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Feature: Winter Mountaineering on Ben Nevis
British Mountain Guide James Thacker gives an overview of the routes that aspiring winter climbers could find themselves on… Ben Nevis needs little in the way of introduction, being the highest mountain in the UK at 1344m above sea level. The winter climbing jewel in Scotland’s crown is an obvious target for winter warriors from around the world; with …
Island Peak
Offering trekkers the chance to climb a 6000m peak with just some basic mountaineering skills, Island Peak is an ideal first Himalayan summit says Jon Gupta Island Peak – or Imja Tse as it is know locally – is a tantalising prospect. At 6,189m it tips over the magical 20,000ft threshold and is a justifiably popular mountain. Soaring high into …
Tour du Mont Blanc
Kev Reynolds on one of the all-time classic alpine treks… Ten passes, seven valleys and three countries makes a crude summary of one of the world’s most famous mountain treks. The popularity of this wonderful multi-day tour endures not because of numbers, but through the ever-evolving grandeur of the scenes along the trail. With Chamonix below its north flank and …
Routes: North Face of the Eiger
Stephen Venables on one of the most iconic routes in mountaineering Dick Renshaw, who made the first British winter ascent with Joe Tasker, once said to me, “it’s simply the best route in the Alps”. The North Face of the Eiger weaves a cunning and beautifully logical line up the most awesome mountain wall in Europe and because of its …
Routes: Aconcagua
Jim Ryan outlines the main trekking routes on Aconcagua As with any mountain, there are numerous routes up Aconcagua. The majority are categorised as extremely difficult, but there are two routes that require minimal technical expertise (i.e. they can be trekked) – the Normal Route and the Vacas Valley. The Normal Route is shorter by at least two days than …
Kilimanjaro Shira and Lemosho
Henry Stedman discusses the two routes that cross the centre of the Shira Plateau The Shira Plateau and Lemosho routes (6-8 days each) run from west to east across the centre of the Shira Plateau towards the Kibo summit. The Shira Plateau route is the original plateau trail though it is seldom used these days; much of it is now …
Kilimanjaro Marangu Route
The Marangu is the traditional route up Kili, and has its own advantages and disadvantages… The Marangu Route is the oldest trail and has always been a very popular route. It is also the only ascent trail where camping is not necessary – indeed not allowed – with trekkers sleeping in dormitory huts along the way (which makes it the …