Mountain climbing part 4

One very important lesson I have learnt from both my outdoor
experience and the one I am currently climbing, is never be slack
and presume you know the area you are about to traverse
throughand the conditions you could encounter along that route.
If you are a wise outdool person, you will call into a a DOC'
information centre or the likes and check out the area you are
about to traverse through andccditions you can expect to come
across, such as, track conditions, weather, availability of huts
and beds, experience and ability required for this route. In my
Journey along I have found it necessary to stop and seek advice
from people that have traversed through similar teritory and have
a attitude that is prepared to learn and grow! The good old Kiwi
slogan; "She'll be right mate", does not cut it and an attitude
like that on a mountain climb can put yourself and others at risk
of serious harm or a possible fatality! That slogan may have got
us through at times in the past, but at what expense and what
condition were we or others left in when we accomplished the
goal! Even the very best outdoors people at times can come to
grief, possibly a little bit of that, "She'll be right mate",
attitude slipped in after years of traversing the outdoors and
that one time they became slack, brought disaster and sometimes
to more than just themselves!
I remember chatting to an 80 year old friend one day and he said
to me never be to old to learn, when you stop learning you are
dying as a person!
We all want to reach the top of the mountain, what ever that
mountain may; for us and we need to arrive on that summit in the
best condition possible and not damaged and bruised and missing
some of our climbing gear and support team from a bad experience
climbing the mountain, as you will need as much skill and wisdom
in the decent as the climb itself!