Work experience with a difference

Okay so we’ve all done work experience at some point - brewing up, data inputting, filing and photocopying… yawn! Well not for Flo. Last week he paid us a visit to do a weeks work placement – which basically involved none of the above and climbing in Scotland with Dave instead.  

Here’s a few words and photos from Flo's week…  

“Uuuuufffff… One week work experience from school. How about getting some work experience in climbing? But where should I do this? The best would be going climbing with fellow climber Dave MacLeod. So I get on to a plane for Manchester then take a train to Fort William, Scotland.

When I arrived I was met by Dave and before I knew it off we went straight out to do some climbing. The weather had been very cold; so perfect conditions for bouldering hard.

Over 4 days the weather was good, even though we were in Scotland. We went out as often as we could…and I really enjoyed being outside.

I had four amazing days of bouldering with Dave before I headed back to Manchester for 3 days work with the guys at the Mountain Equipment headoffice.”

Flo

Report: N.W Greenland Expedition 2012

The team of Olly Sanders, Dave Rudkin and Lee Roberts, left U.K on 24 th July and three days and four plane rides later we arrived in Upernavik . We were met by Nikolas Sorenson our local contact who helped us enormously over our stay.Our freight was delayed due to mechanical problems and we finaly got our boat drop off on the 30 th to end of†the fjord at the South side Qaersorssuaq island,which was around 30km from Upernavik The campsite was perfect, sheltered from most wind directions with good water and an abundant supply of driftwood, there was also a lot of plastic which we cleaned up and burnt. This was in an attempt to leave minimal human impact, all human waste was disposed of in the sea and tissue paper was burned. In fact, the camp was left in a much cleaner state than our arrival.

We hired a rifle from our host as a safety precaution should we come across any bears or rabid foxes. Bullets were purchased from the local supermarket and we carried out a short rifle training session once camp was set up. During this we realized the gun to be defective and quite dangerous to use. Fortunately we didn’t’t need to use the gun, the only wildlife we came across were arctic foxes which were very hospitable.

Our main objective was the large cliffs on the left side of the fjord looking out from the beach and we spent the next day going for a closer look and although the journey was short in distance the boulder fields made it awkward and slow. We spotted a crack system, but decided to return for a closer look.  The next day we went climbing on a cliff nearer the camp, that Olly had climbed on a previous line and put up six pitch route with a stunning third pich,this was named Heroes of Hotness and was graded E3 6a The team returned to the Main objective and three pitches of climbing put us on top of the obvious pinnacle and gave us a closer look at the crack system which looked very good . Lee aided on pitch and C1 and fixed a line. This pich would go free at E6 we thought. We returned to camp to get more gear for an attempt and we had decided to haul gear as well. Nickolaj had no sat phone so we were relying on pressure readings and observations to predict weather, but although it was a little cloudy the next day, we decided to go for it.

We got to our high point and Dave then led the hardest pitch at E5 6b the climbing and rock were of excellent quality and this continued for the next few pitches including a good E3 pitch that Lee led. The angle eased slightly and although the climbing was still good, care had to be taken with the many loose blocks. During the day the cloud had thickened and the wind increased, we were now seconding with a rucksac and a Haul bag.

We arrived at a ledge and at this point it was raining, we had waterproofs but no shelter or any bivy kit and we decided to try and sit it out, the rain and wind increased and we were now getting wet, with no idea how long the rain would last and how long it would take to dry out, we had a difficult choice.  We were over 400m on the route abseil retreat would be difficult and dangerous , but if we left if too long we could be very cold and decision making poor,so we decided to go down . The next five hours were terrfying, we trashed our static very early so now we had to abseil on our 60m which would take longer and pulling the ropes was gripping. At last using parts of the remaining 80m static we got to the bottom, having left all the ropes we had in place on the bottom part of the route. It had been a 24 hour day and we go back to the camp at 9 in the morning. Dave did a great job sorting out a lot of the abseils The weather was being very unpredictable on previous trips it had been a lot more stable with manly good clear days after any rain. We decided to walk to one of the high points on the island to see if with line of sight with Upernavik we could get a phone signal. 

This worked and we were able to get a weather report, it was mixed with only a few clear days before more bad weather We decided to go as lightweight as possible climbing with small sacks and trying to make best use of a weather window . The team were all fairly subdued, just wanting to try and finish the route that was staring at us all the time from the camp. We ascended the ropes as carefully as we could getting belayed when possible and not damaging the dynamic ropes, we dumped the static as it was now damaged in many places and made it back to our high point block leading. Olly led the pitch from the ledge at E3 and loose and Lee took over a few pitches later to lead to the top with some great climbing on the final headwall E2 climbing that was good rock and gear The route was finished in a twelve our push and the team were rewarded with stunning views from the top and a memorable walk down The route was called Drowning in a Sea of Light E5 6b, C1 20 pitches 800m apart from pitch 4 all pitches were climbed free and onsight with no bolts or pegs The rest of our stay was marked with very mixed weather ,lots of unseasonable rain, but the team did manage one more 6 pitch route Called Palmolive E1 5a on the same cliff as the first route.

We arranged to get picked up a few days early as we were worried about a boat pickup in poor weather and spent the last few days sorting out freight in Upernavik before returning home

The team would like to thank Welsh Sports Association , BMC.Alpine Club and Gino Watkins Fund for help with funding and Mountain Equipment for Clothing.

Weather windows in the Valais

I'm just back from a week-long visit to the Valais region of the Alps in Switzerland. Despite being their for 8 days we ended up having just a four-day weather window after which unseasonably cold and very unsettled weather restricted us to the valley as heavy rain and (above 2000m) considerable snow-fall called an early halt to the Alpine summer.

Valley Dining. Zinal Rothorn is the obvious peak in the background.



Seeing what could be our only chance for any meaningful climbing there was little time to do the normal acclimatisation, that would be left to an entirely on-foot ascent from the valley floor straight to the first of two 4000m peaks we had identified worthwhile routes on - Zinal Rothorn at 4221m and the Ober Gabelhorn at 4063m.




The Trift glacier and the Wellenkuppe



Ober Gabelhorn on extreme left, edge of photo with Wellenkuppe on left

It was a hot and arduous approach to the Rothorn Hut, with no intrusive cable-cars or railways to lift us out of the valley, it was 1700m of climbing first through steep wooded hillsides and then glacial morraine and scree. We arrived at the Rothorn Hut in well under four hours, I was knackered.

The alarm sounded just before 4am. With breakfast consisting of Bread & Jam and a few cups of tea hastily swallowed we were off into the early morning darkness of the high Alp shortly before 5am.



Dan scans the guidebook as dawn breaks

Easy climbing under darkness

We moved up the glacier before breaking through an chimney system and traversing several snow and scree fields to bring us on the upper shoulder of the mountain. We had been going for around 2 hours, darkness had finally given way to morning and we approaching 3900m. From a narrow snowy crest the route traversed under the Rothorn's south face, weaving a narrow passage across loose, technical ground before climbing up to an obvious notch on the South-West Ridge. From here more technical and exposed ground beckoned - across the Biner Slab before a series of twists and turns on the high summit ridge, with vertigo-inducing drops on every side gave way to the summit. We had been climbing for some four and a half hours.



Rich on the summit of Zinal Rothorn (Circa 4200m)

We paused for a rest on the summit, before, keen to avoid becoming trapped amongst the numerous guided parties we began our descent. A series of rapid abseils and some steady down-climbing brought us back to the Fruhstuckplatz and the heat of the morning sun. From here we knew we could take our time, only a cool Panache back at the hut beckoned and we returned to the hut in time for lunch.

A warm descent - Monte Rosa, Breithorn etc behind

It was 3pm before I decided to fall asleep. A quick power-knap before dinner. I awoke bleary eyed shortly before 6pm. Despite this I would be fast asleep again some four hours later getting some much needed rest before our second day of climbing would begin on the Ober Gabelhorn.

Described as one of the finest and most impressive of any Alpine peaks, many people will never have heard of it. Despite its appearance, elevation and intricacy its not a peak that automatically rolls off the tongue when you think of great alpine peaks. But its a beautiful mountain. No easy way up, sheer faces of snow and ice, long, narrow and intricate ridge lines.

The hanging clouds of the previous evening has dissipated by the time we left the hut shortly after 430am. But the wind was up. Occasional gusts carried nervous tension as we trudged across the pitch black glacier.

We maintained a steady pace as Dan did his best to search out the best line as we weaved between arching crevasses. We crossed the Bergschrund as the first tentative signs of light began to appear.
Steep ground, but relatively easy climbing brought us onto the main ridge proper. From here great climbing over slabs gave way to broken and bouldery ground on the upper ridge of the Wellenkuppe.

Arriving at the col on the approach to the Wellenkuppe

Climbing onto the snowy dome of the Wellenkuppe the full scale of the Ober Gabelhorn revealed itself. Disappearing into the middle disance was a long and narrow ridge, heavily corniced before the full sweep of the north face reared sharply up to its 4063m summit. The ridge itself was relatively straightforward before a steepish 50 degree snow slope gave way to rocky technical ground and after another hour of climbing, the summit.

Looking down the NE ridge
 The dome of the Wellenkuppe behind



Dan with another tiny dot far below - another climber!

It took several hours to descend from the summit to the narrow ridge, numerous abseils on some questionable anchors brought us safely down the steep face. From here it was time for brain overload as we carefully descended further to the ridge, conscious of the sweeping North face dropping away to our left.

By the time we reached the Wellenkuppe on the return leg I was spent. 2 days of rapid acclimatisation above 4000m were taking their toll, as was a long and mentally involved descent from the summit. I needed to re-fuel before I could go any further. There was still at least another hour of descending over complicated ground before we would reach the relative safety of the glacier, still some 300m beneath us. We had been on the go for some 11 hours by the time we returned to the hut.

3 hours later, the storm clouds had gathered, we were racing down to the valley through a thunderstorm. The next few days would be little better, a monstrous drop in temperature saw the freezing level falling back to just above 2000m, with temperatures of around -15c at 4000m and several days of rain and snow. We would get one more brief foray to the high mountains before coming home, but which would be thwarted by the sheer amount of fresh snow.



After the storms. Deep snow on the Breithorn Plateau.

Gear:

I took various bits of kit with me, including some old favourite classics - Compressor Vest, Microtherm Jacket and also some newer pieces such as the Trojan Jacket and Gabbro Pants but of everything my main favourites and most used pieces for this trip were.

Super Alpine Gloves

These are dexterous, sticky and with just enough insulation for use in the high alps in Summer. They grip axes, allow you to climb rock, fiddle with karabiners. They're excellent. The only downside is that the Sheepskin Pittards Oiltac leather is not as durable as Cow or Goatskin, but their useability more than makes up for this.

Randonnee Gloves

Carried but not worn. In colder conditions these are my favourite all-round glove.

G2 Ultimate Mountain Pants

Normally overkill for lower-level Alpine use but for use in the high mountains they were spot-on. Windproof, highly water-resistant and great to climb in. Given the unpredictable weather forecast I carried a very light pair of waterproof overtrousers as a back-up in case of storms.

Concordia Jacket

I dont often carry mid-weight fleece but the High Loft Thermal Pro used in the Concordia means this is relatively light and compressible for its warmth.

Bastion Jacket

Whilst climbing I only ever carried this, as my main spare warm layer. But it was much valued for sitting outside mountain huts and lounging around camp in the cooler evenings. Light, compressible and not at all bulky.

Firelite Jacket

Lightweight and very breathable shell is rapidly making me question the need for Softshell for this type of trip. I toyed with the idea of carrying a Softshell up the mountain but everytime opted to take lightweight insulation backed up by this GORE-TEX Active jacket. Its breathable enough to wear all day, from very early in the morning until the heat of late morning, its hood just about fits over my Black Diamond Tracer helmet and it means that if the weather did deteriorate, I would be totally protected. Not currently available but the Firefox Jacket is, with the benefit of one extra pocket.

Martins most excellent adventure

Martins most excellent adventure. 1st installment.

It's ten to eight in the evening. Across the expanse of a slate blue lake, the sun is slowly edging its way down closer towards the jagged skyline of pine forest that carpet this corner of Idaho. The sounds of the radio are being drowned out by the constant drone of the concrete covered interstate, through the noise I can hear an advert for a bank that offers concessions for US military personnel. Martin, one of our UK sales reps had done such an excellent job at immersing himself in US culture, short of turning up in a Stetson, that we'd decided we would name our Impromptu road trip back north after him. Martins most excellent adventure was in full swing.

Fuelled by an unhealthy mix of M&M's, Coca-Cola, Barbecue-Flavoured crisps, Snickers bars and the occasional Twix we had been on the road for nearly 36 hours. Crammed into a Chrysler Astra van, Craig, Josh, Martin and myself were on our way back to the home of Mountain Equipment Inc. We'd covered a solid thousand miles, visited the states of Utah, Wyoming, Montana and now Idaho and were still some 350 miles from journeys end in the north-western corner of Washington State.

Outdoor Retailer

Just a few days earlier, we had all been in full swing at the USA's major outdoor trade show, Outdoor Retailer, which unusually for something stateside is, for once, a smaller affair than its European cousin. Protected from the searing desert heat outside, we went about our business in the 'Salt Palace', managing to squeeze in some 50 odd appointments from our 30 by 20 foot patch of ground, which was the temporary hub of all things Mountain Equipment, running through our product lines with prospective retail accounts, journalists, bloggers and the mildly curious.



Josh tells it as it is

In the evening we would escape the metropolis of Salt Lake City and head up to Park City, some forty minutes drive to the East. Once a mining town, this small town on the edge of the Wasatch mountains is now more famous as a major ski resort and home to the 2002 Winter Olympic bob-sleigh run and ski jump. The remnants of the old town still remain, with a crowded mix of highly colourful, small wooden buildings lining the main street surrounded by an ever increasing number of Condo's, apartments and houses. Hard-Up miners and settlers have given way to those with the money to live in this now affluent ski resort and a steady throng of tourists.

The Wild West

Heading out on I-80 towards Evanston and the state-line, we left Park City on Monday morning. Wyoming would then beckon, mile after mile of the mid-west, only occasionally punctuated by small towns. Each one guarded by a sign detailing its population and elevation. None were bigger than 500 or so people, most were considerably smaller. In between were dotted farmsteads and ranches, dry brush-land smattered with the occasional intense burst of lush green grass from the huge irrigation systems that are the life-line to those making a living from this wild land. It would be nearly 5 hours before we reached the first big town, another major mountain resort, Jackson Hole.

Essential rehydration in Jackson Hole

Entering from the South it is easy to question what makes Jackson Hole so special. Travel just a few miles further North and as the forested hills give way to an expansive plain and the jagged peaks of the Teton mountain range come into view, there is little to doubt. Jackson is a wonderful town but it happily plays second fiddle to the natural wonder that surrounds it. Running along a geological fault line, the Teton mountain range was formed during a major uplift a good few million years ago and they're still growing, rising straight up from the valley floor to over 13,000 feet. At its base, a flat valley floor that is home to the National Elk Reserve and to the North, arguably the most famous national park in the world, Yellowstone.



The Teton Range

 

I'm not sure the herds of Bison, Grizzly Bears or Wolves make much distinction between the Teton National Park and Yellowstone but to help us humans there's a big sign and ranger post. Like all National Parks here in the USA you can't just wander in, it's tightly regulated and you have to pay.

Yellowstone National Park

It was late afternoon by the time we made our way into Yellowstone National Park, we didn't have much time but Craig was determined that we would at least drive through the park and experience what we could of this amazing natural wilderness. Amazing is an over-used word but not for Yellowstone. We stopped briefly at Lewis Falls, glimpsed Osprey hovering in the thermals above magical river basins and caught a glimpse of the giant Yellowstone lake. Dinner was beckoning as was one final highlights of the day.

Old Faithful

Turning off the highway I'd not fully grasped what a major tourist venue Yellowstone quite was. That was until we reached the site of what is probably the most famous Geyser in the world. Nestled amongst the forest, Old Faithful is just one of several Geysers that erupt from the bubbling thermal springs, but it's the only one to erupt practically like clock-work. Every forty odd minutes, every day, super heated water erupts from the lunar like landscape into a sky-high fountain to the delight of the thousands of tourists that sit patiently on the boardwalks. Just a few hundred yards away, Old Faithful Lodge is a historic megalith of a structure, now joined by a modern visitor information centre and large hotel. It wasn't quite the isolated, unspoilt natural beauty I was expecting but the lodge is in its own way, an impressive sight. It's giant internal wooden structure looms impressively high, one of the finest timber constructions I've seen. Less than a hundred years old but looking like some medieval scaffolding, the raw outline of tree timbers reach high into the open roof, four of five storeys high.

Old Faithful

 

By the time we sat down for dinner we had managed to miss Old Faithful twice. Reliable it may be but to the second it is not. Twice we had scampered across to the steaming, sulphurous mound to be greeted by the sight of dispersing tourists, all with satisfied looks on their faces. The next eruption was scheduled for 17 minutes past 9. It was our final chance to witness it before nightfall. As the light began to fade over Yellowstone, a quiet hue fell across the sulphurous landscape as the excited chatter of expectation grew. Slowly the rising steam gave way to bubbling water and then shortly after ten past nine, Old Faithful was true to her name, albeit a little early.

Authenticity

Earlier that week, talking to the many journalists who were wandering the exhibition halls of Outdoor Retailer, I'd been cornered by a journalist, keen to learn more about our mysterious British brand. What's your USP? What makes you stand out from all the others? After 3 days of presentations I was beginning to feel a little jaded, I muttered something about the small details, the subtlety of design all too easily missed and a few other things that I can't quite remember, but the reply back was that, without wishing to sound cliche'd, it was refreshing to see a truly authentic outdoor brand.

Rich & Craig awake in Yellowstone NP

 

It was now 630 am, I was lying in my sleeping bag, in the open, on the edge of the Yellowstone National Park. Ten yards away, Josh who had been asleep, crammed into the van, was now thumping my climbing pack, trying unsuccessfully to silence the alarm on my mobile phone. It wasn't the first time that week that I'd left my phone to accidentally wake someone else up. Under the fading stars, Craig, Martin and myself had been blissfully unaware of this electronic intrusion, only the stirring of the air as dawn broke over the horizon gave any indication that it was time to wake up. It was a scene from a 21st Western, blankets had given way to down sleeping bags, tethered horses had made way for a four-wheel drive van, only the Corale we were lying beside and the mountains in front remained unchanged. It wasn't the usual standard of accommodation I was used to whilst travelling for work, but that night, it beat any modern, soul-less hotel. I hoped the previous weeks journalist would approve.

My sleeping bag was damp with a heavy dew as I did my best to wake myself. Craig was already doing his best to add further annoyance to Josh by tapping on the steamy van windows. Across the valley, the white steaming mound of Mammoth Springs could be seen, looking more like some industrial intrusion billowing unknown toxins into the sky, it was actually another of Yellowstone's geological natural wonders. Sooner or later, this entire geological crater will erupt, and wipe out much of what can now be seen, and begin another chapter in this constantly evolving landscape. Luckily all was quiet this morning, other than a steadily increasing number of tourists. We packed away our things and readied to leave Yellowstone.

A proper cup of tea

Sitting down for breakfast, Martin was showing enormous British reserve as he attempted to define the word 'Hot' to the hostess. I thought i drank a lot of tea but Martin surpassed even my best efforts. His first pot of tea had arrived in a usual luke warm state and he was keen to help this little diner in Gardiner become possibly the only one in the state of Montana trained in the art of serving a proper cup of Yorkshire Tea.

Rich & Josh on a morning warm-up at the West Entrance to Yellowstone NP.

 

He was making steady progress as the second pot arrived with our breakfast. Grasping the pot to wait for that tell-tale sensory sensation of heat, he grasped it for slightly too long before realising a further round of training would be necessary. For a nation who had introduced us to warnings of hot water in their beverages, Luke warm, weak tea was a hard one to fathom. I opted for a warm, brown liquid resembling coffee as I tucked into my bacon and egg.

Big Sky and Prolite Mountain Gear

Back on the road, we head north along the Yellowstone river into the state of Montana. Expanses of thick forest had given way to wide open mountains, grass and broken woodland. This was the Montana I was expecting, this was big sky country.

We headed north and then West towards Bozeman, a growing college town on the edge of the Bridger mountain range and home to one of Mountain Equipments first supporting gear shops in the USA, Prolite Mountain Gear. Bozeman is an attractive town of some 40,000 odd residents, modest brick buildings, boutiques and art shops mark the makings of a town that's got plenty of life in it. And so too has Brad, Prolite's general manage. A larger than life character in every respect and passionate Montana resident. It's not difficult to see why.

Brad (General Manager of Prolite Mountain Gear) talks to Craig

Within 20 minutes of the shop is some great climbing, both in summer and winter, great skiing, great fishing, great rafting. How anyone has the time to a run a shop in these parts is beyond me. Come the winter, they run demo evenings every Wednesday where you can turn up, grab some boots and tools and go find some steep ice. It's little wonder they have seen rapid growth in their relatively short history, the place just oozes enthusiasm and passion for the outdoors.

Prolite Mountain Gear

 

Brad was keen to go and show us some of his beloved Montana but sadly on this occasion time wasn't on our side, we still had many hours of driving to go. So after a quick 45 minute tour of the shop which included a look around their workshop where a spirited staff were making and modifying bits of gear to their own requirements we were on the move again.

Stu McAleese guards the entrance to Prolite Mountain Gear

We headed West towards Butte (or butt as Martin had decided to call it), once one of the copper capitals of the world before continuing Westwards towards Missoula, the administrative centre of Montana and home of the University of Montana. Cruising along the interstate through the sweltering summer heat, Butte would be an easy to forget place were it not home to one of the largest open cast copper mines in the world.

The long road north

Anywhere else and it would have overwhelmed the landscape but here in an endless sky it was just another hole in the ground that had brought considerable wealth and prosperity. Guarding its deep cuttings and levels was a network of lift towers that had served the deep shaft mining operations that ran in parallel to the open cast mine. It's vast economic wealth attracted many immigrant workers from all over the world, including the UK, and is apparently one of the few places where you can buy a Cornish Pasty in the USA. It also brought huge environmental damage, and vast sums of money have been spent in the past 30 years attempting to rectify it.

The French Connection and journeys end

We had been driving through Montana since early morning, it was early evening before we crossed the state-line into Idaho. As the sun began to lower in the sky, a raft of French place-names, Coeur D'alene being the most obvious, gave clues to the French Canadian fur trappers and missionaries who had settled here in the infancy of the modern state in the early 18th century.

We were cutting through our densest forest since leaving Yellowstone and our flirtation across the Northern half of Idaho was a relatively short lived affair. As darkness fell we reached our final state.
Washington is one of the most mountainous states in the US but on its Eastern side it's a vast semi arid plain. We drove through Spokane, a rather plain and ordinary looking town that serviced the agricultural industry in this corner of Washington as well as being home to Mountain Gear, another of our supporting US retail partners. It wasn't quite like driving across the M62 but the high moor-like landscape had certain similarities as we passed dinky sized combines carving their way across vast expanses of wheat fields.

As the darkness finally swallowed up any trace of remaining daylight we began our descent from the eastern plains towards the vast Columbia river, one of North America's great waterways. Draining a vast basin of the North-Western United States and cutting a great chasm through Washington state it marked the gradual climb back towards the Cascades. We could see little of its enormity other than a dark snaking outline some half a mile wide as we crossed the shadowy outlines of Vantage bridge. Ahead only a series of warning lights that traced across the night sky revealed a vast network of wind turbines.

Climbing up along he Snoquamie pass we had reached the Cascades, the mountain chain that dominates this region, that runs from Oregon right to the Canadian border and that signalled the nearness of journey's end. It would be another hour and well past midnight before we reached Stanwood, our final destination an hour or so to the north of Seattle.