CMC Purposes and Goals
Mountaineering is the sport of attaining, or attempting to attain high points of mountains, mainly for the pleasure of the climb. The sport of mountaineering differs from other outdoor sports in that nature alone provides the field of action for the participant. Climbing mountains embodies the thrills produced by testing one's courage, resourcefulness, cunning, strength, ability, and stamina to the utmost in a situation of inherent risk. Mountaineering, to a greater degree than other sports, is a group activity, with each member both supporting and supported by the group's achievement at every stage. For most climbers, the pleasures of mountaineering lie not only in ascending peaks but also in the physical and spiritual satisfactions brought about through intense personal effort, ever-increasing proficiency, and contact with natural grandeur.
The CMC promotes mountaineering as a thinking person’s sport. Where climbers bring their collective knowledge, skills, and experience to safely solve problems and minimize potential dangers that exist. We believe the following five general areas represent the skills, knowledge, and abilities of a good mountaineer:
SAFETY - Maintains good safety awareness and understand that accident prevention is the best policy. Maintains a working knowledge of first aid and wilderness survival.
CONDITIONING - Sufficient physical conditioning, to undertake multi-day climbing trips, that involving several thousand feet of gain for several miles, carrying all required equipment.
LEADERSHIP - Interface with people in an effective and confident manner and the ability to navigate in the back county with map and compass. Good leadership normally occurs with a lot of experience.
ROCK SKILLS - (class 4 & 5) - Basic rock climbing, rope management, belaying, and, rappelling skills.
SNOW SKILLS - Proficient in ice axe self arrest and crampon use; familiar with roped travel and avalanche awareness.
The CMC web site will be dedicated to collecting and disseminating mountaineering information regarding these five factors and to encourage high standards of mountaineering within the Club.