author, mountaineering writer – books, blog, opinion
Apart from the occasional brief hour of silence, I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have to listen to the roar of the wind. Here at Base Camp it manifests itself in the form tent canvas bashing against our
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He may not have the grandest memorial at Everest Base Camp North, but of all the mountaineers who have died trying to climb Everest from the north side, George Mallory made the most significant contribution to future climbs. In three
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After a week of rest and acclimatisation at Base Camp (5160m) tomorrow we leave for our first foray higher up the mountain, and will be gone for nearly two weeks. The plan is spend two days trekking up to Advanced
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An apology in advance: it’s going to be a philosophical post today instead of the usual waffle. It’s been another clear day at base camp, apart from the distinctive plume of cloud blasting off the summit. I wandered up a
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While climbers on the south side of Everest have a nine day trek up the Khumbu to Base Camp, on the north side it’s possible to drive in by bus. The sensible route involves a tarmac road most of the
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There’s no doubt about it, Nepal is opening up, with new areas being explored by trekking agencies every season as the government makes more permits available to encourage tourist income into poorer regions of the country. While the busy Everest
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Or is The Telegraph talking out of its arse? A surprising headline appeared in one of Britain’s top newspapers earlier this week. In its article Prince Harry is all set to climb Mount Everest, The Telegraph went on to say:
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Imagine a metal tube of human sardines flying through the air. Sixteen people are crammed tightly together inside with their thighs pressed up against their chests and modestly full day packs balanced on top of their knees. Most of them
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With the spring trekking season in Nepal nearly upon us, and record numbers of visitors expected in the country for the second successive season, some people are beginning to question the impact of tourist numbers on this small developing Himalayan
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