In its simplest form, the medium is described as the recreational ascent of a mountain. Means by which of scrambling, mantling, climbing, skiing, snowshoeing, and ice climbing are all valid. And as to why? Stoic towers of snow, crumbling rock,and black ice inspire each climber for their own sense of what's worth. Personal growth, peakbagging, religious excursions, epiphanies, solitude, a fetish, all prove reasons for why one summits. There isn't a static classification of what makes a route “Mountaineering”, some opinions range from “there must be snow”, “It should be X.ft tall”, “it must be above class 3 on the YDS”. You can figure out what you want out of it.
A brief recap of the history (i'll make separate posts going over european & American alpinism), A commonly cited example is the 1492 ascent of Mont Aiguille by Antoine de Ville, a French military officer. Because ropes, ladders and iron hooks were used, and because it was the first climb of any technical difficulty to be officially verified, this ascent is widely recognized as being the birth of mountaineering. Afterwards, With the arrival of the Age of Enlightenment, Mountaineering came into the consciousness of many who wanted proof of the indomitable human spirit. Chamonix in France was summited then by Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard in 1786. The Golden age of mountaineering was declared in 1854 with the summit of the Wetterhorn in the Swiss Alps, and by which then for the next decade most of the Alps have been touched by bruised hands and battered knees. The first mountaineering club dubbed “Alpine Club“ being founded in 1857 in the UK. Mountaineers expanded their geological reach and found themselves establishing themselves in Scandinavian ranges. With the dawn of the new millenia, French and Austrian climbers buckled with the high altitude peaks of the Himalayan Range. Many Siege-Style ascents proved too expensive for coin and life. Only in the 1950's from the advancement and change of tools and climbing ethics were the first summits of 8000 Meter peaks in the Himalayas.
In modern day, Mountaineering has advanced itself by becoming more accessible with the influx of clubs and ease of guide services. Information online and cheap gear eases the way into the sport. However, It seems like most public perception and video content revolves around covering tragic deaths or the commercialization of the Himalayan Range. You can look into these yourselves and find your own opinion.
Your main traction on snow, ice, and rock. The inception of the crampon is not far off from its modern counterpart. 8-12 sharp spikes with front points pointing either vertically or horizontally based on usage. It's typically made of steel, however lighter ones made out of aluminum alloys have a place on the market for ski touring and ultralight use. They are relatively simple and durable tools that need only sharpening using a bastard file when your front spikes wear. Crampons have 3 different configurations for fitting onto boots. (Petzl Darts)
Your main lifeline whether you're climbing on a spire of ice or walking through a glacier. The reason for the differentiation between axe & tool is in its use. Ice axes tend to be long and straight shafted to substitute a trekking pole with the ability to cut steps with the adze and self arrest . An ice tool has a curved shaft and an aggressive downturned pick that is used to climb more vertical ice and rock.
Due to the nature of most crampons' design, it's dangerous and unsuitable to use them in combination with most shoes and boots. Mountaineering boots come in 3 different typesthat accommodate hybrid and automatic crampons and also feature extremely stiff soles to prevent the popping off of a crampon. Besides crampon compatibility, some boots come with a liner similar to a ski boot, These being called double boots , typically used for colder temps.