This section will help you see the potential of each area for the type of mountain/climbing you are looking for. It will also give brief notes on the general ease of access and complexity of mounting an expedition in each area. The first question everyone needs to ask is ‘What do you want to do?’. Self-evident though this question may seem, the answer largely governs where you might choose to go. Typical questions might be:

• Are you interested in an area that has been extensively explored and for which guide books or route descriptions are available?
• Would you prefer exploratory mountaineering; perhaps with the option of climbing a new peak?
• Do you specifically want to climb one or more virgin peaks?
• Is your interest a new route of moderate grade on a previously climbed mountain?
• Are you keen to do one or more hard new routes in either a frequently visited area or in one that receives few visitors?
• Would you prefer a lightweight expedition requiring minimal local support or one with significant infrastructure; possibly involving high altitude porters? In other words, how much are you prepared to carry yourself and over what distance, and what degree of ‘luxury’ would you prefer?
• Are you happy to have a multi-day trek to and from base camp or would you prefer your objective(s) to be close to mechanised access?
• What altitudes are you aiming for? Remember that higher mountains often involve higher peak fees.
• Are you interested in ski-touring opportunities or expeditions in which travel is largely on foot?

Once you have decided what type of expedition you prefer you must ensure that all members of the team have the necessary technical expertise, or at the very least that there are alternative opportunities for them within their skills range. For example, there is no point in going to an area that requires extensive ski travel if one or more participants cannot ski, or to an area that clearly requires high rock climbing ability when one or more participants can only climb up to V Diff. Not only will they not enjoy the experience, but they are likely to become a liability.

Some 70% of the Earth’s surface is mountainous so there is plenty of choice about where to go – every continent has something to offer, and opportunities for exploration, first ascents and new routing exist in many countries. In addition to the major ranges, which include the highest regions on Earth (the Himalaya, Karakoram, Tien Shan, Pamirs and Andes; see map), there are also serious challenges to be found in the mountains of Greenland, Antarctica, arctic North America and New Zealand, to name but a few. Every venue has its own local culture, history, wildlife and traditions. These can add considerably to the enjoyment of an expedition.