Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions

Definitions of mountaineering and trekking and their waste implications

There are two main types of mountaineering: alpine mountaineering and expedition mountaineering. Alpine mountaineering involves climbers carrying all their equipment and supplies with them, whereas expedition climbing usually involves setting up a series of camps stocked with provisions. Mountaineering can be distinguished from trekking, which does not explicitly involve reaching the summit of a mountain, although treks often include summits and high-altitude passes along their route. Expedition mountaineering is most common in higher altitude locations such as the Himalayas or Andes and demands considerably longer periods of time on the mountain to allow for acclimatization. It often requires

larger loads of equipment and supplies that may involve porters, pack animals, glacier airplanes, cooks and multiple transfers of provision between camps (Eng, 2010; Barros, Pickering and Gudes, 2015). Both types (alpine and expedition) have a considerable impact on the environment; however, the longer periods and greater resources needed for expedition style climbing, coupled with the remoteness and lack of infrastructure at these destinations, can mean more visible and persistent waste problems, especially at base camps. The literature, however, does not always differentiate between mountaineers and trekkers, or other mountain tourists and visitors that also use trails and base camps.

Yaks carrying expedition kit in Gokyo Valley, Nepal. Photo © iStock/fotoVoyager

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