Dave MacLeod in Bermuda

Heres a short clip of Mountain Equipment Pro Partner Dave MacLeod working some problems in some old smugglers caves on his recent trip to Bermuda.



For more pics and the full story from Dave head to

http://www.davemacleod.blogspot.com

Vacancy - Equipment Designer

Mountain Equipment has been making some of the finest mountain clothing and equipment in the world since 1961. We believe in what we do; we design, test and build with passion and commitment because we know that our products are depended upon in some of the most demanding conditions on earth.

An outstanding opportunity exists for a designer to join one of the fastest growing brands in Europe and play a key part in taking an award-winning range into the next decade. The successful candidate will posses outstanding creative skills and a proven ability in delivering designs from conceptual stage through to finished product.

For more information 'click' on the below image to view job description

Climbing Wall Leaders Award

Today was the major launch of the New Climbing Wall Leaders Award. This exciting event in the 2010 UK calendar of Mountain leader Training (MLT) took place at the The Towers Climbing Centre in Leicester

The award, which is run by MLT, is designed to promote lead climbing across walls within the UK.

Steve Long (Chief Executive of MLT and ME Pro Partner) presented the launch and fellow friend of the brand, Mark ' Baggy' Richards attended to support the Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres ( AHOEC ) The various attendees of the Launch were treated to a variety of practical aspects on introducing people to indoor lead climbing.

For more information visit Mountain Leader Training UK

Siabod Cottage, Capel Curig, Conwy LL24 0ES

Tel: 01690 720272 

Fax: 01690 720248 

Email: info@mltuk.org

North Expedition

In 2008, Mountain Equipment Pro Partner Ben Saunders’ expedition to become the fastest man to walk solo and unsupported to the North Pole was thwarted after two weeks on the ice by a critical failure of his ski equipment.

In March 2010 a fitter and more determined Ben will be reattempting the speed record.

Bens aim is to set a new world speed record from Ward Hunt Island to the Geographic North Pole. The current record was set in 2005 by a guided team using dog sleds and numerous re-supplies in a time of 36 days 22 hours. Ben’s expedition will be solo and unsupported ( No assistance for the entire expedition (all food & fuel is pulled in the sledge.) and foot). This route has only ever been completed once solo and unsupported, by Pen Hadow in 2003. Ben aims to halve his time and complete it in 30 days.

For all the latest make sure you check out http://north.bensaunders.com/

photos: Andrew Ward

The Piolets d'Or 2010

Congratulations to Mountain Equipment Pro partner Andy Houseman and Nick Bullock on making it to the last 5 for the much coveted Piolets d'Or award 2010, for their first acsent of the North Face of Chang Himal, Nepal last November.

Other earlier short list contenders for this years award included ME Pro partner Martin Moran who was part of a British/Indian team who bagged the first ascent of Changuch, India.

The Piolets d’Or event gathers together alpinists from many countries; active participants in the most remarkable ascents of the past year on every summit of the globe. Previous winners include Mountain Equipment Pro Partner Andy Parkin and his ascent of Pass of Hope ,Cerro Torre, Patagonia in 1994.

The winner will be announced on the 10th April'10 at the ceremony held in Chamonix, France

For more information checkout http://www.pioletsdor.com/

Photos : Houseman/Bullock collection

Never-never land

Just back from a brilliant 5 weeks in "never-never land" on the ski-alpinisme race circuit in the Alps. Ben Bardsley, Jon Morgan, Nick Wallis and I had an extended trip out there, mixing some coaching with racing, and culminating in the world championships in Andorra and the famous stage-race the Pierramenta, in Areches-Beaufort.

This is only my second season racing, and my fourth since learning to ski in 2007, so the progression is still at the very exciting, steep part of the improvement curve! Every day in the Pierramenta Ben and I seemed to get stronger, until the final day when I came down with a lurgy and had to be towed on the lead. Every dog has his day and that was mine! We didn't lose too many places that day though, since it was a much shorter stage than previous days, and we ended up a respectable 63rd out of 151 teams. Jon Bracey and Carron Scrimgeour did very well to finish 25th overall, and the other British team competing, Rick Marchant and Jon Morgan, came in shortly after us in 77th, which was impressive seeing as Rick was nursing a nasty cold all week.

More details and some pics on my site at http://es-on-ice.co.uk/

North couloir of the Capucin

The North couloir of the Capucin off the Col du Tacul is one of the many classic moderate couloirs around the Mont Blanc massif. Easily accessed off the Midi by a quick ski down the Vallee Blanche to the bottom of the Geant Icefall and then a 900m skin up the Glacier des Periades. A final boot up a couloir leads to the Col du Tacul and a view down the line to the Leschaux Glacier 1000m below.

Guy skinning up towards the Col du Tacul (centre of picture)

The final boot pack up to the Col, Mont Blanc in the background

Three 30m abseils from the col gets you over the rocky ground to the remaining 250m of the 48^o couloir. It was the first time on anything relatively steep for me this season so rather than getting straight into the turns it was a bit more like skis on, stand there, stand there some more, side slip a couple of meters and eventually put the first turn in...

Guy contemplating his first turn

Once over the bergshrund and onto the lower angled Capucin Glacier we'd hoped for nice powder and big fast turns. Unfortunately like everywhere else in the Mont Blanc massif at the moment the slopes had been hammered by the strong winds over the last few weeks so hard wind blown snow lead down to an exit onto the Leschaux Glacier.