By David Noland

Since the infamous 1996 Everest tragedy, guided commercial mountaineering trips have taken a lot of heat--rich dilettantes being babysat to the top, that sort of thing. But guided climbs have a long and honorable tradition and remain the safest and most practical alternative for the vast majority of amateur climbers.

Beginner Climbs
Choose your mountain first, according to your experience and abilities. To get a taste of long, steep climbs at high altitude, beginners should consider starting with a non-technical "walk-up" peak such as California’s 14,491-foot Mt. Whitney or 19,340-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Neither requires any special equipment or techniques.

The next step up is low-level, moderately steep glaciated peaks that require some basic skills and special equipment for walking safely on snow: crampons, ice axe, safety harness, and a rope to link the climbers together. The most popular of these technical beginner peaks are Washington’s 14,411-foot Mt. Rainier and 10,770-foot Mt. Baker, which have been the training grounds for many of America’s best mountaineers. Other popular technical beginner peaks include volcanoes in Mexico and Ecuador, Mt. Blanc in the Alps, and several small Himalayan "trekking peaks." Aspiring peak-baggers who already have good rock-climbing skills might want to start with steeper, more technical (and less snowy) beginner mountains such as Wyoming’s Grand Teton or Switzerland’s Matterhorn.

Beginner-peak climbs typically take one or two days, include a day of preparatory training, and cost $150 to $250 per day. On Rainier and Baker, climbing schools offer multi-day mountaineering courses in conjunction with their climbs at a cost of $100 to $125 per day.

Expeditions
With a couple of technical beginner peaks under your belt, you can think about moving up to more difficult expedition peaks, which require lengthy walk-in approaches and at least a week of climbing. Popular expedition peaks include Alaska’s 20,320-foot Mt. McKinley and Argentina’s 22,829-foot Aconcagua. Neither requires great technical skills, but severe weather, high altitude, and remote locations make them potentially dangerous.

The Big Mamas
At the very top of the mountaineering pyramid are the Himalayan giants that exceed 8,000 meters (26,246 feet) in height. Of these elite mountains, only Everest and Cho Oyu are regularly served by commercial outfitters, which accommodate accomplished amateur climbers at a cost of $20,000 to $70,000 for the six- to 10-week expedition.

David Noland is the author of Travels Along the Edge.