Is mountain climbing really that difficult?

[RedRooster]

I was just watching a show where some 40/50-somethings (presumably in great shape for their age) tried climbing Kilimanjaro. Some of them tired out very quickly and were on the virge of exhaustion, even though the distance they climbed didn't seem like a whole lot.
Is mountain climbing really a tremendously difficult thing that only these old pros can do, or would some early-20 year old athletes be able to whip up the mountain with little problem? Much of the reason these older climbers fail seems to be fatigue and endurance. But you barely ever see a team of professional/amateur athlete types climbing the big mountains. Maybe its just not that big of a challenge?
I think it's just something older folks do for the thrill of the adventure, they're not really conquering anything.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Mountain climbing is all about oxygen deprivation. The people that are successful at it have spent alot of time in the mountains. A 20yo highly trained athelete in excellent condition with no acclaimation to high altitudes would do a face plant in the snow long before the older experienced mountain climbers.

The sherpia's that live at extremely high altitudes (near Everest) can go much higher without oxygen tanks than anyone else

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
Mountain climbing is all about oxygen deprivation. The people that are successful at it have spent alot of time in the mountains. A 20yo highly trained athelete in excellent condition with no acclaimation to high altitudes would do a face plant in the snow long before the older experienced mountain climbers.

The sherpia's that live at extremely high altitudes (near Everest) can go much higher without oxygen tanks than anyone else

QFT.

Cyclists sometimes die in the mountains on races because of this and overwork. You hace to acclamate your body to lack of oxygen. Lance Armstrong would sleep in an oxygen deprived tent to train for those things.

 

[GasX]

There are several key ingedients to a succesful climb of a major mountain:

1. Health & Fitness - 20 somethings win this category
2. Experience - Depends on the climber but older people tend to have more of it...
3. Climbing Skill - same as above, but an avid 20 something can easily have sufficient "skills" to climb anywhere
4. Huge amounts of cash - here is where the 20 somethings drop like flies