Mountaineering and Climbing on Mars
Your mountaineering and climbing skills might be valuable for exploring beyond the usual terrestrial locations. “Mountaineering and Climbing on Mars,” an interesting and fairly comprehensive article by Keith Cowing on SpaceRef.com, attempts to determine what climbing gear and techniques would be needed to explore the dry Martian landscape.
Some good news: “Since all surface activities on Mars are going to require pressurized suits, the issue of altitude sickness during routine use is not of special concern.”
The bad news: “In a Martian surface suit, while urine could be handled for longer periods using tubes and cups, feces will likely force wearers to taken their suits off at least every day or so.”
More good news: climbing on a planet with a gravitational field of 0.38 g should be easier.
However: “While Mars will offer a two-thirds decrease in weight as perceived by an unencumbered human, this advantage will be almost instantly eclipsed when space suit and life support gear mass - plus adaptations to Martian conditions - are factored in.”
Read the full article for the author's take on logistics, shelter and food, first aid, climbing gear, ropes and belaying, Martian rating systems for climbs, and more.
