I shall keep this brief. Due to moving house and losing lots of climbing partners recently, ended up doing the annual pilgrimage Alpswards with the GF. We began in the Escrins, based at the mosquito cursed campsite in Ailefroide. We humped up to the Ecrins refuge at 3175m in 30 degrees heat. The plan was to climb the Pic de Neige Cordier 3463m, then the Roche Faurio 3730m to acclimitise. The Pic was attempted via the east ridge but appeared to be made of weetabix. This weetabix fell to pieces when touched, dropped down an adjacent couloir, then spat out onto the glacier 600m below.

Sharp unpolished bolted limestone.....Blissful!

Just returned from 8 day ascent of Mt Kenya (followed by safari etc). After hiring 2 porters in the unfriendly village of Chogoria, walked in from the east to first camp at 3000m. Weather was initially poor due either to el nino or climate change, depending on which camp you're in. We (me and gf) then started an acclimitsation process thus: up to 3500m, down. Up to 3900m, down. Camp at 4300m. Ascent of point Lenana at 5000m.

The ice climbing highlight in Cogne this year has to be Martin's epic grade six lead up Hard Ice direct five days into the week long trip.

Since the trip to the Himalaya, the expedition members have put together a guide to mountaineering in the area. It is attached in PDF format or available Here for anyone who is interested.

This page has all of the old trip reports from the old website. Click on the link to see them all.

Members of the website can also download the yearbooks with from 06 and 07 which have pictures and more trip reports.

12/26/2008 Bachelor Xmas

It was Christmas Day in the workhouse... either that or go up to the hut, so Danny Church, Jules Hearne and I fled to Onich for the Festive Period.