How do you handle elevation gain? I ask because I can climb mountains like a champ but for some reason running kills my legs and I’m terrible at cycling. It doesn’t even need to be a mountain, as a steep hill does the trick. Keeping a steady pace up a hill gets my heart rate to a place similar to running, and it usually stays pretty high for the descent as well. It doesn’t hurt my joints nearly as much as running or biking.
I haven’t done any climbing that requires ropes/helmets yet, so far I’ve been sticking to trails. I moved to a mountainous area 2 years ago.
Going uphill is the easier part, it just requires cardio. Going downhill hurt my knees when I first started, but that pain went away over time. Downhill always seems to be harder for people once they get past the cardio requirement for going up.
Investing in a good pair of adjustable trekking poles makes going downhill a lot easier on your joints. Cork handles are expensive, but worth it if you use them a lot. Shortening them for uphill and lengthening them for downhill also helps.
Another great investment is a high quality ultralight chair! I have a Helinox ground chair which is shockingly comfortable and only weighs 17 ounces/482 grams. Being able to relax and enjoy the view before descending adds a lot to the experience.