Have you gotten tired of the rock-climbing wall at the gym and your usual hiking haunts? Are you ready to put your skills to the test on a real mountain? If you’re considering your next travel destination and want to take the first step toward reaching your bucket list mountain-climbing milestone (Mt. Everest anyone?) it’s important to be realistic with the mountain you choose. Pick from one of the best places for first-time mountain climbers, and you’ll prepare yourself for the elevation, exertion, and exercise of a full-blown mountain climbing adventure.
As one of the most popular tourist attractions in Japan, Mt. Fuji also serves as an excellent way for aspiring mountain climbers to test their aptitude for altitude. While its many well-worn trails make it more of a hike than a climb, it serves as a marker for how well your athletic skills hold up in a real-life mountain climbing scenario.
People from many walks of life traverse this mountain in less than a day, making it in about eight hours round trip. Mt. Fuji provides outdoor enthusiasts with a glimpse of what’s to come as they gaze from the top of the 12,388-foot peak and enrich themselves with Japanese culture along the way.
If you’re looking for a local favorite of many professional mountain climbers across the nation, look no further than the Pacific Northwest’s very own Mt. Rainier. This 14,410-foot volcano provides climbers with an authentic mountain climbing experience; you’ll find ice, rock, and snow during your entire climb. Guided tours and classes are readily available and recommended for the novice mountaineer—you’ll have a long four to five days of physically taxing climbing ahead of you.
The entire state of Colorado is famous for its year-round capacity for outdoor activities, including the most extreme and adventurous hobbies. Pick one of Colorado’s 58 mountains over 14,000 feet tall, locally known as 14ers, for a magnificent peek into the mountaineering lifestyle. With so many to choose from, you may find yourself returning to Colorado again and again to test your mountain climbing might on a more difficult slope. If you can’t get enough of these majestic mountains, you’ll also find the 13ers, or mountains that are around 13,000 feet in elevation, for a lower elevation climb packed with just as much excitement.
Before you go out and enjoy the best places for first-time mountain climbers, gear up with the famous brand-name outdoor lifestyle backpacks from Escape Outdoors that’ll keep your supplies securely in one place. Get out there and take on the mountains this year—you’ll be tackling the first step to conquering new heights that will leave you breathless.
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