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Testing the snow pack

18th October 2020 | 0 comments

There are a number of tests that can be done to assess the state of the snow. None of these should be taken in isolation, but used to help build up a picture of what the snow conditions in that immediate area are likely to be…

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Clove hitch

28th March 2020 | 0 comments

This is an extremely useful knot, and it is used throughout all areas of mountaineering. Its simplicity of tying, allied with its ease of adjustment, make it ideal to secure yourself to an anchor system. It can also be tied with one hand, a useful property when needing to arrange an anchor whilst holding on to the rock or an ice axe for security…

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Nutrition tips for big mountain days

2nd March 2018 | 0 comments

This article refers to those long back to back mountain days that are not an expedition but perhaps a weekend trip or consecutive days out on the mountain but back to accommodation daily, where it is possible to take food supplies and/or purchase from a local shop.

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Emergency shelters

21st January 2018 | 0 comments

An emergency shelter is exactly that, designed to be used only when dire straits dictate that safety from the elements has to be sought, perhaps when your partner is injured or extremes of weather make movement impossible.

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Gully climbing

12th December 2017 | 0 comments

The ascent of a gully will often be the first introduction to snow climbing for many mountaineers. By their very nature, gullies tend to take lines provided by natural breaks and seams in the cliffs, and these can often be at a reasonably easy angle. As such, many gullies are in the lower grades of climbing difficulty, and provide an excellent way for novices to start to learn about snow-craft, winter ropework and climbing skills…

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Safety on a via ferrata circuit

18th October 2017 | 0 comments

Although it may feel that you are in a clinical environment, you need to keep your wits about you when going round the circuit, and knowing how to deal effectively with all possible hazards is essential…

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How to take better outdoor photos, part 1

18th October 2017 | 0 comments

The world of photography has changed – digital cameras have removed the mystique from the ‘good old days’ of film photography where photographers had to wait often a week after they returned home to see the results. Now, everybody with a phone or pocket camera can take a photograph, instantly examine it, and take the shot again if it isn’t correct…