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 moreOpinion and advice
Flashing 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 moreDrohmo Ri, the world’s easiest 6,000m peak? Not quite
If you ever trek to Pangpema to see the north side of Kangchenjunga, then you should definitely allow an extra half day to climb Drohmo Ri, even if you’re just a trekker. It’s a piece of piss to get up, and the view is something special.
Read moreIntroduction to the Apennines — Part 2: Maiella
Maiella is Italy’s equivalent of the Cairngorms, but at a much higher altitude. It’s a huge plateau of multiple summits linked by broad ridges, and divided by deep, mouth-watering gorges. You can walk for miles without dropping below 2,000m.
Read moreIntroduction to the Apennines — Part 1: Gran Sasso
Without doubt the Gran Sasso massif is the crowning glory of the Apennines. It contains its highest and most dramatic peaks, limestone cathedrals, ruled over by 2,912m Corno Grande, the highest mountain in the Apennines.
Read moreEveresting on Everest: how mountaineers differ from endurance cyclists
Everesting involves repeatedly cycling up and down a hill until you’ve ascended the height of Everest. I read an interesting article about Everesting on the Tibetan side of Everest, that shed light on how poorly adapted endurance training is for altitude.
Read moreIt’s the Everest silly announcement season again
It was a slow news week over the Christmas period, and the mainstream media fell for the Everest silly announcement hoax for the umpteenth time. This particular stunt happens roughly once a year, and the process is described here.
Read moreAdventure-loving Guardian readers hit back at couch-potato Guardian writers
When the explorer Benedict Allen went missing in the jungles of Papua New Guinea earlier this month, it was no surprise when the Guardian published an article by a smug intellectual taking a swipe at his adventurous lifestyle. More surprising was how their readers reacted.
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