BBC Human Planet - Mountains

If you haven't already been watching then make sure you tune in to BBC 1 tonight at 8pm and check out the latest instalment of the "Human Planet" series.

Tonights episode - 'Mountains - Life in Thin Air' features cameraman extraordinaire and friend of the brand Keith Partridge filming the Kazakhs of the Altai Mountains, Mongolia fox hunting with Golden Eagles - an amazing 3 minute clip of which you can see below

ISPO 2011

I'm just back in the office after a busy week out in Munich where the world of Outdoor, Ski and Board convergered for the ISPO 2011 tradeshow.

The ME stand last Saturday before the show got underway

The Mountain Equipment stand was a hive of activity as ever with our whole international sales team stacked out with back to back appointments for viewings our new and exciting Winter 11/12 collection.

As some of you may have already worked out this year sees us celebrate our 50th year so to get things started we threw a party on our stand on Monday night.

Mountain Equipment pro partner Bernd Ritschel got proceedings underway with a first and exclusive viewing his 'Dolomitten Cross lecture' which will be touring across Germany in the next few months, more information available at http://www.lightwalk.de/

Bernd Ritschel takes to the stage

This was then followed by the first look at an exciting project we have been working on to celebrate our 50th year, I can't tell you much more than that at the moment but keep you eyes peeled over the coming months were all very proud of it here at ME.

below are some shots from the party....

(L-R) Unknown, ME Pro partner Heinz Zak, Thomas Strobl - Owner Invia (ME Germany)

Stuart Pitches - Owner Facewest & Chris Smith - ME UK Sales Manager

Keith Hutcheon, Chris Jakeman, Richard Talbot - ME Product Manager, Frances Owston - ME Design assistant

Unknown, Mogens Larsen - Ski &Toj (ME Denmark), Ola Hilleberg - Highsport (ME Sweden), Andy - Allcord Ltd

Kristoffer Kleven - XCSports (ME Norway) & Jan Blazej - Summitride (ME Czech Republic)

Anke Schnieder- Invia Marketing Manager, Hamish Dunn - ME Brand Director, Winfried Thomas - Invia Sales & Product Manager

and finally (he'll hate me for this!!) our very own product manager Richard Talbot was thrust into ISPO stardom after finding himself featuring in GORE-TEX's latest advertising campaign for their new Active Shell fabric which launched at the show.

Ibex Bouldering

Product manager Richard Talbot and I recently spent some time in Salt Lake City visiting the Outdoor Retailer tradeshow. It is always interesting to compare the US market to the UK/European market and as a side benefit we hoped to catch a little skiing and bouldering.

We didn't get on skis in the end, but we did boulder at the amazing crag that is Ibex, 3hrs drive south from SLC.

Ibex is in the middle of nowhere, 50 miles from the nearest small town on the edge of a dried up lake bed.
There are quite a few areas scattered around but we climbed only in the area around the massive Red Monster boulder. It is a huge lump of rock with one long steep face at a highball-able height. The setting is amazing: Steep cliffs facing the flatness of the lake bed surrounded by distant hills. And so quiet.

Apologies for the poor stitching together! Looking out across the lake bed with the main cliff on the left


Sorry for the poor montage, my camera phone doesn't really do the place justice. Rich on a classic slab problem

I had my sights set on Ju, an iconic problem in these parts. A very long time ago I had failed on the last move during my last attempt before leaving SLC, and I was keen to try again.
For a while it looked like I wasn't going to get up the first move, but I worked it out and kept getting higher but it took a while. The sun vanishing behind the cliffs sent the temperature plummeting so we bailed, not totally psyched on the 3hr drive back to SLC before a dinner appointment.

I went back a couple of days later with some old friends from SLC (nobody seems to leave that town) and I managed to get up it after a few attempts. I floated\fought through the move that spat me off last time without any awareness that "this was it" and then I was standing above it. Cool. The sun vanished before we were climbed out but we drove across to the other side of the lake bed and finished off on a steep prow in the sun. Thanks to Mike for the pictures.

Cynthia warming up


The first move of Ju, in the sun.


Topping out, in the shade

The last problem of the day. I failed a couple of moves later. Oh well, have to go back..

What an amazing place.

Winter Skills Course 2

The second of the two Mountain Equipment winter skills courses for Cotswold retail staff ran over the latter half of last week.

After a particularly rainy Monday on which I and my colleague Richard Bailey walked up to the CIC hut on Ben Nevis in the rain and warm temperatures just to turn round again, so much for going winter climbing. Once the Cotswold staff arrived they were armed with a large pile of new Mountain Equipment kit then off to bed ready for a big day in the mountains.

In the morning all the groups headed up to Buchallie Etive Beag to practice or learn skills with ice axes and crampons. Then it was straight back to base for product training sessions and after dinner an excellent lecture from Heather Morning from the MCofS on mountain safety. She also brought along a special guest Millie, who is a mountain rescue dog!

On day 2 the hill walking groups went up on to a very windy Anoch Mor, while I tagged along with the Mountaineers who were ascending the ridge and peak of Stob Corrie an Lochain. A few skills like front pointing and snow anchors were learnt along the way. With everyone back at camp we got some product workshops underway covering our softshell and insulation ranges. this was followed by a very informative lecture on avalanches from Mark Diggins from the SAIS.

Day 3. Looking out of the window at the dark sky before breakfast I could see it was perfectly cloud free. The weather held all day with blue Skys and perfect views. The mountaineers went to Ben Nevis with Dave McLeod, gaining the plateau with an accent of Number 4 gully and the hill walkers going to the grey corries. The course was rounded off with a lecture from our pro partner Dave McLeod.

Tahu Ratum - A Clouded Dream

Tom, Luke and Hamish have just finished putting together this short film from their recent attempt on the NW Ridge of Tahu Ratum in the Hispar Muztagh region of the Karakorum. Unfortunetly the weather didnt quite turn out as planned as you'll see.

We apologise in advance for the occasional swear word!

Tahu Ratum - A Clouded Dream from hamish dunn on Vimeo.

SkiTransalp Video

Heres a short 5 minute movie put together by Mountain Equipment Pro partner Bernd Ritschel from his successful Ski Transalp expedition back in 2009. (I'm afraid its German language only but still well worth a watch)



You can find out more about Bernd - his latest expeditions and photography at www.lightwalk.de

Nick Estcourt Award 2011

Congratulations to Mountain Equipment Pro Partner Andy Houseman and fellow climber Nick Bullock on being awarded this years Nick Estcourt Award. The Grant of £1500 has been awarded for their planned "2011 British Kyashar Expedition" - to make the first ascent, alpine-style, of the ~2000m South Pillar of Kyashar (6769m).

Andy made a trip to Kyashar back in October'10 with fellow climber Tony Stone some pictures of which you can see below

All photos: Tony Stone

We'll have more information on the expedtion as its approaches later this year.

Entries for 2012 Nick Estcourt are now being excepted - closing date is 31st Dec'11, you can find out all the details here - www.nickestcourtaward.org