The Japanese Amano Kazuaki, winner of a Piolet d’Or in 2009, appeared as a guest blogger in May, discussing mountains and climbing and sharing some amazing photos.
His second blog is on the European Alps – the birthplace of alpinism
Since ancient times, people have feared mountains.
And respected them.
As in Japan, in the Himalayas, mountains are considered the place inhabited by the gods. However, in Europe, mountains are respected as the the devil’s haven.
On August 8, 1786, Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard were the first to complete the ascent of Mont Blanc.
One of the reasons for the success was the guidance of Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, the founder of modern mountaineering.
It could be said that alpinism was born the moment the decision was made to scale this mountain.
It was after the success of this climb that many other mountains across the globe were conquered.
The focus started shifting from yet unchallenged peaks to more difficult routes, tougher weather, climbs in smaller groups, and lower oxygen levels in places like the Himalayas.
What alpinists were after were climbs that are the stuff of novels.
Guest blogger：Kazuaki Amano