Safety is a big concern in mountaineering

Mountaineering is the aggregate activity which combines hiking, mountain climbing, and skiing.  It is done as a hobby, a sport, and even as a profession.  It initially began as solely the attempt to climb uncharted mountains and to reach previously unclimbed mountain peaks.  Throughout the years however, it has branched into smaller categories addressing the different special aspects of mountain climbing.  These categories are skiing, snow-crafting, and rock-crafting. They are categorized depending on whether the activity is done over ice, snow, or rock.  Whichever category it is though, mountaineering is always requires a high level of physical fitness, adequate knowledge about gear and safety, and will power.

The international governing body for mountaineering is the Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme or UIAA.  It is responsible for addressing different issues regarding mountaineering such as general safety and protection, medical matters, and new or young mountaineers.

Safety is a big concern in mountaineering because of the many hazards that go with it.  Generally, these hazards are classified into 2 categories: subjective hazards and objective hazards.  Subjective hazards are the dangers that exist due to the presence and activity of the mountaineers.  These include such dangers such as equipment failure, inadequate or incorrect technique, and fatigue or exhaustion.  These dangers are very much in the control of the mountaineer and could be greatly diminished with the proper training and preparation.  Objective hazards on the other hand are the dangers that exist whether or not the mountaineer is present.  These include avalanches, rock fall and landslides, and inclement weather.  Thus, mountaineering routes are usually identified as either objectively safe or objectively dangerous.

To decrease the impact of these hazards, shelters are usually used by mountaineers.  There are many different types of shelter that are available, the most common of which is the base camp.  A base camp is usually situated at the base of the mountain.  It is the main staging area before the actual attempt to climb the mountain.  The same base camp is usually used by all mountaineers for a particular mountain because it is regarded as the safest and best point to start the climb.  A single base camp is usually sufficient for most mountains. For the higher ones though, several other camps may be set-up.  For example, some of the routes that are used to climb Mount Everest has a base camp and up to 4 other camps.

Other shelters that are used by mountaineers are tents, mountain huts, bivouacs, and caves.  Tents are the most common form of shelter that is used. Many designs are available and range from straightforward tarps to heavy models that could withstand some harsh weather conditions.  

Mountain huts are shelters that are professionally built to provide food and refuge for mountaineers.  These are fully equipped structures that usually have a full time staff and a full coverage of necessities such as food and drinks. For this reason, mountain huts are also sometimes called mountain hostels. They are usually run by mountaineering clubs and associations although even non-member mountaineers are allowed access.  Club members usually get perks such as discounts on their purchases.

Bivouacs on the other hand are makeshift resting arrangements which provide only the minimum requirements of shelter.  Thus, a bivouac may simply be an area where a mountaineer can lay down his sleeping bag and sleep.  Bivouacs are best used only in mountains that do not have extreme weather conditions because they do not provide good protection against exposure to the elements.