GET: Fourteen Peaks Challenge

We've teamed up with our friends at WL GORE to offer one lucky Mountain Equipment Fan the chance to join the 2013 GORE-TEX Experience Tour: 14 Peaks Challenge in North Wales: 18th – 22nd March 2013.

Our winner will be heading to Wales to join the G.E.T Team and attempt to climb all of Snowdonia National Park’s 3,000ft+ peaks in five days. The challenge will also include taking in some of Snowdonia’s classic ridges walks, including the Snowdon Horseshoe and the chance try out New Mountain Equipment products in Next Generation GORE-TEX Pro fabric months before anyone else.

  

On the first day you will practice and revise the skills needed to tackle the bigger peaks. The following four days will be spent on the hills, visiting some of the most stunning locations in the National Park. The four hill days are likely to be split as follows:

·       Snowdon Horseshoe, 3 peaks plus other smaller summits (this includes an exposed grade 1 scramble)

·       Walking the Carneddau Ridge, covering 6 peaks in one big day out!

·       Scramble on Tryfan, 1 peak – nearly a rest day …

·       Traverse of the Glyders to include the remaining 4 Peaks

The Team

The team will be led by the experienced guides of the National Mountain Centre - Plas y Brenin. As well as knowing the mountains, they are experts in the local flora and fauna so will be able to give our winner an incredible first hand insight into the area.

How do I enter?

Head to GET Website Click the apply button, fill out your details to register. You will then be taken to the application page select ‘Mountain Equipment Channels’ from the 'where did you hear about this' drop down menu, tell us more about yourself and then submit you’re application, Simple.

Closing date for applications is the 18^th January 2013. The Mountain Equipment team will then review all applications and select one lucky winner to join the G.E.T Team.

Requirements

·       You must live in Europe

·       You will be minimum 18 years of age

·       You must be physically and mentally fit

·       Have English language skills (the Experience Tour project will be held in English

For further information please refer to the G.E.T Website

Heres a taster from our 2011 G.E.T project: Big Wall Climbing with Dave MacLeod in Norway - http://youtu.be/x4aeP5c5Cg4

A Quick Trip to the Cairngorms

The plan had been simple, head to the Cairngorms early so that we could climb on Sunday and do some work on Monday.  Sat at home in Kendal I scoured the various forecasts and conditions reports to be met by the promise of some even more unpleasant weather than normal in Scotland and the end of a brief thaw, it didn’t sound appealing.  Instead we decided to take a risk on the most optimistic forecast I could find for the Lakes which suggested that it might cool down just enough to make a winter route viable.


Andy looking pleased to be out in the Cairngorms

As we left the car at the Old Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale the thermometer read 6◦C but if anything it felt even warmer than that.  We set off more for the exercise than anything and by the time we were most of the way up the Band I was starting to feel a bit over equipped for Lakeland hill walking.  We made the only logical decision and headed to Bilbo’s for coffee and a bacon sandwich.



Gearing up belopw the Mess of Pottage, a very white Fiacaill Buttress beyond

By mid-afternoon we were driving north looking forward to a busy work day on Monday but slightly dejected about the lack of climbing.  Fortunately the morning brought a return to proper winter weather and we headed into the Northern Corries to shoot some product videos for next winter’s new range of hardshells.  We learnt quite a bit, the main thing being that talking to camera in a coherent way whilst being snowed on is hard even in a futuristic orange jacket.  Our product manager Rich T. was in full director mode, think Christopher Nolan in a Citadel Jacket, but finally we had enough footage to hone our editing skills with.  A meeting with the Scottish Avalanche Information Service team followed at Glenmore Lodge and we showed them some of the new Winter ‘13 Gore-Tex Pro designs that they’re input had helped to develop.  Fortunately they all looked suitably impressed by the huge amount of work that’s been done and we all headed to Digger’s for wine and strudel.

By now I’d noticed that the forecast for Tuesday could only be described as stellar with no wind, low temperatures and superb visibility.  The only issue was that it was a Tuesday and, even at ME, just going climbing on work days is generally frowned upon.  Unfortunately Rich had to head south for his trip to China but Andy and I persuaded ourselves it would be ok if we just did a quick route in Sneachda…. it would only take a couple of hours if we were quick. 
 

Andy making progress up the first pitch

Nearly running into the corrie it was just as perfect as MWIS had promised and we made rapid progress towards the Mess of Pottage with a view to getting something done fast.  The crag was plastered in most places and it was already clear that gear was going to be hard to come by in places.  Aiming for a fairly direct and not overly hard line Andy set off up the first pitch of  Yukon Jack and made fairly steady progress between gear stuffed and hammered into icy cracks.  I followed as fast as I could before setting off into the line of Hidden Chimney in the interests of speed, inevitably we were already running late.  Perfect neve made for rapid climbing and we were soon pulling ourselves over the final chockstone into the sunshine.  The views from the top were incredible with perfect visibility and still no wind at all.  The Loch Avon basin looked incredible and it was no surprise to hear later that Sticil Face on the Shelter Stone was done that day, a classic tick that still eludes me.  We stuffed everything away as quickly as we could and set off down towards the ski car park at a run.  Four hours, and some rep-tastic over-taking by Andy on the A9, later we were back in Kendal, behind on work but glad to have grabbed a rare perfect day in the Cairngorms. 

Stunning views at the top but the mission back south ahead

 

 

Ski Touring in Blizzard Conditions - It's all about 'starting cold' and keeping your sanity!

On Friday 7th December, the Whitedot testing team in Chamonix took advantage of lift pre-opening and superb early season conditions to get some uphill miles on the CarbonLite Ranger (all-access freeride ski due for release in the New Year). With the snow thumping down and the avalanche risk at level 4 of 5, the team decided to take on the forest trails of Les Houches to give ourselves a workout. 

 

Les Houches is Chamonix valley's 'go to' location when the snow is falling hard. The forest runs really help counter flat-light conditions and reduce avalanche risk. Additionally, the history of the Kandahar Downhill is always inspirational - even on the uphill slog!

Getting going is always the hard part of ski touring - finding your rhythm, temperature control, and when it is snowing - finding the right combination of weather protection versus ventilation. After half an hour, inevitably you start to focus and the mind starts to unwind - all that matters is to keep a metronomic pace. 

But getting to this point takes a little practice and the right set up. The key is to 'start cold' and to layer your kit properly'. The conditions we were working in on Friday were minus 3-4 degrees, and snowing at about 5cm per hour, no wind (thankfully!). For me, the combination of a wicking baselayer (LS Groundup), cotton tee, and the Changabang ME shell provide, along with a thin merino wool hat, were perfect. 

After a couple of hours of uphill slog on forest trails, the Les Houches ridge line appeared and thoughts turn to chocolate, flask of hot coffee and warm kit. Ordinarily, the Les Houches ridge line is one of those places in the world which stops you in your tracks - the views are some of the best in the Alps. To the east is Chamonix valley with the Aiguilles Rouge on one side and the Drus/Mont Blanc chain on the other. To the south is the Mont Blanc massif proper and running away to the West are the valleys of Bionassey, Les Contamines and Megeve. The contrast of big mountain versus the closer stuff, are aweinspiring and you feel you can reach out and touch the peaks from this spot.

 

Anyway, this wasn't the case on Friday! It was a zero visibility day and the focus was definitely on a quick re-fuel and strip the skins off the skis and get a forest powder run back down to the Bellevue car park in Les Houches. I switched from Super Alpine gloves to Couloir gloves, and added an Arete down vest to add warmth on the descent. I replaced my woolly hat with my helmet and googles and was good to go!

Needless to say 30 minutes later, and back in the car park, we all had large grins on our faces and there was 'high fives' all round - how very 'early season'!

 

Mark - Director Whitedot Skis

Sports Scotland Avalanche Information Service 2012/13

Avalanche hazard considerations should always be part of any winter hill goers daily plans. Whether you are a climber, walker or off-piste skier venturing into the hills, you should always continue to note snow and weather conditions in respect to any potential avalanche hazard.

Mark Diggins - SAIS photo Becca Joyce

Mountain Equipment are proud to work with and support the Sports Scotland Avalanche Information Service for our 7th year.   

The SAIS is funded by the Scottish Sports Council and publish vital daily forecasts of the avalanche, snow, and climbing conditions at 5 key climbing areas of Scotland during the Winter season (Dec - April).

Avalanche Information Reports for Winter 2012/13 will be issued for the weekend 7th, 8th and 9th December for Northern Cairngorms and Lochaber and daily reports for all 5 areas -

Creag Meagaidh 

Glen Coe

Lochaber

Northern Cairngorms

Southern Cairngorms

will commence on the 13th December 2012.

You can view SAIS Report pdf for 2011/12 Season here and find out further information at the SAIS Website here