British climber (and Trek & Mountain contributor) Tony Penning has soloed a previously unclimbed rock tower on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc Massif. Situated just below the southeast face of the Grandes Jorasses, the tower attracted Penning’s interest while camping in the Val Veni this August. Penning made two carries to the bivouac below Punta Grassi, before repeating …
Entry opens for Fjӓllrӓven Polar 2014
Entry is now open for next year’s Fjӓllrӓven Polar, a 300km Arctic event which will see participants travel by dog-sled from Signaldalen, Norway to Jukkasjärv in Swedish Lapland. Named after Swedish outdoor brand Fjӓllrӓven, the free, three-day-long winter adventure will lead competitors across the Arctic tundra before camping in the wilderness alongside resident survival expert Johan Skulman. For the chance to win …
Prince Harry prepares for Antarctic trek
Following a royal send off from Trafalgar Square last week, Prince Harry and a group of wounded servicemen and women are now on their way to Antarctica, where they will undertake a charity trek to the South Pole while raising funds for wounded troops. On reaching the ice sheet, the Walking with the Wounded team (WWTW), of which Prince Harry …
Medics take research to new heights
A group of student medics have taken medical research to new heights, with a Himalayan trek to study the effects of altitude sickness. Members of the Wilderness Medicine Society at King’s College London journeyed to the highest mountain region in the world to carry out research, by recording the effects and impacts of altitude on their own bodies while trekking …
Willis Resilience Expedition: Antarctica – From Coast to Pole.
Teenage polar explorer and climate change campaigner Parker Liautaud will begin his biggest adventure yet next month, when he sets off on a 397 mile trek from the coast of Antarctica to the geographical South Pole. The 19-year-old will team up with global risk adviser Willis to collect snow samples which will contribute to studies on climate change, before taking …
Climbers establish new route in Dolomites
South Tyrolean climbers Josef Hilpold and Ulrich Viertler have established a new route on Sass de la Crusc in the Italian Dolomites. The men made the first ascent of Wustenblume (400m, VIII+) earlier this summer, using a mix of pegs, fixed ropes and trad gear, climbing the upper half first before moving on to the lower section of the route. …
Nepalese winter provides best photo opportunities
Adventure travel specialists World Expeditions are encouraging walkers and photographers alike to visit Nepal during the quiet winter months for the best photo opportunities. Winter trips throughout January and February are said to offer the best conditions for shots of the mighty Himalaya, due to the contrast of clear blue skies and snow-capped mountains, in addition to being much quieter …
British expedition conquers Greenland big walls
A British expedition have climbed a series of new routes on big walls close to the region of Uummannaq in north west Greenland. Tom Codrington, Jacob Cook, Ian Faulkner and Peter hill of the Oxford University Mountaineering Club, established the lines during an expedition to explore the west coast of the island this summer. In just over a month the …
New ice route established in Rocky Mountains
Climbers Kevin Cooper and Topher Donahue have established a new ice route on the Diamond in Colorado, with the ascent of a thin ice spear reaching heights of almost 14,000ft. The high altitude, vertical and technically challenging lead climbing route is situated in Rocky Mountain National Park on the east face of Longs Peak, and has been named Window Pain …
Climber discovers high altitude Inca remains
British climber John Biggar made a historic discovery during his ascent of a peak in the southern Cordillera Occidental last month, when he came upon a site filled with Inca remains. Biggar discovered the high-altitude ruins on the summit of Alto Toroni, a borderline 6000m peak which lies on the border between Chile and Bolivia and has no formal recorded …