Your Expedition and Mountain Leader

As Expedition season and Spring in the UK fast approaches is it worth looking a bit deeper into you leader in who you are employing to take you into the mountains on your trip of a lifetime?

Have a look at the criteria and depth of experience that a qualified International Mountain Leader   has gone through to give you their professional best in some of the most challenging places on Earth. 

An IML will work as the overall technical expert and be your representative all over the world in all of the climatic regions. You will be ensured that your welfare and emotional and educational needs will be catered for.                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Your Leader will have extensive experience in First aid and other skills including people skills; how does one deal with an emotional minefield of clients sometimes under pressure on a trek or UK mountain? By Training,application and continued professional development CPD. This is a pre-requisite for a professional body such as UIMLA.    

The need to interpret the weather is also an essential skill to help you have the most success from your trip. This may a frustrating delay for you or a life-changing moment/vision from the top of a mountain or remote valley.           

                                             

As Red Adair, the world famous Fire Fighter who put out a lot of the Iranian and other big oil fires around the world, said     " If you think a Professional is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur!"     

Be aware that value for money in the current economic climate is different from being "expensive" and that you will always get more that what you pay for with a qualified professional, such as an IML                                                                                                          

Striding Edge and Helvellyn 1st Feb 2012

A great day out today with Keela my Border Collie and we manged a trip up Striding Edge down Swirral Edge and back up again then over Helvellyn Summit.Bumped in the Fell top Assessor John, he reported -6 on Helvellyn summit. We went up Striding Edge with the East wind getting stronger and making camera battery iffy. We came sown and up Swirral Edge and battery got better after a warm in my pocket.
A fantastic day in great sunshine with good squeeky snow and cold conditions put some smiles on everyones faces I spoke to. I bumped into Simon Yates who had just been climbing in the gullies. You can see him speak at Keswick Mountain Festival.

We carried on wearing micro spikes all day.                      Keela had her own on!

 The paths are very icy and also on the edges; please be aware and take crampons and an ice axe. Beware of the cornice on the summit ridge also.

 I can help you with a Winter Skills course please contact me. 

                                      

 Here is a link to the full set of pictures to today on Helvellyn

Keela had a great day out. 

Skiing in Cumbria

A beautiful morning with snow down to 500mtrs saw Ed, Rich and I along with our two Collies Keela and Tally set off for a Ski in the northern Lakes in Cumbria to Great Dodd. The day clouded over and the Siberian winds picked up making eating our lunch on the summit a bit of an numb hands struggle. Great cold snow with a twinkle and almost setting off from the car park brought an icy grin to our faces. The dogs were loving being in the Snow and were digging and running at every snowball.

A great day had and hopefully more to come. 

Avalanche Awareness

Avalanche Awareness and the way forward

thanks for the info from Mountain Adventure Company. Take some information and learn to use it with a sound mountain judgement. 

 part 2 just for you enjoy and shred the gnarr with a touch of safety. 

Scottish Winter Conditions 14/15 Jan 2012

I have just been up to Scotland in the Cairngorms this weekend and here are some pics from the trip.

Walk in to the corries Goat Track In Coire an Snechda on the right of the picture

  

Great Sunsets at the end of the dayon Loch Morlich. Water had frozen overnight on the Loch the next day.

 Temperature inversion covering Ski car park.

 

Some very hard old snow in Coire an Lochan

Mackerel sky at end of the day

Crystal development overnight 

Enjoy the winter and if you need any help with your winter ambitions please contact me. 

Trail Running Mag Pics

Here are some wonderful sunny winter lake district pictures taken on a Trail Running Magazine photoshoot. Watch out in the magazine for the official ones.

Here is Claire and Stuart Holmes taking some pics of runners coming off Latrigg.  And here is Claire happy to be out in the sunshine along with an old friend of mine Zac Poulton. 

Keela came with us and had a great time running around in the sun as we went up and down to get the right shot. 

you can see a clip here of her from last edition of Trail Running Magazine when she was snow kayaking last year. Claire liked the video and included a still from it on a feature running with dogs.

For more info on running with dogs have a look at Cani-Cross events. 

I then bumped into Zac on my way into Keswick and he scared me. 

Cold Wet Windy Dovedale Day

Here's a few pictures from a cold wet windy day out with Keela the dog around Dovedale in the Lake District. The storms came through as we got to the top of Dove Crag and the visibility decreased and winds increased. Sloppy wet snow on the ground and hail storms didn't help me or Keela. I put some glasses on to protect my eyes and they were useful above the freezing level at 750mtrs; they steamed up a bit below that. I was using a fantastic pair of Montane Ice Grip Gloves These are waterproof and warm and you can get them on and off with wet hands. they also have a great level of dexterity  I could press my camera buttons with them on. Not sure about opening a Starbust sweet though!

Tour De Helvellyn

 Joe from Nav4

Kim Collinson and some sun near Checkpoint 3

This years Tour De Helvellyn took place over the weekend. Well done all involved Kim Collinson managed to get round in just over 6 Hrs. He must of heard the soup had been turned on. and didn't want to miss out on it. Well done to all involved and the support team. Like a swan on the water!! Some great conditions saw Sticks Pass giving the whole crew a very cold blasting and even a few glimpses of sunshine. More pics can be found here https://picasaweb.google.com/117028861008703290070/TDHNav4?authkey=Gv1sRgCK78i47dwYrOpgE


If you want to have a fantastic adventure get in touch with Nav4 or myself  and we can tailor a course for you.

2012 Coming Soon!!

Its Olympic year and its in the UK in 2012. Its a time for New Year Resolutions try a revolution instead and feel the benefits. So from this doing this  

to this in no time at all.  In fact it could take you only half an hour a day. 

Watch this for 10mins to start you off whilst you are still sitting down. Don those Xmas present thick socks and jumper and see for yourself some wonderful sights

If this has inspired you to get out give me a email or ring and we can arrange an invigorating day out that will change your mind and your adventures to follow.
 

Snowshoe Trips this Winter

Here is some great and useful information about doing something with a difference.
Snowshoeing has really taken off due to a few factors;  the economic situation at the moment means that an alternative to expensive ski holidays are being looked at. It helps with overall fitness, gets you out to areas you generally cant with skis and snowboards. Its has a very family and friendly atmosphere and if you are concerned with the environmental issues of winter sports, Snowshoeing is a must. If you do want any more information or book onto a course please let me know. We use a fantastic place in the Julian Alps of Slovenia, or in the Alps and if the weather is with us in Scotland.

Mini Adventure in the Lakes

Joe from Nav4 and I had a quick chat in the morning and by 12.30 we were off to walk over the Coniston Fells to the Duddon Valley.

We then planned to stay over and have a pint in The Newfield Inn in Seathwaite and then walk back over old Lancashires Highest peak. Coniston Old Man. WE had all sorts of weather conditions and took Keela my Dog and Molly a friends dog. She is under training with SARDA.

We went from 3 Shires Stone and traversed over Dow Crag and down Walna Scar to reach Duddon in 3 Hrs.

Day 2 we went past Seathwaite Reservior and then over the Old Man Swirl Howe and back to 3 Shires in 3 hrs. Great full day out and good company and beer. Cheers!!

To view the pictures click here