Lhotse 2014: The world’s most expensive Everest Base Camp trek

May 22, 2014 Trip reports 8000m peaks, altitude junkies, climbing fatalities, commercial mountaineering, dorje sherpa, edita, everest, everest base camp, ian cartwright, lhotse, margaret watroba, media sensationalism, mountain flights, nepal, phil crampton, puja, russell brice, sherpas

The story of the Altitude Junkies 2014 Everest and Lhotse expedition. I was excited to be attempting 8516m Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world which stands across the South Col from Everest. Even if I didn’t reach the summit I would surely reach Camp 2 at least, as I had on every previous occasion.

Cerro San Lorenzo and the Patagonian summer

January 15, 2014 Trip reports alberto maria de agostini, andes, argentina, cerro san lorenzo, cerro torre, chile, jagged globe, patagonia, south america, thierry levenq, weather 4 Comments

Sometimes it’s useful to have low expectations so that when the impossible doesn’t happen, you’re not disappointed. This is especially true in Patagonia, where the weather is temperamental. I didn’t have high hopes of reaching the summit of 3706m Cerro San Lorenzo, but I was determined to give it a go.

Snowdon via the Llanberis Path

September 4, 2013 Trip reports britain, chris bonington, hill walking, llanberis path, media sensationalism, microadventures, moel eilio, snowdon, snowdon mountain railway, snowdon ranger path, wales 0 Comment

Good weather was forecast in the Welsh hills last weekend, so I headed up to Snowdonia, where I completed a fine circular walk of Snowdon via the Llanberis Path and the long whale-backed ridge of Moel Eilio. I expected it to be busy, but not as busy as the media would have you believe.

A good year to climb Denali (if you’re lucky)

July 24, 2013 Trip reports alaska, american alpine institute, commercial mountaineering, denali, mount foraker, mount hunter, mountain flights, seven summits, sledging, united states, weather 9 Comments

It looked like a good year to come to Denali. Prior to our arrival there had been an unprecedented spell of good weather and people were climbing straight up and reaching the summit without a hitch. But the good weather was certain to break eventually. Would it continue long enough for us?

How Mardale came to be flooded and the Lake District drowned in silly names

June 12, 2013 Trip reports backpacking, britain, camping, coast to coast walk, haweswater, high street, hill walking, lake district, mardale, microadventures, mosedale, swindale, wild camping 3 Comments

In the 1930s the valley of Mardale in Cumbria was flooded to create Haweswater and supply water to Manchester. I imagine it was pretty shocking at the time, but 80 years later only a fool would let it spoil their enjoyment of a very pleasant Lakeland walk. It was glorious weather when I strapped on my rucksack at the start of a two day backpacking adventure.

The Mynydd Du microadventure

May 8, 2013 Trip reports alastair humphreys, backpacking, black mountains, brecon beacons, britain, camping, grant rawlinson, hill walking, microadventures, mynydd du, wales, wild camping 13 Comments

Perhaps I’ve only just noticed, but all of a sudden people have started using the term microadventure for things that used to be called walks. I used to laugh, but after my trip to the Mynydd Du hills last weekend, I’m going to stick my neck out and say that I have now become a microadventurer.

A winter wonderland above the Bridge of Orchy

April 3, 2013 Trip reports beinn a chreachain, beinn achaladair, beinn an dothaidh, beinn dorain, beinn mhanach, ben lui, black mount, bridge of orchy, britain, duncan ban macintyre, hill walking, munro bagging, munros, rannoch moor, scotland 5 Comments

It might be April and the beginning of spring, but the conditions on Scotland’s hills are still distinctly wintry. I checked the avalanche forecast before spending Easter in the hills above Bridge of Orchy, home of the poet Duncan Ban MacIntyre, famous for composing an Ode to Trousers.

Peak bagging in Central America

January 16, 2013 Trip reports central america, doug mantle, guatemala, kayaking, ke adventure travel, lake atitlan, munro bagging, munros, peak bagging, seven summits, volcan acatenango, volcan fuego, volcan pacaya, volcan san pedro, volcan tajumulco, volcanoes 4 Comments

I hate it when people do things just to tick boxes and say they’ve done it. Travelling’s all about enjoying the moment, whether it’s gazing upon a glorious view or immersing yourself in an unusual, unique experience. I hate it

Snowdon via the Snowdon Ranger Path

November 14, 2012 Trip reports britain, hill walking, snowdon, snowdon marathon, snowdon mountain railway, snowdon ranger path, snowdonia, wales 4 Comments

My latest trip up Snowdon was something of a flying visit, and has the distinction of being one of the rare ascents of England and Wales’s highest mountain on a day trip from London. A few weekends ago I ascended

Snowdon via the Watkin Path

October 31, 2012 Trip reports britain, camping, hill walking, snowdon, snowdonia, wales, watkin path, y lliwedd, yr aran 2 Comments

It’s not often you get great weather on Snowdon, but there was a good weather forecast the other day so I decided to head up there. Many people describe the highest peak in England and Wales as hill walking’s equivalent