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Sheffield Film festival this weekend

Sheffield Adventure Film Festival is coming to the Showroom Cinema this weekend. In addition to an amazing selection of films, there's the Arc'teryx Adventure Shot "a “shoot out” by five adventure sports photographers; three professionals and two winners from ShAFF Adventure Shot Open, online on UKClimbing.." promising to be a lot of fun on the Saturday 13 March. And Rock climbing legend Ron "c'mon Arms do Your Stuff" Fawcett will be reading from his autobiography Rock Athlete, on Friday 12 March.

Visit the ShAFF website for more information and booking.

Alpine summer private guiding - book now!

If you would like to arrange private guiding for the forthcoming Alpine summer season, please get in touch with us now. Whether you would like 1:1 guiding, or have your own group with a particular programme in mind, we can accommodate your needs. It's also possible for us to arrange specific Guides, so long as you request these before the end of March. Please contact Tom Briggs tom@jagged-globe.co.uk for more information and a quote. [read more about Alpine Summer Private Guiding]

Raising money for the Army Benevolent Fund

This from erstwhile Jagged Globe Leader (now Brigadier) Tim Watts...

“Sorry for the impersonal, all points e-mail, but I wondered if you’d be interested in sponsoring me... I’m going to cycle from John o’ Groats to Lands End at the start of May with a couple of guys from Blandford to raise money for the Army Benevolent Fund. We are going to add a bit extra to take us via Blandford for fun, so it will be 1200 miles or so in the wrong direction. Hope to crack it in about 11 days...

As you’d expect, the Fund has taken on a lot in recent years, and needs to double its income to £14m per annum to meet demand. Help for Heroes is successful and great at delivering, specific projects, whilst the ABF looks after individual soldiers and their families, serving and retired, all the time.

If you’d like to help, you can do so at: Justgiving

Please give generously and give me encouragement (and some stick if you like, but it’s cold out training in the mornings just now . .aaaaah)."

Simon Lowe has promised to feed Tim and his team when they arrive in Sheffield, then join them for the cycle 74 mile south to Nuneaton.

Alpine Introduction + Mont Blanc 26 June - 1 place

There is now just one place on the Alpine Introduction 26 June combined with the Mont Blanc Extension 3 July. Places are now starting to fill up across a number of our Alpine Summer Courses, though there is availability right across 15 weeks of courses, starting 5 June with our Alpine North Faces. [read more about Alpine Introduction]

Richard Parks' talks to Sir Ranulph Fiennes about the 737 Challenge

In 2011, ex Welsh Rugby International, Richard Parks will attempt to climb the 7 Summits, and ski the last degrees to the North and South Poles. All within a 7 month period. He is raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Richard will be joined by Sir Ranulph Fiennes on Mt Vinson - the highest peak in Antarctica. In this video Richard asks Sir Ranulph for some advice about the Polar legs of the challenge.

Accident in Scotland

It is with great sadness that we confirm that a Jagged Globe Instructor and one course member were killed whilst descending from Buchaille Etive Mor on Wednesday 24th February 2010.

Accompanied by one other course member, they had made a successful ascent of Curved Ridge. An instructor and climber from another organisation were climbing the route at the same time. Both teams walked off together from the summit, following the usual descent route to the west. At the head of Coire na Tulaich, the instructors assessed and discussed the conditions below and opted to descend the north-north-east ridge. The NNE Ridge is the established alternative descent route when it is suspected that snow in the coire may be unstable. It is a walking descent, not requiring the use of ropes.

At a location beyond Point 902 metres, a small area of snow gave way and knocked the 2 members of the Jagged Globe party off their feet. No one else was affected. Sadly, they were unable to stop their slide.

The remaining instructor and climbers joined forces and walked down the mountain hoping to find the climbers relatively unscathed. Sadly that was not to be and we are grateful to them for alerting mountain rescue.

Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with the families at this immensely sad time. It has been upsetting and harrowing for all, but our first and last thoughts are with the families of the men who died.

To respect the wishes of the families and next-of-kin (some of whom were overseas at the time of the accident and needed to be located), we have not been able to confirm the details of this accident until now.

We would like to thank all members of the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team who attended the scene, our Instructors and the climbers who all remained in Scotland and offered invaluable support.

Kilimanjaro - new photos and words

Dave Pickford is a freelance writer, photographer and expedition leader. He has just returned from leading a group of 14 trekkers to the summit of Africa's highest mountain. Dave has written a few words about Kilimanjaro, and we've posted up some of his excellent photos. See the Articles secion of the website... [read more] or [read more about Kilimanjaro - Lemosho Glades]

Point 5 Gully - your first route on Ben Nevis

Perhaps the most famous snow and ice climb in the British Isles, 'Point 5 Gully' on Ben Nevis is on the wish list of every Grade V Scottish Winter Climber. But most people have at least walked to the summit of Scotland's highest mountain, before having the chance to climb this classic line. Not Rob Stockfis. Together with Michael Freeman, and guided by Mark Walker, Rob stood on the summit of the Ben last week for the very first time, by it's most coveted route:

"We were helped by fantastic conditions. We didn't quite get sunburnt but ideal stable conditions for winter climbing and mountaineering, cold, sunny and little wind chill factors."

The photo above shows climbers on Tower Ridge - arguably the second most coveted route on the Ben, on the same day. This had a number of ascents last week by Jagged Globe Course Participants, with none other than Guide, Andy Owen, confessing to feeling "emotional" at the top. When winter conditions in the UK are this good, there is nowhere on earth to beat it! [read more about Snow & Ice Climbing]

Royal Marines Tusen Takk Charity Challenge

Jim Hutton, Gary Green John Clare, Willie Hannah, Clive Wilson, Bernie Shrosbree and 6 Officer's/Mnes from BRF and 45 Cdo are doing a 1,000km ski across Norway in 20 days (circa 50km a day) to raise money for the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund, Macmillan and CLIC Sargent. Please help to raise money for these worthwhile charities by making a donation at www.bmycharity.com/rm1000kmski

Last 3 places on Everest BC trek this spring

Join us this spring on the classic trek to Everest Base Camp on the south side of Mt Everest, in Nepal. Our 20 day (ex UK) trek follows the same acclimatisation schedule that the Caudwell Xtreme Everest treks in 2007 and 2009 used. On these trips, 97% of trekkers made it all the way to base camp. The trek dates are 25 April to 14 May 2010. [read more about Everest Base Camp Trek]

Ecuador Volcanoes - now 17 days & £300 less

Following Simon Lowe's recent visit to Ecuador, we have tightened up our Ecuador Volcanoes itinerary. By removing one travel day in the middle and two days at the end, the trip still completes the same mountaineering objectives (with the same acclimatisation schedule), but in less time. It also means we have been able to reduce the price by £300 to £2,195 from the UK. Note that the Christmas and New Year expedition remains at 20 days as we need more time to ensure we don't spend Christmas day itself and New year's Eve in mountain huts. [read more about Ecuador Volcanoes]

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