New blog to go with the new website...

I've just launched my new website 'MountainZ' (offering Expedition & Mountain Training and Mountain Safety Consultancy). Alongside this I now have a new blog detailing my adventures and mountain work. Please redirect your browsers to the following link and thanks for following. Blue skies.

www.mountainz.co.uk/blog.html

ITACE 2014 Antarctic training

 Testing Terra Nova's new Polar Storm tent

I've just run five days of Scottish based training for the Imperial Trans Antarctic Centenary Expedition which aims to make a complete crossing of the continent later in the year. They'll also be attempting a crossing of the Greenland icecap in May as part of their training. www.south2014.com

The week focused on the technical as well as the physical and mental skills required to operate safely in these enviroments.

We were joined by photographer John Pickles who took these stunning black and white images. More of his work can be seen on his website at www.johnpicklesphotography.com.

 Summit of Cairngorm

 Big loads and long days on the Cairngorm plateau

 A spot of snow holing to work on the personal admin

 Testing the expeditions Jottnar kit

Happy New Year!

A few photos from a great 2013. Bring on 2014 for amongst others; my 9th consecutive Scottish winter season, working in the mountains with the BBC, a Greenland icecap crossing, the 5 day ITERA Adventure Race and the UTMB in a 3 week period and a full crossing of the Antarctic continent! :)


MountainZ 2013 from Mountain Zac on Vimeo.

Antarctic training...

  Jo & Stew working hard on the first climb

The ITACE 2014 team have just spent a week in the Lake District training, planning and developing their systems and skills. With less than a year to go until we depart for Antarctica physical training is becoming critical and we kicked off the week with a 19.5 hour hill walk. Our 42km route was loosely based on the start of the Bob Graham and led from Keswick up over Robinson, Hindscarth, Dale Head, Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Green Gable and Great Gable. From here we diverted to the Central Fells climbing Lingmell and Scafell pike via Corridor Route and a long descent in the snow via Esk Hause and Langstrath finishing at daybreak in Grange.
After a few hours sleep it was back to work finalising our plans, kit lists, food lists, partnership agreements and the hundred and one things that make up an expedition of this magnitude. Our ropework will be critical for a safe descent of the Beardmore Glacier and crevasse rescue was practiced from the top of Shepherds Crag making it feel very real.
Note: All the photos are screen grabs from video

 Stew staying focused for a long night in the hills

 Snow showers building as we depart the summit of Robinson

 Snow on the Central Fells

 Crevasse rescue on Shepherds Crag

 Jo pulling hard to rescue Stew from a particularly nasty looking hole!

 Being rescued using an assisted hoist

The best trek in Nepal?

 The Nar Phu Gorge

 Man made paths carved in the cliff face

A unique feature of the Nar Phu trek

Ancient Tibetan villages 

 Exposed and stunning trekking

 Stunning colours above the tree line

The infamous Gates of Phu

Threading the gorge below the Gates of Phu

Looking back through the cleft of the Gates of Phu

 Approaching the remote village of Phu

The colours and scenery of Himlung Himal base camp

 
 Himlung Himal Base Camp

Himlung Himal success...report & photos to follow...

Himlung Himal research...

Kendal Mountain Film Festival 2013

Montane Iceman Polar Press Release

.....illustrated by some stunning photos from our 2013 traverse of the Liverpool Land Peninsula

Iceman Polar 2014 - guiding available

The Worlds Toughest Arctic School Race
13th - 25th April 2014

Bordering the world’s largest frozen fjord and the world’s largest National Park competitors will endure challenging sub zero temperatures in this most beautiful and remote region of the high arctic. Hurry Fjord, the spectacular Liverpool Land mountains and Greenland’s most remote village of Ittoqortoormiit form the backdrop to a new concept in extreme adventure racing.

This landmark backcountry nordic / alpine ski race will mark the beginning of a new series of Greenland challenge events and extreme endurance races and test the skills and commitment of pioneer adventurers over two gruelling multi day routes. An extreme sports event, adventure race and endurance challenge of the highest calibre involving backcountry skiing, cross country and nordic ski racing.

www.icemanpolar.com

I've now completed four expeditions to Liverpool Land in summer and winter including a 3 week self supported traverse of the peninsula from north to south. If any teams are interested in being involved in this unique and innovative event but lack the experience and skills to safely participate then please contact me if you'd like the support of a guide for the race and your preparations.

Carstensz Pyramid

Carstensz Pyramid

Easy jungle trekking

 Rebuilding a bridge over a Gr VI river

Recent land slide activity and several tons of balance tree trunks

 Challenging scrambling to cross a land slide

 A work of art but still not sure H&S would pass it!

  The more usual two trunk affair!

 The inside of a Dani Tribe hut

 Climbing on to the kaarst plateau

 Weird and wonderful vegetation

 Carstensz Pyramid - the route take the right hand skyline

 Base camp located between the two lakes

 

Glacial approach on a solo ascent of Puncak Jaya

 Puncak Jaya - formerly the 2nd highest peak in Australasia but now the 4th due to glacial retreat

 Carstensz Pyramid after a snow storm

 The huge Freeport Gold mine at the end of the valley

Fixed lines to reach the summit ridge

 Sunrise on summit day

The team on the ridge

Cloud building as we complete the infamous Tyrolean traverse

Team Millet on the summit of Carstensz Pyramid

The highest point in Australasia and my 5th Seven Summit

 The final descent to base camp

 Trekking out through the jungle