Some of my friends from the East Coast get a little annoyed with me when I refuse to acknowledge certain geographical landmarks as mountains. Well, I'm sorry, but in order for it to be a real mountain, it must meet one of the following characteristics: it must have that jagged, roughhewn look; it must have snow on it all year round; or it must be an active volcano. Anything else is just an overgrown hill. I love mountains, and I have a great deal of respect for them. I also think that the people who climb them are a little different from the rest of us. Extremely impressive, mind you, but a bit nuts. Most of us will never climb a real mountain. However, if at some point you find yourself with an overwhelming urge to climb to an elevation where you actually have to bring your own oxygen, there are a number of items you can take with you to help ensure your safe return to sea level.



If you're going to tackle a real mountain, you're not going to need hiking boots-you're going to need mountaineering boots. This kind of footwear is designed to deal with the harsh terrain you're going to encounter. They are usually taller, stiffer and more heavily insulated than typical hiking boots. Although traditionally made from plastic, rubber or leather (or a combination thereof), newer high-quality mountaineering boots sometimes feature materials like Kevlar. This kind of footwear can be fairly expensive, running anywhere from $200 to $500.

A defining characteristic of mountaineering boots is that they are designed to be used with another essential piece of mountaineering equipment: crampons. These are spikes that provide traction on snow and ice, and they can be fitted over mountaineering boots. Crampons are usually made of hardened steel, although lighter aluminum versions are also available. The average price for a pair of decent crampons is about $150.

Most people are at least familiar with the concept and general appearance of an ice axe. They are ubiquitous among mountaineers, probably because they are so multi-purpose and useful. Ice axes have a number of different parts and features, all of which are designed to help the mountaineer scale an icy or snowy slope. The pick is the longer, curved portion of the axe's head. It features a set of metal teeth, which can be used to prevent or slow undesired descent. The other side of the head is called the adze; it is flat and wide and can be used to chop steps into hard snow or ice. The other end of the axe features a spike that helps the mountaineer plunge the axe into the snow, enabling him to use it for stability, balance and safety. Ice axes can run anywhere from $100 to $350.

Mountains can be as treacherous as the sea, and avalanches should never be far from a mountaineer's mind. There are a number of devices available for avalanche safety. Avalanche transceivers use electromagnetic sensors to map victims' locations and depths. If you are in a group of people and some of them are buried in snow, this may help you find them in time. If you are the one buried, you'll want to have an Avalung, a filtration device that draws air directly from the snowpack, allowing the user to breathe while trapped.