The history of mountain hiking
Looking back..
Hiking in the mountains as a way to relax is actually an integral part of our lives. Mountain huts, ski elevators and detailed maps of the most beautiful hiking trails have for decades accompanied thousands of enthusiasts on their way to a beautiful mountain peak or a sense of tranquility. Even my grandparents still proudly recount long hikes in the mountains over sixty years ago, where the adventures were often even more exciting without an up-to-date weather forecast, Komoot or a cell phone at all. How long has hiking in the mountains been a sport?
First mountain hike for fun
A long time ago mankind was afraid of the mountains. Much awe and respect was there, for the impassable areas where the gods live. Myths and stories like that of Sisyphos kept people grounded. We stayed away from these awe-inspiring sculptures and lived in the valleys. Of course, every era has its adventurers. For example, the first official 'trekking' for which we can find evidence was in the year 125. A brave Roman named Hadrian climbed Mount Etna. The sport was not really big then. In the Middle Ages and other turbulent times, people had other things on their minds than climbing the mountains for fun.
Mountain climbing in the 21th century
However, our life in the 21st century is characterized by prosperity, luxury and security. Gone are all the gods we used to believe in. Science has developed and we can explain everything. We live longer, safer and healthier lives. Precisely in that certainty we have an increasing need for renunciation. That's why Norgay and Hillary reached the top of the world in 1953, after many attempts and deaths, after an exhausting climb. Finally the difficult obstacle was taken, which is still called the Hillary scooter. Plodding, facing challenges, really feeling life in the knowledge that you can die any moment. That is exactly what you experience during an extreme climb high in the mountains. The certainty of safe life brought us back to the heights of the mountains and makes us face more and more extreme challenges. Think of Wim Hof climbing Kilimanjaro and Mount Everest in his underwear, or a Red Bull challenge to ski off the top of K2. Unfortunately, dozens of people die each year during their adventures in the mountains, including Dutchmen.
'Mountain' meditation documentary | must see!
Watch the trailer of the meditative documentary about man's relationship with mountains through time. Highly recommended with beautiful images of people walking and climbing in the mountains.
Future of mountain walking
Fortunately, mountains still have a lot of meaning in 2020. The spiritual magazine Happinez (2020-2) writes about the 7 chakras, the energy centers of the earth. It is no wonder that Mount Kailesh in Tibet boasts the holy number 7 of the chakra's. This mountain in the Himalayas symbolizes the crossroads between the physical and the spiritual world. The mountain at the top of this blog is Mount Kailesh. Also in the book the eight mountains you can read about the symbolism and meaning in the mountains.
At the same time, the mountains in all their beauty are a great accessible way to calm your head. All the prosperity that the development of the last decades has brought, also leads to more stress in mankind. Everything needs to be faster, better and more efficient. I believe that mountain hiking and mountain climbing will only become more popular, partly for this reason. Hiking in the mountains as a medicine against the spirit of the times and a solution to get grounded again. Close to mother nature, in awe of her beauty, we succeed in putting all the supposedly important appointments and deadlines in our daily lives into perspective.
I hope that the mountains will be a special, mysterious resting place for us humans for thousands of years to come. You can contribute to this by becoming a member of a mountain sports association. A tip is to become a member of the NKBV. One of the goals of the 'Royal Dutch Climbing and Mountain Sports Association' is to make its members aware of the beauty and vulnerability of the mountain areas.