Baffin Big Walls 2010

Mountain Equipment are proud to announce our support of Baffin Big Walls 2010.

The expedition aims to make the first ascent of an unclimbed peak in Stewart Valley situated on the North East of Baffin Island. The highly experienced team of 3 includes (left to right) Mike 'Twid' Turner, Mark Thomas and Mountain Equipment Pro partner Stu McAleese.


Twid tells us more...

"Main Objective is the slender pillar on the left hand side of the below image.
The second back up objective is the Middle peak in the picture. Approaches are about 800m height elevation. Walls 1200m vertical plus ridge to summit 400m


Objective and aims of Expedition
To make a first ascent of an unclimbed peak and Big Wall in the Stewart Valley, off the North East Coast of Baffin Island. Canadian Territories. The Big Wall will be a mile vertical of granite rock. The walls drop straight into the Fjord and are accessed by skidoo from Clyde River. The climbs will be of extreme difficulty some free climbing and some aid climbing. The climb will follow a major line up the huge face.

The team expect to spend at least 21 days on the route. Most of the time, the team, will living on the wall on Portaledges. Portaledges are hanging camp beds 6x4 feet (double) surrounded by a hanging tent.

The climb combines extreme conditions (average temp minus 15-20) and climbing. The landscape is frozen ice with Polar bears wondering past. The ice this far North of the Arctic circle only melts for a few weeks each summer. The back drop to the massive walls is the endless flat frozen sea ice stretching to the North Pole. The Fjords all have massive walls dropping from mountain ranges bordering their edges. These walls are some of the highest sweeps of rock in the world. ‘Polar Sun Spire’ is the largest Big Wall in The Americas 2000m drop. One and a half miles of vertical wall. 30 times the height of ‘Castle Elin’ (50m) at Gogarth!

The Sail Peaks are where we aim to climb. ‘The Sail Peaks’ are based around the Stewart Valley. The valley is an extension of the North arm of the Sam Fjord. The Stewart Valley is lines with massive unclimbed Big Walls. Twid climbed in the valley in 1996. The second team (one yr later) to climb in this amazing spot. Super remote the ‘Stewart’ sports some of the greatest challenges left to the Big Wall climber. A least half a dozen major walls totally unclimbed. Routes on a world stage of a major importance. Any new route will be a Big deal in the mountaineering world."

The Big Walls team set out on the 2nd May'10

For more information and all the latest news checkout http://www.baffinbigwalls.com

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/