Mailsail - Jens Holsten

Finally, after years of big mountains, injuries and full time winemaking, the stars have aligned and Jens Holsten is feeling the pressure to get it done. Featuring a proud new line in the beautiful Icicle Canyon outside of Leavenworth, WA.

Film by Max Hasson - http://maxhasson.com

Paint The Town White: David Steele Season Edit

Who knows how long I’ll paint houses to pay my student loans. How many more trips to new skylines will fit on the odometer. What the changing climate will do to the snow that starts high, fills in the runs from the summit down. And just like the nonsense that will always be there, the freedom and identity found on pair of skis remains steadfast. From Denali to Nelson to the hill I grew up skiing in Montana, there’s certainty. Buzz in the parking lot. Stoke on the skin track. Joy as I’ve ever known it, free as every flake that falls.

-David

Film by Jarig Media

Welcome to the team: Natalie Berry

Were psyched to welcome one Britain's most talented female climbers Natalie Berry to our pro partner team.

Natalie discovered climbing at the age of nine and it quickly took over her life. Having joined the Glasgow Climbing Centre kid’s club she soon progressed into competition climbing where following numerous comp wins she was asked to join the GB Youth Climbing Team (aged 11). This gave Natalie the opportunity to compete at an international level all over the world, culminating in a win at the European Youth Series in Slovenia in 2007.

Having achieved so much as part of the GB Junior Team Natalie became increasingly drawn outdoors and started sport climbing intensively at age 18. This took Natalie on numerous trips to top sport destinations across Europe including Céüse, Siurana and Gorges du Loup. 

By 2012 she was onsighting 7c and had climbed up to 8b, one of only a handful of British women to do so.

Now aged 21 and based out of Edinburgh, Scotland Natalie continues to push her climbing with moves into to trad and winter disciplines being her focus over the coming months, as well as continuing to climb for the GB senior lead team.

Natalie's competition climbing highlights so far:

·       8 Times British Champion (Including BRYCS, BLCCs and BBCs)

·       EYS Kranj 07 (1st Place)

·       World Youth Championships China 05 (5th Place)

·       World Youth Championships Austria 06 (4th Place)

·       EYS Veliko Tarnova 06 (5th Place)

·       EYS Annecy 06 (3rd Place)

·       EYS Kranj 06 (2nd Place)

·       EYS Warsaw 07 (2nd Place)

·       EYS Edinburgh 09 (4th Place)

·       3rd Overall EYS 2006 and 2007

·       1st British Youth Open 2010 EICA Ratho

·       1st Scottish Youth Climbing Championships 2010

·       Scottish Universities Champion 2011

·       2nd Place British Universities 2011

·       1st British Universities 2012

·       Championne Départementale Isère 2012

·       3rd Departmental Speed Championships Isère 2012

·       4th Coupe de France Valence 2012

You can keep up with all the latest from Natalie at - http://natalieberry.wordpress.com

all photos: Chris Prescott at www.minerva-design.com

1st Ascent: 'Wüstenblume' - Heiligkreuzkofel, Dolomites

First Ascent on Heiligkreuzkofel – Dolomites

Route: Wüstenblume (400m, 9 pitches, VIII+)

During this summer Ulli & his climbing partner Josef Hilpold made a successful 1st ascent of a project they have been working on the west face of Heiligkreukofel in the Dolomites.

The Westface of Heiligkreuzkofel has a breathtaking 600m face – known from the first ascent of the ‘Mittelpfeiler’ (middle spur) by Reinhold & Günther Messner in 1968.

Ulli & Josef worked on their route ‘Wüstenblume’ for several days this summer – and made their 1^st Ascent on Sep 28^th climbing the route in 8 hours.

Here's the report from Ulli... 

Abenteuer  – ALPINISMUS pur      

Erstbegehung am Heiligkreuzkofel – Dolomiten

‘Wüstenblume’ (400m, 9 SL, VIII+)

"Südtirol ist bekannt für seine außergewöhnlichen Kletterer und Alpinisten. Zwei von Ihnen sind Ulrich Viertler und Josef Hilpold. Für beide ist mit der Erstbegehung der ‘Wüstenblume’ am Heiligkreuzkofel ein lang ersehnter Traum in Erfüllung gegangen.

Die Liste seiner extremen Wiederholungen ist lang, doch für Ulrich Viertler zählen weniger Grade und Leistungen als der ästhetische und emotionale Wert seiner Touren.

Der Heiligkreuzkofel, 2908 Meter hoch, befindet sich in der Fanesgruppe in den Dolomiten.  Durch seine atemberaubende - zugleich majestätische Form und  der bis zu 600 Meter hohen Westwand, zählt er sicherlich zu einem der eindruckvollsten Berge in den Dolomiten.

Nicht zuletzt wurde die Wand 1968, durch den von Reinhold und Günther Messner eröffneten Mittelpfeiler bekannt, eine der damals schwierigsten Routen überhaupt.

An sechs Tagen im Sommer 2013 gelang es den beiden diese unglaubliche Linie zu eröffnen. Abgesichert wurde ausschließlich traditionell mit Schlaghaken und mobilen Sicherungen, wie es am Heiligkreuzkofel üblich ist. Die Route verläuft in der Hauptwand am rechten Pfeiler zwischen der Mutschlecher - Großrubatscher Gedächtnisführe und der Mayerl - Verschneidung.

Am 28. September war es nun schlussendlich so weit und es gelang ihnen in 8 Stunden die Route an einem Stück frei zu klettern. „Es war alles perfekt, es passte einfach alles. Ein großartiges Erlebnis mit vielen Emotionen geht zu Ende.“

Den beiden Südtiroler Alpinisten ist es ein großes Anliegen das Alpinklettern in seiner ursprünglichen Art und Weise zu erhalten und insbesondere die Tradition am Heiligkreuzkofel, wo noch ausschließlich mit Schlaghaken und mobilen Sicherungsmitteln ohne Zuhilfenahme von Bohrhaken geklettert wird, zu respektieren und diese Werte auch weiterzugeben. Mit dieser außergewöhnlichen Erstbegehung  ist Ihnen das sicherlich gelungen!!

Es ist ein Ort,

der Freiheit,     

der glücklich  macht.                                                                                     

Ulli" 

Scott Expedition: Farewell London

This week Ben and Tarka said farewell to London as they set off for Antarctica to take on the Scott Expedition. It's a long journey South that will take several weeks to get to the starting point but they will be in touch on route with a full update on final preparations. Heres a short video of their farewell...

Ben and Tarka at the Shard, London

Keep up to date with all the latest at http://www.scottexpedition.com 

PRODUCT SAFETY NOTICE: Slacklines

If you have purchased/own a Mountain Equipment Slackline please read the important information at this link:

English: http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/Library/pdf/Slackline_Check_ME_ENG_UKoffice%20edit.pdf 

German:http://de.mountain-equipment.co.uk/Library/pdf/ME_Slackline_safety%20notice_german.pdf

If you have any further questions please feel free to email us at: products@mountain-equipment.co.uk

Video: The Reality Face - A new route in the Alaska Range

Heres a great edit put together by friend of the brand Max Hasson of Jens, Jared and Seth who teamed up with the goal of climbing into the unknown and managed to weave their way up Reality Peak over the course of 3 days. They grappled with steep ice, a long bivy and an epic slog across the 'Ridge of no Return'... 

Check out more at - 

Alpinist story:
alpinist.com/doc/web13x/newswire-reality-peak-first-ascent-alaska

Jens' blog:
jensholsten.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-reality-face-new-route-in-alaska.html