As we made our way from base camp for an acclimatisation hike on Ojos del Salado in the Puna de Atacama region of the Andes last month, we witnessed a strange phenomenon in the sky.
Read moreWhat the devil is a circumhorizon arc?
Opinion and advice
Cerro Vicuñas, the world’s easiest 6,000m peak? Quite possibly
Last year I returned from the Himalayas and reported that I may have discovered the easiest 6,000m peak in the world to climb. But there is another place in the world where lots of easy 6,000m peaks can potentially be climbed on a day hike from the road.
Read moreThe cause of Himalayan forest fires
Forest fires have been in the news recently. Some are natural, but many people believe that climate change is causing them to occur more frequently. Earlier this year, we witnessed a Himalayan forest fire that we believe was entirely man-made.
Read moreIntroduction to the Apennines – Part 4: Sirente-Velino
Sirente-Velino has only regional park status, but don’t let this put you off. It’s easily the equal of the three surrounding massifs with national park status. There is great variety to be found here, from emerald-green paradise, to bare moonlike landscapes and dramatic cliff faces.
Read moreThe great Nepal helicopter rescue fraud: an introduction
Last week AFP reported that a group of insurance companies from Britain, Australia and New Zealand have given the Nepal government a deadline of 1 September to take concrete steps to prevent helicopter rescue fraud, or it will stop providing cover to tourists.
Read more5 stepping stones on the path to high altitude
Are you keen to branch out and develop the skills to climb higher peaks? Here is a series of mountains further afield that more experienced hikers should visit if you are interested in reaching a challenging altitude.
Read moreIntroduction to the Apennines – Part 3: Abruzzo National Park
Abruzzo National Park is the wildlife capital of the Apennines. Its peaks are slightly lower in altitude and are aproned in forest which are a sanctuary for bears, wolves, lynx, chamois and deer. It is particularly vibrant in autumn, when the peaks rise in a rainbow of colours.
Read moreFlashing on Everest: is it worth the money?
Last month I examined the practice of climbing Everest in a shorter period of time by acclimatising at home and using larger quantities of oxygen during the climb. In this week’s follow up post, I take a look at the cost of these expeditions.
Read moreWhere are the humorous mountaineering books?
Mountain literature isn’t devoid of humour, but generally speaking, comedy takes second place to heroics in mountain writing. But I know there must be some laugh-out-loud funny, two or three jokes a page mountaineering books out there. If you know of any, then I’d like to hear about them.
Read moreFlashing on Everest: is it safe or sensible?
Many teams climbed the north side of Everest this season, but two seemed to get the lion’s share of the attention. These two teams were using new techniques to shorten their expeditions. But was their approach sensible or effective? Let’s have a look.
Read more