Free Dave MacLeod Lecture, ME Store - Manchester

After the success of the Andy Turner lecture last month were proud to announce that Mountain Equipment pro partner Dave MacLeod will be lecturing at the Mountain Equipment Store, Deansgate, Manchester on Thursday 9th June at 7pm. 

There are only 60 tickets available for this free event so you will need to be quick. All you need to do to secure yours is head over to the ME Store Facebook page here and sign up or alternatively you can call the store on 0161 839 8468 to reserve your place. There will also be other members of the ME team at the event so make sure you come along and say hello. 

Dave will also be setting some new problems down at the Manchester Climbing Centre, so keep your eyes peeled if your down at the wall on Thursday afternoon.   

Snowdon Horseshoe in the wind and rain.

On Saturday I decided to take the dog for a proper day out and headed nice and early to North Wales for a run round the Snowdon horseshoe.



I nabbed by the skin of my teeth the last parking space at Pen-y-pass, wolfed down the last of my cold porridge as the car rocked back and forth from the gusts of wind and set out up the PYG track.



I was good to leave the trail of people behind as I passed over the stile with the sign "danger Crib goch". This would be the most dangerous Mountain route the dog will have done to date although she has been up grade 1 Scottish gully's but then most dogs should be able to manage that. I was feeling a little apprehensive that she might throw her self over a drop in a miss timed jump.

Me thinking its a little wild gaining the crest of Crib goch

As we got on the ridge proper the wind was blowing quite hard in places, we were firmly in the cloud too with the odd bit of rain passing through. The weather gave me an opportunity to give my new Gore-Tex Active Shell jacket a proper test. I was impressed , its the only waterproof that I can run up hill in and not get too hot and sweaty. With the weather being what it was the jacket stayed firmly zipped up for the rest of the round.

Sophie using 4 wheel drive to negotiate the ridge

Peering into the murk down Lliwedd

The dog had 1 little mishap skidding down a slab for 4 or 5 meters, she landed at the bottom coming to no harm but wasn't impressed by me laughing.

Descending down to Lyn Llydaw

Back at the car I thought we'd had a good morning but I wasn't cherishing the coffee fueled drive back to Yorkshire.

Lunchtime Boulder Session

Here's a few photos from our quick lunchtime bouldering session down at our local, Hobby Moor.

Rich T getting ready to pop for the top.

Here's Fran getting her feet set to make some crimpy moves

Sam making the moves through the arete only eliminate.

Welcome to the team: Nick Bullock

Nick Bullock should need little in the way of introduction. One of Britain's finest alpinists and rock climbers, known for bold and audacious ascents, a writer and occasional poet.

Nick Bullock. From the Great Escape blog. © Ray Wood

A man who had already opted for one of lifes tougher careers as a PT instructor for HM Prison Service only to give it all up, along with the regular salary and house to live in a van and pursue his passion for climbing.

Nick Bullock with ME's Richard Talbot

And so when Nick approached us, interested in joining our Pro Partner team, there was little to think about. His appetite for climbing is as ferocious as ever, he's a genuine personality, that rare breed of person who understands and revels in the intricacies and emotions of climbing and mountaineering. This year he already has trips to the Lofoten Islands and the Himalaya under his belt and has plans for further trips to the Greater Ranges later this year. If that wasnt enough he is also working on his first book.

Nick Bullock in the Lofoten Islands © Lukasz Warzecha



Nick Bullock in the Lofoten Islands © Lukasz Warzecha

If an introduction is needed here is a flavour of our newest Pro Partner. Since 2004, Nick Bullock has chose to live something close to a nomadic existence, when not on climbing trips, often to be found frequenting the Climbers Club hut in his adopted home of Llanberis.

Nick on Kyashar - his most recent Himalayan trip © Andy Houseman



Nick on Kyashar - his most recent Himalayan trip © Andy Houseman

A string of bold ascents in the Greater Ranges including the first ascent of the North face of Chang Himal (ED) - nominated for the Piolet D'or award, the first ascent of fear and loathing (ED3)on Jirishanca in the Huayhuash region of the Peruvian Andes, a long tick-list of rock climbs upto E7/8, many of which have been on-sight and numerous ascents in the European Alps including a solo ascent of the Shroud (TD), Beyond Good & Evil (ED3) and the first free ascent of Omega (ED3) on the Petites Jorasses.

 You can learn more about Nick as well as follow all of his exploits on his blog, Great Escape.

Kyashar 2011 Expedition - Andy's thoughts

ME Pro partner Andy Houseman has just posted "Snow, snow and more snow in the Hinku" with more amazing pictures and his thoughts on the Kyashar expedition, you can check that out at his blog here

Andy leaving the belay for the final pitch

If you haven't already checked it out you can see fellow ME pro partner Nick Bullocks Kyashar post here

Nick approaching the bivi boulder after 18 hours on the go

M.E Trip to Arco

After a day of delays, hire car faff and getting on the busy Italian autostarda without a ticket (naughty Andy) we all arrived at Arco Italy. Arco is situated just north of lake Garda and is a bit of a rock climbers dream with lots of easily accessible limestone ranging from short sport crags through to huge multi pitch multi day epics. The trip was at the invitation of our German colleagues from Invia to go climbing and eat tasty Italian ice cream.

So with the promise of excellent cafe doppio (double espresso) and polished rock in our minds we trotted over to Italy to find both true. .

Although many Brits deride Arco as being too polished, we found if your prepared to make a little more effort and with quality beta from our German colleagues (thanks Thomas) some really good climbing can be found.

The first two days we're a nice mix of Via ferrata and going climbing, the team were climbing well, some of us even embracing and succeeding on the polish.

On our day of departure we decided to keep things interesting by attempting one of the many soaring multipitches in the valley. This greatly worried Thomas (head of Invia) who had visions of us having an epic and missing the flights, but despite the slightly worrying look of the thread runners which most of the route had been equipped with, the 3 teams of two pulled over the top of the cliff with plenty of time to spare. So after a well earned coffee down by the lake we left for the airport tried but satisfied.

Enjoy the photos of the M.E team having fun.

Kyashar 2011 Expedition - Back in Kathmandu

I've had a few emails in today from ME Pro partners Nick Bullock and Andy Houseman who are currently out in Kathmandu waiting on a flight back to the UK after their attempt on Kyashar. 

You can read a great post expedition piece "Balloons,Kathmandu" by Nick over at his blog here

a few photos from which are below

All photos Bullock/Houseman

Photos - Dove Crag, December 2010

I've just been sorting out some digital photos and came across these that i had forgotten I'd taken from a foray to Dove Crag in the Lake District last December.

Looking up to Dove Crag

Other than rekindling some great memories of a superb early start to the winter, the other piece of good news is that you too can now get your hands on the delectable Yellow & Red jacket that Andy is wearing in some of these photos. The Orbital Jacket is in the shops now and was recently reviewed on OutdoorsMagic.

Andy Green in South Gully, Dove Crag.

Andy Green on the exit slopes

Looking back across Brotherswater towards High Street

Enjoying the last rays of sunshine

Andy Turner on Goliath

Yesterday ME Pro partner Andy Turner headed out to Burbage to do battle with the Don Whillans classic Goliath.



 You can check out more footage, images and Andys full report over at his blog here

Want to go climbing with Dave MacLeod in Norway?

Well heres you chance, Gore -Tex have just announced the next challenge in the 'Gore-Tex Experience Tour' and its to go climbing in Tromso, Norway with ME pro partner/Gore athlete Dave MacLeod and Professional film maker and friend of the brand Paul Diffley.

Heres more info.... 

Explore remote climbing routes in Arctic Norway with Scottish climbing legend Dave MacLeod.
The islands and fjords around Tromso, Norway, have many little-explored cliffs and big walls with huge potential for adventurous new climbs on perfect rock. You have the chance to win one of two places to explore these beautiful granite walls of Arctic Norway with one of Gore's sponsored athletes, Dave MacLeod, and filmmaker Paul Diffley. As part of the team you will visit some incredibly remote locations and search for new routes to climb.
The type of climbs will depend on the ability of the team, what cliffs you find when you get there and what the Norwegian climate throws at you. The climbing could be anything from short and difficult single pitch routes to multi-day big walls. If you are lucky you and Dave could find some long and amazing routes on perfect sunkist granite. And, if you are even luckier you could have a hardcore adventure, testing your ability, kit and mental strength in rain and sleet storms high on a wall!
Either way, this will be an incredible adventure with one of the best trad climbers in the world.

Please note: The Experience Tour project itself will be held in English. Gore will pay for the travel expenses of the two candidates for the duration of the 15-day project.

Application deadline: June 5th 2011
Closing date for voting: June 13th 2011
Casting event: July 9th - 10th 2011
Experience Tour project: August 13th - 27th 2011 in Tromso, Norway

You can check out more info and apply via the Experience Tour Facebook page here

Kyashar 2011 Expedition update - part 4

Just had a text in from Andy and Nick (see below)....unfortunetly its bad news the weather hasn't improved so the guys have had to bail on their attempt and are now on their way back to Kathmandu. 

"Hi Dunk, we've been shut down by unsetttled weather and too much snow up high, its been over 2 weeks since we had the last snow free day, with no chance of getting on the South pillar we tried the easier West ridge but got hammered by the weather. We went a different way to the first ascent team found some very 'exciting' (very scary) climbing. There was way too much snow to make any progress on the upper ridge so bailed next morning. Should be back in Kathmandu in a week Nick and Andy"

We should hopefully have more info and photos from Nick and Andy when they get back into Kathmandu so check back later     

New Online Catalogues - Germany and Japan

Our latest online catalogues for Germany and Japan are now available for download.

View Japanese Catalogue here  



Der neue ME-Katalog 2011/2012 für den deutschsprachigen Raum ist Anfang April erschienen. 

Schaut Euch auf www.invia.de/katalog das e-book an! Dort kann dann auch der Originalkatalog bestellt werden...

View German Catalogue here

The French Connection - Stanage Round Up

Friend of the brand, aspirant guide and professional photographer Thomas Vialletet gives us a round up from his, ME Pro partner Slyvain Millet, Yannick and Thibault's recent trip the Peak District.

"We were curious to go to the Peak Districk in order to make our own opinions of climbing Gritstone. We had heard lot of rumors : too hard, too exposed to climb, bad weather, etc....
So we took the car set off on a 1500kms roadtrip to climb "the most dangerous climbing in the world"!

Base camp was North Lees camp site. First impression, good rock, easy to put safety protection, not so dangerous, very beautiful faces, overcrowded and warm! We quickly got our rhythm, every day visiting a new area - Stanage, Burbage South, Higgar Tor, Black Crows and Millstone, climbing easy routes for warm ups and going into harder lines for the trill!

Sylvain climbed lines such as "Camel Hot" E6 6b, "Pulsar direct" E6 6b, "Block and Tackle" E6 6c, "London Wall" E5 6a, "Edge Lane" E5 5c, and "Flight of ideas" E6 7a. many of these he attempt on-sight, sometimes with success sometimes after a few goes 

Thibault realized lines such as "Pulsar Direct"or "Camel Hot",

Yannick did "London Wall", "Bat out of Hell" E5 6a or "Goosey Goosey Gauder" E5 6a.

and I did some route such as "Pebble Mill" E5 6a, "Nosferatus", E6 6B and "London Wall".

We also climbed many other easy routes during the ten days of the trip, the list of all would take too long to write!

In Conclusion - we really like the climbing in the Peak on the Grit, we had a beautiful weather (without rain !), and we love the English spirit : no bolt, no top rope, only cams and nuts ! that's very fun.... the trad climbing!

For sure we will be back! but in a colder conditions in order to try the harder routes that we couldn't climb because the weather was too warm!"

You can check out more photography over at Thomas's site here