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News for July 2010

2011 Off Piste Skiing

Dates and prices are now confirmed and published for our 2011 Off Piste Skiing programme. We're back in the 3 Valleys again for our Off Piste Introduction course, and in both Tignes and Chamonix for our Off Piste Improvers. Our Off Piste Perfection will be in Grimentz, Switzerland next year. Finally, we are offering two FReeride courses, from our base in Tignes and also from Chamonix.

We're also taking bookings for our Introductory Ski Mountaineering courses and Haute Route ski tours. Dates and prices for the rest of our Spring 2011 Ski Mountaineering Programme will be published later in the summer. [read more]

Climb Mt Kenya this Christmas

We are putting together a small expedition to Mt Kenya this coming Christmas and New Year. We aim to climb via the McKinders Route on Nelion, crossing the "gates of mist" to the true summit of Mt Kenya - Batian (5,199m). The climb will have one leader, for every two climbers. The route on Nelion has HS/VS standard climbing and is about 15 pitches with some moving together, so you need Alpine climbing experience at AD on rock. The cost is £3,225 per person from Nairobi for this 12-day trip (we can arrange flights to Nairobi at approximately £1,000). If you are interested in the expedition, please contact Matt Parkes at Jagged Globe.

Makalu details live

We have published our itinerary for next spring's Makalu expedition. The itinerary describes the trek to base camp, as well as the climb itself. There is also a selection of photos. The expedition will be led by Robert Mads Anderson and we are now accepting bookings, from suitably experienced climbers. Please read the experienced requirements carefully and send us your mountaineering CV prior to booking. If you would like to discuss the expedition in more detail, please contact Simon Lowe or Matt Parkes at Jagged Globe. [read more about Makalu]

Update from Muztag Ata team

Chris Groves reports from Kashgar:

Kashgar 27 July

So far so good....

Everyone waiting at LHR well ahead of meeting time. Check-in almost too easy - NO excess baggage charges. Arrived Bishkek & straight on bus. 13 hrs later (almost all unsurfaced road or covered in potholes) to overnight @ Tash Rabat (c3000m). Bonus of Russian Sauna with comfortable night in Yurt. After visiting ancient trading post we we back on the bus up to chinese boarder at Torugart Pass 3750m, with only a few delays on another bus heading down into Xinjiang province. All but last hr on unsurfaced road (see photo left) again arriving Kashgar after 11 hrs of travel.

Today everyone has been sightseeing, followed by excellent Uyghur lunch then rest / shop / packing. Tommorrow we leave for lake Karakol c3600m where we'll spend the night in another yurt camp as well as getting to see are objective for the first time."

[read more about Muztag Ata]

Aconcagua 2010/11 season

Less than 6 months from now, our first team of the 2010/11 Aconcagua season will be arriving in Argentina and sampling the fine wine and food in Mendoza, before heading to South America's highest peak. Aconcagua is often referred to as the 'highest trekking peak' in the world. The term 'trekking' in this context, meaning not requiring the use of ropes. It's a cold, windy mountain and crampons are often worn on the upper reaches of the mountain, depending on the amount of snow that's fallen. In fact, last season, we had a team who needed to put on crampons as low as camp 2. The climb is undoubtedly more than a trek - it's a huge step up from an ascent of Kilimanjaro, for example. We organise very well resourced expeditions, with a Jagged Globe leader, supported by local Argentinian Guides and porters. If you would like to join us this coming season, please get in touch with Simon Lowe at the Jagged Globe office on 0845 345 8848. [read more about Aconcagua]

Matt Parkes and Alexandre Buisse win short film prize

Jagged Globe's Matt Parkes and photographer, Alexandre Buisse, won the prize for 'best short film' at the Adventure Film Academy Classic 2010 course, organised by Kendal Mountain Festival, this past weekend.

Climbing or walking at night is a very different experience than with daylight. In this short film, Matt Parkes climbs Scafell Pike, the highest mountain of England. This was entirely shot and edited over 48h during the film marathon of the Adventure Film Academy Classic 2010.

Latest Alpine availability

This is the latest on places remaining on our Summer 2010 Alpine Courses:

Mont Blanc Summit - 4 September (2 places)
Alpine Introduction - 28 August (5 places)
Alpine Introduction - 4 September (1 place)
Alpine Introduction - 11 September (10 places)
Alpine Introduction Mont Blanc Extension - 31 July (1 place)
Alpine Introduction Mont Blanc Extension - 28 August (2 places)
Alpine Introduction Mont Blanc Extension - 4 September (2 places)
Haute Route - 7 August (2 places)
Haute Route Mont Blanc Extension - 17 August (1 place)
Alpine Techniques - 7 August (1 place)
Oberland 4,000ers - 14 August (1 place)
Oberland Traverse - 7 August (1 place)
Saas 4,000ers - 11 September (3 places)
Zermatt 4,000ers - 7 August (3 places)
Zermatt 4,000ers - 14 August (4 places)
Zermatt 4,000ers - 4 September (2 places)

If you would like to know which Guides are working on which courses, please call Tom Briggs on 0845 345 8848. [read more]

Everest photo

We love this photo, taken by Robert Anderson on Everest's Lhotse Face this past spring. Wow! [read more about Everest South Col]

Rich Parks - more preparation for the 737 Challenge

As former Welsh Rugby international Richard Parks continues his preparation to become the first ever man to stand on 3 poles in one calendar year, a special night at the Welsh Assembly was held to introduce the 737 challenge to dignitaries, local businesses, potential sponsors and members of the media.

In December 2010 Richard will start the unique, multi discipline 737 Challenge. A gripping 7 month expedition to climb the 7 Summits, which are the highest mountain on each of the world's continents, and venture the last 2 degrees to The South Pole and the last degree to The Geographic North Pole. All against a 7 month clock! If successful, Richard will enter the record books as the only person to have stood on all three poles (The North Pole, South Pole and the summit of Everest) in the same year.

Richard, a former flanker for Gwent Dragons and Pontypridd was forced to retire from rugby last year due to injury and is now in his 11th month of training towards his challenge. The night in Cardiff Bay was a special chance to say thanks and raise awareness of the expedition that lies ahead.

Richard stated; “I am thrilled that the Welsh Assembly invited me to hold an event here and I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to share the 737 Challenge with our guests. The aim of the evening was to bring together many people and businesses throughout the region to raise awareness about the challenge and I would like to thank everyone who came along”.

Jagged Globe's Simon Lowe was at the launch event and is interviewed in this short clip on the Welsh Rugby Union website.

Mera Peak video

Peter White has put this video together from his recent Mera Peak expedition. He wrote:

Hello to all at Jagged Globe. First on behalf of all the group (Mera Peak April/May 2010) we would like to say a big thanks to all of you for making our trip happen at all, due to the problems with the Icelandic volcano and the flight chaos that followed. It was a fantastic trip with superb and dedicated Nepalese sherpas and staff which made it all happen. Great success on summit day with 8 out 10 climbers plus Lee making it to the top. I have just posted a short video on u-tube of our exploits (8 mins long) with some shaky video and photos and with a thank-you to all who helped make it happen, including yourselves. Thanks again for a truly professional service, look forward to another trip soon. Best regards, Peter White.

[read more about Mera Peak]

Simon Lowe leading 20 Sept Kili - Western Breach

Jagged Globe Director, Simon Lowe, is leading the 20 September Kilimanjaro - Western Breach expedition. Simon was last on the Western Breach in February 2008. He wrote an account of what climbing the Western Breach was like, following that trip. You can read that here. There are still places on this expedition, if you would like to join and have previous Grade 2 or 3 scrambling experience in the British Hills (such as Striding Edge, Aonach Eagach or Grib Goch). This is the most exciting route up Africa's highest mountain, following an acclimatisation ascent of Mt Meru. [read more about Kilimanjaro - Western Breach]

Silk Route to K2 - guaranteed

This coming September (27 Aug - 26 Sep '10), we are organising a trek that travels from Bishkek over the Torugart Pass into China and the fabled city of Kashgar. From here we will tavel along the Silk Route before we leave the Xinjiang/Tibet highway and follow a dirt road into the mountains. Our objective is to reach the North side of K2, the world's second highest mountain. It is rare for anyone to visit this side of the mighty Karakoram, so this is real adventure travel, suitable for trekkers and mountaineers with previous high altitude trekking experience. If you would like to join our team, please contact us now. [read more about Silk Route to K2]

Photos from a rock weekend

Instructor, Sam Leary (MIC), has sent in a couple of nice photos from a private guiding weekend in Wales last weekend.

I had a fab couple of days working with Noelle and Julian last week. One day at Tremadog and the next at Gogarth. Just thought I would send you some pics, maybe not the best in the word but it was a wee bit soggy!

The weather for rock climbing this early summer has been the best in years. Even with the recent rain, the crags are dry and it's a great time to fine tune your rock climbing skills. [read more about UK Private Guiding (Summer & Rock)]

Greenland Explorer clip

Here's a very short clip taken on our Greenland Explorer expedition this past March, showing the dog sleds that we use to access the mountains. Mush!

[read more about Greenland Explorer]

Success on Alpamayo

One of our Ecuadorian Guides, Alejo, is leading this year's Alpamayo and Huascaran expeditions. He reports from Huaraz, mid-way through the expedition.

"The Eexpedition has been going well. Our Alpamayo climb was succesfull, with Pete and David summiting the mountain on 26 June and Steven on 27 June. Conditions were a bit icy after the second pitch up to the summit. They climbed with local guides, Saul and John, whilst I returned back to camp on 27 June with Marcus, since he was not feeling very good. Sam descended from the second pitch because he was having cold hands.

We are leaving tomorrow to Huascaran early on the morning and are really looking forward for it.

Muchos Saludos,

Alejo" [read more about Alpamayo]

More news from the Alps

Caroline Ogden has blogged from our second Alpine Introduction course, and Tomaz Jakofcic reports from our first successful ascent of Monta Rosa - Switzerland's highest mountain. Check out the Alpine Blog... [read more]

Ama Dablam video

Here's an interesting video by Philippe Gatta showing the SW Ridge of Ama Dablam. For anyone considering this climb, it's worth a watch!

Alps - July availability

Here's what's left on our Alpine Courses during July. There is more availability in August.

Alpine Introduction - 10 July (1 place)
Alpine Introduction - 24 July (2 places)
Alpine Introduction - 31 July (2 places)
Alpine Introduction Mont Blanc Extension - 31 July (1 place)
Haute Route - 24 July (2 places)
Oberland 4,000ers - 3 July (1 place)
Oberland Traverse - 17 July (3 places)
Saas 4,000ers - 17 July (2 places)
Zermatt 4,000ers - 10 July (1 place)
Zermatt 4,000ers - 17 July (1 place)

If you would like to know which Guides are working on which courses, please call Tom Briggs on 0845 345 8848. [read more]

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