Mountaineering as Logical Choice

We, the citizens of Vršac, are lucky to live at the foot of the Vršac Mountains. Hiking is within everyone’s reach; there are many organised and properly marked trails which makes our mountains ideal for beginners, while experienced mountaineers can also have a good practice.

I am a member of the local club – PSK Železničar and the Mountaineering Association of Serbia. I used to go hiking on my own before, I did some cycling – both road and mountain-biking, before that I practiced parachuting… so when you put together my love of nature and my adventurous spirit, mountaineering was quite a logical choice.

Mountaineers know well that it’s not only a physical activity, but much more than that. This is getting to know yourself, revealing the aspects of your personality that you didn't even know existed, but also a return to nature and revealing its beauties.

Benefits of mountaineering are many. I believe that any of us can find their own reasons and recognise what suits their body best. Being in the nature is the essence of each human being, only we have forgotten about it owing to the advance of technology and its widespread use. Mountaineering is the exact opposite of a daily urban routine. Hiking helps in boosting your metabolism, burning calories and excreting seratonin – the happy hormone. Mountaineering also eliminates symptoms of depression and sulkiness. Accumulated positive energy and good spirits stay in your body for days, so it can happen that you keep that smile ‘for unknown reasons’ long after a mountaineering trip. In addition to many health benefits, mountaineering is also known for creating tight and permanent ties between people.

Mountains are often hostile. Rain, snow, strong winds, fog, or scorching sun can really put the will and determination of any individual to test. However, arriving at a mountain top is really something that cannot be described by words, despite all the difficulties. Out of our comfort zone, we spend time in an environment stripped from the luxuries of electricity, hot water, and WIFI, but nevertheless, we can hardly wait for every new action.

I have so far taken part in hundreds of mountaineering trips, mainly organised by my mountaineering club, although I often go to the mountains with a couple of friends or even alone.

I would like to mention some of my favourite mountains, heights and climbs:

Homoljske planine – Veliki Vukan 825 m
Kablar – 889 m
Rtanj – Šiljak 1570 m
Šar Planina - Ljuboten 2498 m (North Macedonia)
Korab – 2764 m (North Macedonia)
Jablanica – 2257 m (North Macedonia)
Retezat – 2482 m (Romania)
Peleaga – 2509 m (Romania)

In order to become a mountaineer, one should be at least moderately fit, should have a good will to do so and join one of the clubs. When an action is led by a trained guide, climbing a mountain is much safer, and everything is easier and better in a good company. It is also an ideal opportunity to learn something from the more experienced mountaineers about the kind of food and equipment that is necessary for going to the mountains.

Based on my own experience, I can say that the three most important things are: shoes, backpack, and SUFFICIENT quantity of water in it. Mountaineering is not a cheap sport but there is no need to buy all equipment at once or to buy the most expensive equipment. It is important to start mountaineering and then, depending on wishes and capabilities, each individual will realise with time what he/she needs for going to the mountains.

I would like to note that almost all the activities take place at weekends and that they last a whole day. We often spend 3,4, or even 5 hours in transport, only to reach a place where we start our climb, which means that a lot of time should be devoted to a trip. However, owing to those trips to different mountains, I have visited a number of cities, monasteries, caves, museums, cultural and historic monuments.

MOUNTAINS ARE CALLING YOU!

Author: Jovan Petrović, Warehouse operator at Packaging material Warehouse, Warehouse Service Production, Supply Chain Management Division, Hemofarm Group

Source: Hemofarm Foundation - Mountaineering as Logical Choice (fondacijahemofarm.org.rs)