Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Pinnacle Night - ME Store, Manchester
Details for our next event at the Mountain Equipment Store, Deansgate, Manchester featuring ME Pro partner Andy Turner. Click the flyer below for more information and details on how to register for this free event...
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Harry's Arctic Heroes - BBC One
If you happen to be watching the second part of Harry's Arctic Heroes on BBC One tonight at 9pm then make sure you keep your eyes peeled for friend of the brand and series producer/director Alexis Girardet.
Alexis and the Twofour production team used our Kongur and Greenland jackets while filming the documentary that charts the extraordinary attempt by four severely-injured Afghan veterans as they aim to complete their unsupported trek to the North Pole.
If you missed the first episode you can view it on BBC iplayer
You can also check out other programmes that the Twofour Team have been working on here
Alexis and the Twofour production team used our Kongur and Greenland jackets while filming the documentary that charts the extraordinary attempt by four severely-injured Afghan veterans as they aim to complete their unsupported trek to the North Pole.
Alexis (on Camera) filming Prince Harry during his time on the expedition
Twofour Team at the Pole
If you missed the first episode you can view it on BBC iplayer
You can also check out other programmes that the Twofour Team have been working on here
Monday, 29 August 2011
Stanage on a bank holiday....
I had some time to climb on Sunday afternoon, but where to go?
The mixed weather on Sunday gave me hope that an exposed windy spot would dry quickly from any showers that passed meaning a good afternoons climbing could be had even if it wasn't consistantly dry.
With it being a bank holiday a not too popular spot would be good. Also, I was all out of climbing partners, losing out to: house moving, N. Wales (x2) and the Cricket.
Hoping to avoid the crowds it seemed a good opportunity for a soloing day at the far left of Stanage. I was a bit inspired by John Long's tales of having 'an El Cap' day at Joshua tree where he and John Bachar would try to solo 2900 feet of rock in a day. I thought it would fun to try to climb as much rock as possible without being too bothered about exactly which routes or how hard they are . I thought it would be good to start at climb number 1 (in the 1989 guide, the one with Johnny Dawes on the cover) and work eastwards climbing every route I could solo.
High Neb in sun and shadow on the walk up
The mixed weather on Sunday gave me hope that an exposed windy spot would dry quickly from any showers that passed meaning a good afternoons climbing could be had even if it wasn't consistantly dry.
With it being a bank holiday a not too popular spot would be good. Also, I was all out of climbing partners, losing out to: house moving, N. Wales (x2) and the Cricket.
Hoping to avoid the crowds it seemed a good opportunity for a soloing day at the far left of Stanage. I was a bit inspired by John Long's tales of having 'an El Cap' day at Joshua tree where he and John Bachar would try to solo 2900 feet of rock in a day. I thought it would fun to try to climb as much rock as possible without being too bothered about exactly which routes or how hard they are . I thought it would be good to start at climb number 1 (in the 1989 guide, the one with Johnny Dawes on the cover) and work eastwards climbing every route I could solo.
High Neb in sun and shadow on the walk up The first few routes were a tad green but I dragged my self up them being blown about in the wind, wondering what I had let myself in for.
It wasn't long though before I was cruising up a lot of top notch gritstone kept in great nick thanks to the buffeting wind, mostly diffs to severes with the odd harder route as well. It was great fun to get stuck into quite a few chimneys that normally I wouldn't look twice at, from the tight offwidth thrutching of Boomerang Chimney to full back and footing up Manhatten Chimney. There were a few high ball boulder problem routes and a lot of mileage.
Self portrait near the top of Richards Sister, Severe, round the corner from the Marble Wall area.
I ground to a halt after the Crow Chin buttress having climbed 29 routes for a total of 249m of climbing. Tired. I'm pretty keen on the idea of working along the edge soloing everything easy but it might be the work of the lifetime, or at least a longtime.
Comfy climbing boots, cotton Echo pants (out next spring) and an Arrow half zip. Pefect for a windy cool day moving fast, ish on the grit. I don't like writing about product, but I was wearing them for the purpose I designed them for and they were really good. As a designer you can't ask for more than that..
It wasn't long though before I was cruising up a lot of top notch gritstone kept in great nick thanks to the buffeting wind, mostly diffs to severes with the odd harder route as well. It was great fun to get stuck into quite a few chimneys that normally I wouldn't look twice at, from the tight offwidth thrutching of Boomerang Chimney to full back and footing up Manhatten Chimney. There were a few high ball boulder problem routes and a lot of mileage.
Self portrait near the top of Richards Sister, Severe, round the corner from the Marble Wall area.
I ground to a halt after the Crow Chin buttress having climbed 29 routes for a total of 249m of climbing. Tired. I'm pretty keen on the idea of working along the edge soloing everything easy but it might be the work of the lifetime, or at least a longtime.
Comfy climbing boots, cotton Echo pants (out next spring) and an Arrow half zip. Pefect for a windy cool day moving fast, ish on the grit. I don't like writing about product, but I was wearing them for the purpose I designed them for and they were really good. As a designer you can't ask for more than that..
British Cordillera Carabaya Expedition: Success
Just had a short email in from friend of the brand Tom Ripley who is currently out in the Cordillera Carabaya, Peru. Both he and Hamish Dunn have successfully bagged the first ascent of the South Face of Chichicapac (5614m) The guys climbed through pitches of Scottish V 4 and a couple of crux's at VI 5 and topped out at 5pm on 22nd August'11.
We'll have a full report and images from the guys when their back in the UK mid September.
S Face of Chichicapac (5614m)
We'll have a full report and images from the guys when their back in the UK mid September.
Dave MacLeod: Bongo Bar First Free Ascent
More great footage and images coming in from the GORE-TEX Experience Tour Norway team.
ME Pro partner Dave MacLeod has just bagged the first free ascent of "Bongo Bar" on Blamman. You can view the video and Dave's latest post here, also make sure you checkout the latest posts from Paul DiffleyHotaches here and G.E.T finalist Julia here.
ME Pro partner Dave MacLeod has just bagged the first free ascent of "Bongo Bar" on Blamman. You can view the video and Dave's latest post here, also make sure you checkout the latest posts from Paul DiffleyHotaches here and G.E.T finalist Julia here.
Dave on the first free ascent of Bongo Bar, Blamman, Norway. 400m, 7b+, 7b+, 8a, 7c, 7b, 6c, 7a, 6b.
Photo: Paul Diffley/Hot Aches Productions.
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Lukasz visit
Friend of the brand and professional photographer Lukasz Warzecha swung by ME HQ yesterday to give us a quick update on what he's been up to over the past few weeks and also his plans for the fast approaching winter. Last week Lukasz was out shooting ME Pro partner Nick Bullock over at Gogarth, a few snaps from which you can see over at his blog here
There are also a few places still available for Lukasz's photography workshops at Plas y Brenin on 30th Sept. – 2nd October'11 not only will you be able to learn tricks of the trade from Lukasz but ME Pro partner Dave MacLeod will be on hand to act as subject over the course of the workshop, more information available here - be quick as spaces are limited!
Lukasz will also be lecturing at the Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival at Ratho on Thursday 6th October'11 so make sure you come along and check him out. Tickets available here
Nick over at Gogarth last week
There are also a few places still available for Lukasz's photography workshops at Plas y Brenin on 30th Sept. – 2nd October'11 not only will you be able to learn tricks of the trade from Lukasz but ME Pro partner Dave MacLeod will be on hand to act as subject over the course of the workshop, more information available here - be quick as spaces are limited!
Lukasz will also be lecturing at the Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival at Ratho on Thursday 6th October'11 so make sure you come along and check him out. Tickets available here
Friday, 19 August 2011
A Year of Microadventure
Friend of the brand, explorer and Scott 2012 team member Al Humphreys is currently working through his latest project a "Year of Microadventure".
Al tells us more.....
"2011 is the Year of Microadventure a whole year when, instead of exotic foreign adventures, I am committed to trying to encourage people to get outside, get out of their comfort zone, go somewhere they’ve never been, go on a microadventure. An adventure that is close to home, cheap, simple, short, and yet very effective.
The aim is to build them up gradually in order that absolutely everyone can get involved and progress from novices to doing something relatively gnarly by the end of the year. Have a look at the videos and blog entries here, then commit to your own microadventure."
Heres the video of Al's latest Microadventure No 8 - River Swim
You check out more information about Al's past/future Microadventures here
Al will also be lecturing at this Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival on Sunday 9th October'11 tickets for which are now available here (tickets are selling fast so make sure your quick!)
Al tells us more.....
"2011 is the Year of Microadventure a whole year when, instead of exotic foreign adventures, I am committed to trying to encourage people to get outside, get out of their comfort zone, go somewhere they’ve never been, go on a microadventure. An adventure that is close to home, cheap, simple, short, and yet very effective.
The aim is to build them up gradually in order that absolutely everyone can get involved and progress from novices to doing something relatively gnarly by the end of the year. Have a look at the videos and blog entries here, then commit to your own microadventure."
Heres the video of Al's latest Microadventure No 8 - River Swim
You check out more information about Al's past/future Microadventures here
Al will also be lecturing at this Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival on Sunday 9th October'11 tickets for which are now available here (tickets are selling fast so make sure your quick!)
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