An experienced senior executive, Mark Hirschhorn has overseen companies in the healthcare and technology sectors. Currently, he guides the behavioral health services enterprise Talkspace as the president, chief operating officer, and chief financial officer. A fitness enthusiast who partakes in activities such as cycling and running, Mark Hirschhorn also enjoys alpine climbing when he has the opportunity.
One critical question facing serious mountaineers is what type of footwear to take on the trail. For alpine rock routes graded 5.8 and above, comfortable rock shoes are often ideal. However, this only holds for dry routes and temperatures above freezing, such that the performance of their sticky rubber soles is not impacted.
When the approach is fast, the grade is not too steep, and the snow has melted, an even more lightweight option is the approach shoe. Drawbacks can include minimal support when bearing a heavy backpack and a failure to hold much traction in wet and slippery conditions.
Leather boots, perhaps the most common footwear for alpine routes, hold up well in rock climbing and icy conditions. For the latter, a heavier boot with ample insulation and Gore-Tex protection may be the ideal option. However, leather boots may take several trips to break in, with blistering a common result. In addition, they can prove extremely challenging to dry out once they are wet.
Heavy and less precise in their footing, double boots, traditionally made of plastic, keep the feet the warmest and are the easiest to dry out along the extended alpine route. This makes them the footwear of choice when ice is melting, and there are numerous streams and slushy stretches to traverse.
One critical question facing serious mountaineers is what type of footwear to take on the trail. For alpine rock routes graded 5.8 and above, comfortable rock shoes are often ideal. However, this only holds for dry routes and temperatures above freezing, such that the performance of their sticky rubber soles is not impacted.
When the approach is fast, the grade is not too steep, and the snow has melted, an even more lightweight option is the approach shoe. Drawbacks can include minimal support when bearing a heavy backpack and a failure to hold much traction in wet and slippery conditions.
Leather boots, perhaps the most common footwear for alpine routes, hold up well in rock climbing and icy conditions. For the latter, a heavier boot with ample insulation and Gore-Tex protection may be the ideal option. However, leather boots may take several trips to break in, with blistering a common result. In addition, they can prove extremely challenging to dry out once they are wet.
Heavy and less precise in their footing, double boots, traditionally made of plastic, keep the feet the warmest and are the easiest to dry out along the extended alpine route. This makes them the footwear of choice when ice is melting, and there are numerous streams and slushy stretches to traverse.
