Mountaineering

Mountaineering is RuneScape's newest and most integrating Skill. Mountaineering features many new mountains which crop over RuneScape, and give greater access to existing mountains. Mountaineering gives a player the ability to climb mountains all over RuneScape. There are usually rewards at the top of mountains, such as new familiars, gems, gold, weapons, armor, experience, special items or mountaineering-only clothes. Every skill can be used in mountaineering.

Mountaineering can only be trained whilst climbing a mountain. You gain experience from simply hiking upward, climbing, and using any of the numerous climbing techniques, from using mountaineering equipment (which, if used enough, can be used off mountains as well). If you complete a quest on a mountain, it will always award mountaineering experience. In mountain dungeons, for every four experience points you gain in any skill, you will be awarded one mountaineering experience point.

Mountaineering is closely related to constitution, some ranges, peaks or sections of mountains can only be accessed at a certain constitution level, and training mountaineering will also help with constitution experience.

Buzz is an integral part of Mountaineering, as he is the only way for players to get Mountaineering equipment and advice.

The current minimum requirement to be ranked (at approximately rank 394,722) on the hiscores for Mountaineering is level 22. As of 16 October 2010, no one achieved level 99 in Mountaineering, level 120 in Mountaineering yet and reached 200 million experience either. The current rankings are visible on the Runescape Hiscorespage.

Getting Started
To gain your first piece of Mountaineering equipment, simply talk to Buzz, the mount climber. He is in the house, across from the Blue Moon Inn, three houses down. If the player talks to Buzz, no matter what he/she says Buzz will give them a Grappling Hook and some rope, unless the player's inventory is full.

With this equipment in hand, the player can climb Ice Mountain.

Climbing Techniques
At Mountaineering Level 1, the player can only climb Ice Mountain, and not even all the way. They will only have two techniques available to them, The Grapple Throw and Rope Climb. As their Mountaineering level rises, they can gain new equipment from Buzz, perform new techniques with the equipment they have and climb new mountains.

Access.
The Player, at this point, can climb somewhat up Ice Mountain, but not very far.

Techniques:
Grapple Throw.

To Perform a grapple throw, the player must have the Grappling Hook in their inventory. The Player must stand by an Ice Wall, and use the Grappling Hook on it. The Camera will shift to below the character, showing the player and the full Ice Wall and the ledges the player must latch on to.

The Player will spin the Grappling Hook quickly, and will release when the player clicks the screen. If timed correctly, the Grappling Hook will latch onto the ledge. From their, the player can climb the rope.

Rope Climb.

To Perform this manoeuvre, the player must have already performed the Grapple Throw, or else have a rope in front of them. To start, simply click on he rope, and the player should jump a bit and grab on. From there, the camera will focus on the player, and a vertical bar will appear to the side of the player.

The bar is red at the ends, green in the middle, and yellow in between. A small arrow will travel quickly up and down the bar. The player must try to click when the arrow is at green, if they succeed, they will jump a great deal up the rope and gain maximum experience.

If the player mistimes and hits yellow, a small jump will be performed, and a small amount of experience will be gained. If the player mistimes and hits red, they will not move and may even fall.

Access.
At this level, The Player can climb further up Ice Mountain thanks to the jump technique.

Techniques:
Jump.

This Technique can only be performed where there is a ledge to jump to. To start, click on the ledge, then click the option 'Jump'. The Player will secure the grapple to their side of the ledge, and wrap the rope around their waist. The Player will back away a few steps from the ledge.

A bar will appear below the player, horizontal. It is red to the left, green to the right, orange and yellow in the middle. Their is a small icon of your avatar just above the bar. Click to have your player start running. As your player runs, the icon moves along the bar. Once the icon reaches green, click to have your player jump over the gap, and land safely, getting maximum experience.

If the player jumps to early or too late they will fall into the gap, and will have to climb back up the rope round their waist.

Access.
At this level, The Player can reach the Summit of Ice Mountain, thanks to the new techniques and the new piece of equipment.

Equipment.
Once The Player has reached Level 5 in Mountaineering, Buzz will give you the Ice Pick. This is similar to a pick ax, and can help you to climb, acting as a climbing aid.

Techniques
Climb.

The Player has learned to scale some Ice Walls. These have no ledges to grapple onto, instead they have only hand holds that can be used to climb. It is done in a similar way to the rope climbing.

Up-Jump.

The Up Jump allows The Player to jump straight up, gripping ledges above. To preform, simply click on the ledge.

Ice-Pick head start.

If a wall's hand holds are too high to reach, and the player has an Ice Pick in their inventory, they slam the ice pick into the wall, and use it to climb up to the handhold. However, the ice pick will be lost during this manoeuvre. To perform, simply use the ice pick on the wall.

Access.
At level 10, The Player can scale White Wolf Mountain, but not all the way.

Techniques
Straight Grapple.

The Player tosses the grappling hook up to the ceiling above it, where it may connect with the ceiling. Done in the same way as Grapple Throw.

Straight Climb.

The Player can only use this move after Straight Grapple, or if a rope is hanging in front of them. Done in the same way as Role Climb.

Access.
The Player, at Level 20, can climb to the Northernmost peak of White Wolf Mountain, but cannot quite reach the summit.

Equipment.
At Level 20, The Player can purchase the Harpoon Gun from Buzz. It is invaluable, both as a weapon and for climbing Sheer Ice Walls. Sheer Ice Walls cannot be climbed without them.

Techniques.
'''Harpoon Shot. '''

To Perform The Harpoon Shot, The Player must have the Harpoon Gun in their inventory. They must also be next to a Sheer Ice Wall. The Player must click on the wall, and the camera will shift to the 'Grapple Throw Camera Angle'. From Their, the Player must be extremely accurate. If they aim too low, the Harpoon won't go high enough, too high, it won't hit the wall and will fall down upon the player, dealing damage.

Once the move is done successfully, The Player can climb the rope with Rope Climb.

Access
The Player, at Level Thirty, can reach the Summit of White Wolf Mountain, and partially climb the New Mount Lum.

Techniques:
Grapple Attack.

The Player can now wield the Grappling Hook as a deadly, reusable ranged weapon.

Path Clear.

To perform this highly dangerous move, the Player must be in two places; by an Ice Wall (or Sheer Ice Wall) and be standing next to a Small Ice Cave. To Start, perform the Grapple Throw Technique. Instead of climbing the rope, however, use the "Yank" option.

The Player will violently tug the Grappling Hook, which falls down, taking a large chunk of ice with it. The Player must then run to the cave, or risk being crushed and killed by the ice. The path cleared by the ice can now be reached with The Harpoon Gun.

Access
The Player Can Now Reach The Summit Of Mount Lum.

Techniques
Jump Start.

Similar to Ice Pick Head Start, except the player has now learned how to bring the Ice Pick up with them, so that it can be reused.

Climbing Leap.

The Player can now leap over sections of Ice Walls with no handholds. A Green Bar will appear along side the player, it arrow will move up and down it. Click the screen when the arrow is at the green, and the player will make a successful jump.

Access.
At Level 50, The Player can now partially climb Mount Varrock.

Equipment.
Left Handed Ice Pick.

At Level 50, The Player can receive a Second Ice Pick from Buzz.

Techniques.
Ice Pick Attack.

The Player can now wield the Ice Pick as a powerful crushing weapon.

Ice Wall Traverse.

If The Player is near an Open-Air Ice Wall, they can perform this manoeuvre. Simply click on the wall, and the camera will shift to behind the player, and a small yellow X will appear. This X can be controlled by The Player's mouse. Simply aim. and click to have the player throw the Ice Pick into the wall.

If done correctly, the Ice Pick will now be stuck in the wall. The Player can now Jump (see level 3) and grab onto the pick. From their, the player can use Ice-Pick Head Start to gain a boost and grab the hand holds of the wall.