, then at least the writer may feel, like the mountain when it had brought forth the ridiculous mouse, that his labour has not been wholly in vain. Yet more: his gloomy forebodings shall be falsified, and with respect to the future of mountaineering the outlook will be bright enough.