Issue 2 Expeditions & Courses 2012 CLIMB/ TREK/SKI · on Kilimanjaro. Look out for porters wearing our new gear on Africa’s highest mountain from January. TKrE / with us HMlayaI

www.jagged-globe.co.ukWinter Mountaineering course, Scotland, 2011. Alex Ekins.

Issue 2

Expeditions & Courses2012

This Issue

Mont Blanc – 3 routes to the summit

Expedition report – Makalu 8,463m

Prize draw – win Scarpa boots!

Tech & Spec – Ski selection

CLIMB/ TREK/SKI

In BrIEf / Around the globe in 2012

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follow us on Twitterwww.twitter.com/jaggedglobe

Become a fan on facebookwww.facebook.com/jaggedglobe

Taking bookings now for 2012www.jagged-globe.co.uk

CLIMB / with us

ScotlandWhere: GlencoeWhen: January to March

92% of Scottish Winter courses participants gave our Instructors top marks!

Of the 63 feedback forms we received from 2011 Scottish Winter Courses participants, when asked “Please grade the quality of the instruction overall”, 58 people graded the instruction ‘5’ (Excellent), 4 people graded it ‘4’ (Good) and 1 person graded it ‘3’ (Average). Join our Instructor team in Scotland this winter!

“The course personnel were among the most inspiring group of individuals I’ve ever met. Exceptionally down to earth and modest about their considerable achievements. We would have followed them all up Everest if they had asked, they instilled that much confidence. The more technical aspects of the course were conveyed and managed in an engaging and easy to follow manner, never once did I feel intimidated by learning new skills. Assertive when they needed to be, we also had a good laugh.”

SC, Introductory Winter Mountaineering 2011

For dates and prices see page 16.

SKI / with us

EuropEWhere: austria and Greece When: February

We are offering an additional Ski Silvretta departure on Sunday 26 February to Sunday 4 March 2012.

This Introductory level tour is superb value at £865 joining in Galtür, Austria. Fly to Innsbruck from where the excellent public transport system will get you to Galtür. We stay in top quality mountain huts and will target anything up to six 3,000m peaks. The new Macedonia Ski Discovery tour (Sat 11 – Sun 19 Feb ‘12, £1,575 from Skopje) is suitable for adventurous ski mountaineers. The team will convene in Athens. Please visit www.jagged-globe.co.uk for more details and booking.

FlEEcES and WatErprooF JackEtS to aFrIcaOur latest order of 200 fleeces and 200 waterproof jackets has just arrived. These will be sent out to Moshi, to be distributed amongst porters working on Kilimanjaro. Look out for porters wearing our new gear on Africa’s highest mountain from January.

TrEK / with us

HIMalayaSWhere: nepal When: May and october/november

Everest 3 peaks 3 passes.

This is the best Everest trek out there. It includes crossings of the Renjo La, Cho La and Kongma La, with ascents of Gokyo Ri, Kala Pattar and Chukkung Ri. This packed itinerary supersedes and is a day longer than our High Passes to Everest trek. At the time of print there are just a few places remaining on our May departure.

dates: Thu 3 May – Sun 27 May ’12, Thu 11 Oct – Sun 4 Nov ‘12

price: £2,495 from London

Welcome to our winter newsletter. We’ve included a selection of reports, technical advice and updates about Jagged Globe Climb, Trek and Ski expeditions and courses. 2011 saw us involved in some special projects, like the 737 Challenge and an expedition to Makalu, the world’s 5th highest mountain. In 2012 we will continue to broaden our range of skiing and trekking trips, as well as remaining focussed on our core mountaineering. We are also organising more tailor-made trips, for those who prefer to travel with friends in smaller groups and want to go ‘self-led’.

Please call 0845 345 8848 if you would like to discuss any of our Climb, Trek or Ski adventures, or visit jagged-globe.co.uk for more info and booking.

PrIZE DrAW /

WIn a paIr oF Scarpa bootS!Book a Jagged Globe, CLIMB, TREK or SKI trip before 29 February 2012 and we will automatically enter you into a prize draw to win one of the following:

– Book CLIMB (Win Scarpa Phantom 6000)

– Book TREK (Win Scarpa SL)– Book SKI (Win Scarpa

Maestrale/Gea)There are three pairs of boots up for grabs, with a winner drawn from each category. So if you book a SKI course and a CLIMB course, you will be entered into two prize draws.

The winner will be announced in the April issue of our E-mail Newsletter, ‘Jagged Globe News’. You can register for Jagged Globe News at

jagged-globe.co.uk/news/ email.html

PEOPLE / Pasang Sherpa

27-year old Pasang is one of only a few IFMGA-qualified Sherpas, who also instructs for the Nepal Mountain Guiding Federation (NMGF). He has worked for Jagged Globe on 8,000m peaks since 2003 and has made eleven 8,000m ascents with us, including eight Everest summits. More recently, he has led Jagged Globe teams on trekking peaks in the Khumbu.

“Pasang is a born trip leader” (RH, Everest Base Camp and Island Peak, October 2011).

PEOPLE / Iain Peter

Iain peter just below the summit of Everest in spring 2007Iain has been an IFMGA Guide for 30 years and was the CEO at Plas Y Brenin for 10 years. He’s also a co-author of the classic “The Handbook of Climbing”. In 2012 Iain is leading our alpamayo (9 June – 1 July, £3,595 from London), Huascaran (16 Jun – 11 Jul, £3,525 from London) and ama dablam (3 Nov – 2 Dec, £4,495 from London) expeditions.

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01 Mont Blanc. Jonathan Griffith.

02 Nubra. Steve Findlay.

03 Manaslu Circuit. Klaudia Klausz.

04 Evening turns on Mt Triad, West Coast Glaciers, NZ. Jim Blyth.

LOCATIOnS / Around the globe in 2012

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We’re looking forward to three months of winter walking, mountaineering and climbing as our Scottish Winter Courses commence on 15 January. We’re passionate about the Scottish mountains and what they can offer us.

Scotland is the perfect winter playground for learning new skills, preparing for an expedition or simply enjoying the action! We go out in all weathers, which means you get to experience everything from raging blizzards to blue sky days. All great preparation for a Himalayan adventure or for future winter adventures, under your own leadership.

our baseWe’re incredibly lucky to be based at the Ballachulish Hotel. It’s in a great location, with quick access to Glencoe, Ben Nevis, Aonach Mor and the Mamores. There’s a fantastic atmosphere in the hotel, with teams arriving back off the hill each evening for tea and biscuits to regale each other with their stories. In February 2012 we will have 30+ people in the hotel during some of the busier weeks, so expect to meet some interesting people and dip into a diverse range of experiences.

Which course?It’s simple really. If you’re a keen summer hill walker and want to venture into the mountains in winter, then our Introductory Winter Mountaineering course is the best place to start. For aspiring climbers who want to get onto graded routes which need to be pitched, the intermediate level Winter Mountaineering course is the way to go. Snow and Ice Climbing is just that. Two tools, on routes graded Scottish III – V. We also offer an Introductory Long Weekend for hill walkers.

private GuidingIncreasingly, we are asked if we can arrange private guiding. This is normally at a 1:2 or 1:1 ratio, depending on what you want to achieve. It might be a day focussing on advanced rope techniques, or crevasse rescue, following on from your course, or you could have a specific route in mind. Beware though, as you need to be open-minded about what you might climb, as ultimately, the conditions will dictate which routes are ‘in’. Contact us now to arrange private guiding, as at the time of publication, availability is limited. We will quote a price based on the Instructor, all their fees and full-board accommodation at the Ballachulish Hotel.

a word from our course directorEd Chard is in charge of our staff in Scotland and the overall delivery of our programme:

“All the staff are getting ready for a new season in Scotland. Most have had a busy summer season rock climbing and mountaineering but are sharpening axes in readiness for some winter action as we speak. Last year we had a total mix of weather, some stunning days and some pretty ugly ones as well. We met some top folk who were really up for the challenge that Scottish winter mountaineering brings. Our aim is to push people – gently, sometimes perhaps a little bit further than they might imagine. I think that our Instructors are amongst the best in the business. People always come away really feeling like they’ve progressed, pushed and most importantly, had a good time. We have a superb team ethos amongst our Instructors and I like to think that this shows in the way they interact with our course participants.”

last year’s feedbackWe had some superb feedback from winter 2011. In particular, our Instructors really shone:

“The quality of instruction made the course for me. All three Instructors were superb. They were also a model in how to work as a team under clear leadership. I was probably the one who struggled most with the course and I was given tremendous help in a very unpatronising way. When I was struggling with a descent I was helped by Alex and didn’t feel I was holding up the whole group, which would have increased pressure on me. The team got it just right in giving me enough challenge but not to the point where I felt unhappy. Their encouragement was superb. I learnt a tremendous amount and loved the way the instructors combined sharing technical skills with a sense of love and respect for the mountains. I also appreciated the time given by Sam, Alex and Andy Chapman to helping my husband and I make decisions about a planned October expedition.”

CH, Introductory Winter Mountaineering 2011

ScotlandCalling

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01 Ledge Route. Alex Ekins.

02 Moving on steeper ground, Ben Nevis. Alex Ekins.



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Success on Makalu

Summit height: ▲ 8,481 metres (27,825 ft) Whilst we send teams to Cho Oyu and Everest every year, Makalu is not commonly attempted by a ‘professionally organised’ team and still sees relatively few attempts.

We chose to climb in the spring season and sent a team of six, led by Robert Anderson. All bar one of the six of the climbers had been above 8,000m before and two had previously attempted Makalu. On 17 May, Robert, Adele Pennington and James Nevile sneaked up to the summit in a fleeting weather window, together with four of our Sherpas. An account of their ascent, written by Robert, can be read on page 6.

115% success rate — 23 out of 20 summit!

2011 was one of our best ever Everest years.

10 climbers, plus 8 Sherpas and 2 leaders made up the Jagged Globe Everest expedition, which began at the end of March. Less than two months later they had all stood on the summit, some of them twice! Team members Richard Parks and Steve Williams had arrived in base camp later than the rest of the team, as they were skiing the final degree to the Geographic North Pole, as part of the ‘737 Challenge’, until early April. This meant that the summit had to be attempted in two waves, both of which saw success for all involved and meant that three of our amazing Sherpas summited on both the 16 and 25 May.

Everest dates: Sat 24 Mar – Sun 3 Jun ’12, Sat 30 Mar – Sun 2 Jun ’13.

price: uS$54,000 from Kathmandu

It’s not Cho Oyu until the fat lady sings!

Summit height: ▲ 8,201 m (26,906 ft) Finally, in the post-monsoon season, we sent a team of eight climbers to Cho Oyu, led by Operations Manager, Matt Parkes.

The team experienced very unsettled weather and frequent snowfall throughout their time in base camp. After one particularly large dump of snow, it looked like they would be coming home empty handed and we half-expected to next hear from them after an early arrival back in Kathmandu. It was a similar story to Makalu, where instinct on the leader’s part, rather than a reliance on weather forecasting, put the team in a good position at just the right time. Almost to their surprise, four members, plus Matt and four Sherpas, climbed from Camp 2 to the summit on 1 October in absolutely perfect conditions.

cho oyo dates: 1 Sep – 14 Oct ‘12


Lhotse 2012 and Dhaulagiri 2013

Dhaulagiri – ‘The White Mountain’. We will attempt the North East Ridge, the line of the first ascent.

We are always looking for the ‘next thing’, so building on the success of our Makalu expedition, we are organising expeditions to Lhotse this coming spring, and in 2013, we will attempt Dhaulagiri via the North East Ridge. Adele Pennington is leading the Lhotse expedition and Robert Anderson will lead the Dhaulagiri team. If you are interested in joining either of these expeditions, please get in touch.

lhotse dates: 3 Apr – 1 Jun ’12


8,000ers3 out of 3 in 2011!

In 2011, we organised expeditions to three of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000m – Makalu (5th highest), Cho Oyu (6th highest) and Everest.

03 Thundu Sherpa and Cian O’Brolchain on the summit of Cho Oyu, 1 October 2011. Matt Parkes.

LOCATIOnS / Around the globe in 2011

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We rounded the Stupa at Base Camp, burning juniper clearing our lungs, prayer flags framing the peak, morning breezes and Sherpa chants in our ears, fresh coffee on our breath. Our muscles were as oxygenated and efficient as if we had been setting off for a marathon at sea level. Acclimatising and sleeping high had all been preparation for this. Serious, dangerous, but mentally just ‘prep’. Now there was nothing between us and the top, only fears, known and unknown, talked and un-talked about (always the scary ones). But we were going, high, or as high as we could. Bunter was in Base Camp, he was manning the camp, he was being encouraging and he was monitoring the weather. The rest of us were off.

Up to Camp II was hard, it was long, it was 900 vertical meters after all, and more importantly, you were then tired out and had to sleep higher than it is good to sleep. Then get up earlier than is fun. I think 4:30am. I don’t like to remember, it still hurts me. But this was Makalu; it was four days of going up every day, of no slips, no slides, no being lazy. I’d said at Base Camp “the mountain won’t adapt to us, we must adapt to it.” So we did, pain be gone. We arrived at Camp II with the sun dipping into Nepal. Mark was coughing, his ribs were in pain, he had climbed all day, but turned for the descent. Staying high and feeling bad is no place to be. Our Sirdar Passang turned and wandered down into the shadowed afternoon with him. High altitude is not where you hesitate. You go up, if you feel bad, you go down, immediately. It is not easy, it is not fun. But it is necessary.

Out of Camp II we had on down suits; Makalu is a cold mountain, very cold. If the down in our suits could have, it would have flown right out of them. We were heading up into the cliffs and I stopped to talk to Ron. The coughs and respiratory challenges we’d all faced had never left him. “I’m going down” said Ron. With Ron’s experience, he knew what to do, but it was still so hard, so very hard, to see someone so fit and strong have to turn around with only a short-term ailment.

We curved through the snow and climbed up into the orange granite cliffs. Lunch came and went. The time it would have taken me to go from Camp II to Camp III on Everest came and went. Makalu just doesn’t have well-placed camps. Base Camp to Camp II, long, hard, hits you the next day. Then Camp II to Camp III, steep snow, ice, rock cliffs, finally a snow slope, early lunch, then up the snow ridge, then into a bigger cliff band. Climbing up through 7,000 metres and into steep terraces. Right, hmm, Camp should be there, left, hmmm, should be there, right, almost there, with the cliff extending up into the sky and an hour later you get to the Makalu La and step into Tibet. At least it is another country, Tibet, without any passport control. Then, oh yes, not quite there, another 20 minutes over to Camp III, in a blizzard, a mist, a wind that kicks you along and into the flapping tents. Sleep, but too high, just exhaustion and some soup. The Sherpas are with us, we like that, we feel at home with them. “The higher I go the better I feel” I tell my team. And for some reason I do. Higher, better, faster, floating up with the clouds.

We are walking towards Camp IV the next day. “This is the most amazing thing I have seen” says James. He mirrors our feelings, escaping the lower mountain, climbing into the cloud and snow the previous day, waking to a dawn of orange, then blue, where the mountain and life below had faded. We were in Tibet; climbing through Shangri-La. Everest was over our shoulder, looking back it rose and hovered just behind us. Lhotse then curving around into Everest, all black rock and cloud and snow falling off the highest mountain in the world. When we were little we all wanted to grow up and be mountain climbers and climb the highest mountains in the world. It was a good place to be. Camp IV was a rocky promontory piled high with boulders, each rock beautiful, carved by wind; orange, pink, white, black. We pitched the tent together as it billowed and flapped and tried to run away from us, tying it to those oh so helpful big

rocks. Above, the route loomed, looked frightening, huge, intimidating. Snow, then seracs, crossing over into more snow rising steeply up. Then an indistinct couloir leading off left and up to a ridge that just went on and on steeply into the clouds. The summit, it had to be up there somewhere. Jim and James curled up in the tent next door, Adele and I snuggled into our own rapidly shrinking tent, as the sides picked up the blowing snow and caved in upon us.

A long afternoon, trying to eat, trying to sleep, trying to lie still, giving up on all that. Long underwear, socks, fleeces, down, masks, balaclavas. Then harnesses, hoods, crampons, oxygen masks. We were so layered up that moving seemed improbable. 9:30pm. Let’s go climbing.

The summit The moon was a day off full and cast shadows over the snow, dancing climbers climbing through moonbeams. We were so swaddled up that we needed the oxygen just to move. There were no ropes; just snow, a slope and air fogging our vision until we entered the seracs and a thin line showed us the way through. Crevasse hopping in the dark, an ice cliff or two to scale to keep us awake, then breaking out onto another interminable snow slope cut by crevasses and we roped up in groups of three. We’d chopped the rope up into bits, so it was short and surprisingly useful when James stuck a leg in a crevasse. The Sherpas laughed and we carried on. We’d grown fond of the rope, it was aquamarine, looping over the white snow it glowed in the dark when our headlamps touched it. Aquamarine is a friendly colour.

We turned left, an indistinct bit of steep snow led up into even steeper rocks. We paused to get a fixed rope in and the sunrise started, so indistinct at first to be a lie. We were well around on the North West side of the mountain so there would be light, but sun would be a long time coming. The cold seemed to

MAKALUExtract from Robert Anderson’s expedition report

Summit height: ▲ 8,481 metres (27,825 ft)

“Bunter and I had been on Everest the year before. There we were standing on the tallest peak in the world and a bit like Ed Hillary, who would visit Makalu twice, we looked out and saw Makalu and thought “that is really the most beautiful peak – we really should go climb that”.



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01 Dawa Sherpa on the summit ridge of Makalu. Robert Anderson.

02 Robert Anderson at the summit. Dawa Sherpa.

03 Makalu. Matt Parkes.

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be ignoring our down suits and came straight through onto our skin and from there straight through inside of us. The far horizon of Tibet went from black to a thin line of light, a shimmer. Then Everest began to catch the light, soaking in the sunrise, bit-by-bit, ever so slowly. Soon it seemed to steam slightly to life, the sun pushing it into the morning and it joined this higher world we were living in.

The rope led up into the French Couloir, which I’d always imagined as a distinct steep couloir. It was steep enough to be fun, but it soon turned into rocks as we wove through and then finally climbed out onto the ridge above. Old fixed ropes led in spider fashion over the cliffs, but were frayed to the point of shoestrings and discontinuous. We sheathed our jumars and simply climbed. Solid rock, snow, ice underneath, how nice to be really climbing as we passed through 8,000 metres.

High on the ridge the mood changed, the wind rose, snow, or was it just parts of clouds assaulted us, roaring in and out of Tibet.

Jim paused, “maybe I should go down?” Up high it is all about listening to yourself and interpreting it correctly. The top was perhaps just visible, but I thought it could be four hours. “Not for me” and Jim set off down with Lhakpa.

James, Adele and I climbed on. Somewhere around here Adele had turned around a year ago. Now she felt fine. When you have been up high a lot you have to know how people feel, from their movements, from where they put their feet and their hands, and how they balance. Adele was fine. James who hadn’t been anywhere near this high before was fine, moving confidently. Unlike Adele and I, he didn’t know how hard altitude really gets, so he just kept climbing, thinking at some point it might be fun.

We moved off the ridge and into a shallow couloir that led back right and up to a snowy ridge walking along the crest of the world. Clouds blew over us, the wind roared, but gently and we climbed out above the clouds and into the sun. There were no ropes here either, just crampons, ice axes and plenty of breathing. Intuition worked its magic to climb a bit higher. Ahead of us the summit pyramid reared. I’d seen pictures of it, but they didn’t show the 4,000 metre drop back down to the valley, just the steep and winding route up and around the pinnacle. We were part way up, but below was what created the effect, the earth falling away and disappearing into cloud and mist so far below, it was no longer a part of us.

We changed our oxygen to the last bottle. Keep moving, keep climbing – we kept going up until we could go no further. The route led across soft snow with ice underneath, then out to the cliff edge, crampon points hitting rock under snow and placed again ever so gently. Then we turned left and the pyramid was just a point on a ridge and the real summit was up, up and away, knife-edged across a slope of unstable snow, with our front points sticking in and our heels hanging out in the wind. There was that final little steep bit every peak deserves, that last bit of steep scrambling, then we stepped up on high, a perfect pointed crown with pure white granite rising up below us and pure white ice in a perfect cone forming the top. The wind roared in a constant blast and held us all up there.

Adele and James came up; the Sherpas gathered round, Dawa, Lhakpa, Nema and Furnuru. Prayer flags fluttered and smiles expanded beyond the sides of our oxygen masks. It was 11am, 14 hours after leaving Camp IV; we were on top of Makalu.

High on the ridge the mood changed, the wind rose, snow, or was it just parts of clouds assaulted us, roaring in and out of Tibet.

TrIP rEPOrTS / 2011

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nuBrA fIrST ASCEnTS – MOrE fIrST ASCEnTS PLAnnED fOr 2012!

We organised two expeditions to our ‘secret’ valley in the Nubra Region this past summer.

Steve Findlay led one of our teams in 2011 and was really impressed with the potential for new routes in this area. In fact, following on from the success of his group on a previously unclimbed 5,900m peak, which they named Singh Kangri, Steve intends to return next summer. He has already earmarked two more peaks to attempt. Having improved the acclimatisation profile and added two days to the itinerary to allow more climbing time, we are confident that more first ascents will follow in 2012. If you would like to join Steve and have previous altitude and climbing experience to Alpine PD.Scottish II, we recommend that you book now, as places are limited.

dates: Thu 16 Aug – Sun 9 Sep ‘12


ruPShu AnD LungSEr KAngrI — IMPrOvED ITInErAry

This was another new trip for us in summer 2011 on which we sent two teams.

Both groups really enjoyed the trek and the whole experience of visiting such a remote and undeveloped part of Ladakh. For next year we’ve tweaked the approach trek to give more flexibility. As river crossings are an integral part of trekking in this area and it’s best to get them out of the way before lunch, we want to allow more time to complete this section of the trip, depending on the river levels. On Lungser Kangri itself, the first team were unlucky to have a dump of snow, so they couldn’t attempt the summit. Our second team, a private group from Japan, were successful in topping out, reporting stunning views from 6,662m. This really is a superb but demanding trek, which is suitable for fit walkers, who have trekked at altitude before. You need to wear crampons on summit day, but similar to Mount Ararat in Turkey, this is classed as a non-technical trek.

dates: Sun 29 Jul – Sat 18 Aug ‘12


ThArPu ChuLI – ISLAnD PEAK, BuT WIThOuT ThE CrOWDS

That’s how expedition leader, Terry Moore described the headwall and ridge on Tharpu Chuli (also known as ‘Tent Peak’), a 5,663m peak which we climbed for the first time last autumn.

The summit ridge is a little longer and therefore more strenuous than Island Peak, but the character of the mountain is very similar. It’s in a superb location, right opposite Machhupuchare in the Annapurna Sanctuary. Terry’s team had excellent weather – the photos of dawn breaking over the Himalayas on their summit day are truly mouth-watering! For 2012, we’ve extended the trip by a day, though it still fits within 3 weeks. We have a spare summit day and a slightly more relaxed journey out of the mountains. For Scottish grade II climbers, this is a fabulous expedition.

dates: Sun 22 Apr – Sat 12 May ‘12, Sun 21 Oct – Sat 10 Nov ‘12, Sun 28 Oct – Sat 17 Nov ‘12


PATAgOnIA – fITZrOy AnD PAInE

Our new trip to Patagonia is a hit, with trekkers venturing to Argentina and Chile during November, December and January.

This is a ‘best of’ style 16-day trip, which visits Cerro Torre, Torres del Paine, the Perito Merino Glacier and Glacier Grey. There’s some rough walking and you need to kit yourself out for all weathers, but we stay in comfortable fixed campsites and use hotels when in the towns. We’re also offering a 2-day extension to this trip, for those who want to visit Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego. Look out for dates for the 2012/13 season on our website, jagged-globe.co.uk, very soon.

01 Lungser Kangri and the shores of Tso Moriri. Steve Findlay.

02 The summit ridge of Tharpu Chuli. Stuart Long.

03 Torres del Paine, Patagonia. Laura Hart.

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Trip Reports



uPCOMIng / 2012

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TAILOr-MADE TrIPS

We can organise most of our expeditions, treks, ski tours or courses on a private basis for groups of friends, families, clubs, charities and military teams.

This gives you the advantage of having complete control over your trip, without having the administrative headache of the organisation. Depending on the trip and your own experience, you may or may not need a Jagged Globe leader. For example, if you are a seasoned trekker who would like to complete a trek in Nepal or India, we can arrange this with one of our local guides on a ‘self-led’ basis.

please contact us for a quote.

PuThA hIunChuLI (7,246M) – A TEChnICALLy EASy 7,000Er In nEPAL

Putha Hiunchuli is the western most peak of the Dhaulagiri Range, first climbed in 1954 by the legendary Jimmy Roberts.

The team will fly to Kathmandu and trek for over a week to base camp, which is located at c4,900m. From here we expect to use three camps on the mountain, with the highest at 6,600m. The route is technically easy, but with long distances between camps, you can expect it to be very hard work. Mountaineers with previous experience on 6,000m peaks graded 2B could consider this climb if they are looking for a full-blown expedition experience. Please contact us if you would like to register your interest as more details will be available in February.

Grade: 2D (see jagged-globe.co.uk for an explanation of our grading system).

dates: Thu 4 Oct – Sun 11 Nov ’12

price: TBC

KyAjO rI (6,186M) – A STunnIng LInE On A BEAuTIfuL KhuMBu PEAK

Kyajo Ri is sandwiched between the Thame and Gokyo valleys, on a ridgeline north of Namche Bazaar. Mixed rock and a sinuous snow crest lead to a pointy summit.

We fly from Kathmandu to Lukla and trek in via Gokyo and the Renjo La, as part of our acclimatisation. Base camp at 4,500m is sited in the hidden hanging valley of Kyajo Drangka, which is accessed via the village of Mende. Two camps are used above base camp: Camp 1 at 5,300m and a high camp on a col at 5,700m. From here, the route to the summit is obvious and involves slopes up to 50 – 55 degrees, climbed at Scottish Grade II. Though we aim to fix the summit slopes, team members need previous experience at Scottish II/III to join this expedition. It is a steeper, more sustained and committing climb than Island Peak or Lobuje East, for example. Adele Pennington, who climbed Kyajo Ri in autumn 2011 will lead our 2012 expedition.

Grade: 3B

dates: Thu 16 Oct – Sun 11 Nov ‘12

price: TBC

MOunT ArArAT – A TWO-WEEK TrEK TO TurKEy’S fABLED SuMMIT

This is a new trek for us, though we have attempted the mountain relatively recently on skis (bad weather thwarted this attempt).

In summer 2012 we have the option of two dates, in July and August, with places on the August trek already filling up. We have opted to run a two-week trip, so that we could visit the Taurus Mountains, a geologically interesting range and home to local herders who graze their flocks during the summer. By trekking to 3,723m on Elmer Peak, we should arrive at Mount Ararat (5,137m) nicely acclimatised. The ascent itself usually involves using crampons, though it’s not steep and is classed as a ‘walking’ peak.

dates: Sat 7 Jul – Sat 21 Jul ‘12, Sat 25 Aug – Sat 8 Sep ‘12


01 Mount Ararat. Bekir Donmez.

02 Richard Graham on summit day, Kyajo Ri. Adele Pennington.

03 High on Putha Hiunchuli. Lind.

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fOCuS / Mont Blanc

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MONT BLANCSummit 4808m

Aiguille du Midi3842m

W Chamonix

Col des Aig. Grises3810m

Cable Car1035m to 3842m(20 mins approx)

Mont Blanc du Tacul4187m

Mont Maudit4347m

Dôme du Goûter4304m

Aiguille du Goûter3863m

Nid D’Aigle2372m

Piton des Italiens4002m

Le Grd Couloir

Col du Mont Maudit4345m

R2

R2

R3

R3

R1

R1

Bosses Ridge4513m

Vallot Hut4362m

Col de la Brenva4369m

Col Maudit4035m

Goûter Hut3817m

Tête-Rousse Hut3167m

Gonelle Hut3071m

Cosmiques Hut3613m

The Bosses Ridge. Tomaz Jakofcic. The Grand Couloir. Simon Buck. Mont Blanc’s Goûter Route. Stuart Hall.



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MONT BLANCSummit 4808m

Aiguille du Midi3842m

W Chamonix

Col des Aig. Grises3810m

Cable Car1035m to 3842m(20 mins approx)

Mont Blanc du Tacul4187m

Mont Maudit4347m

Dôme du Goûter4304m

Aiguille du Goûter3863m

Nid D’Aigle2372m

Piton des Italiens4002m

Le Grd Couloir

Col du Mont Maudit4345m

R2

R2

R3

R3

R1

R1

Bosses Ridge4513m

Vallot Hut4362m

Col de la Brenva4369m

Col Maudit4035m

Goûter Hut3817m

Tête-Rousse Hut3167m

Gonelle Hut3071m

Cosmiques Hut3613m

The goûter route (PD)

The Goûter Route (PD) is the most popular ascent route on Mont Blanc and is the most assured way to the summit.

It is also the most frequently in condition. We begin by taking the Tramway du Mont Blanc to Nid D’Aigle from where we walk for three hours to the Tête-Rousse Hut. We usually spend the night here, or occasionally at the higher Goûter Hut. Departing the hut in the early hours of the morning, we quickly cross the infamous ‘Grand Couloir’ (which is exposed to stonefall) and climb snow and rock to reach the Goûter Hut. Moderately-angled snow slopes lead to the Dôme du Goûter, which leads to the Bosses Ridge and eventually, the exposed summit ridge. It is normal to take 8 hours to climb from the Tête-Rousse Hut. Descent is via the same route, sleeping at either the Goûter or Tête-Rousse huts.

Courses

Mont Blanc Summit / Alpine Introduction Mont Blanc Extension / Haute Route Mont Blanc Extension

Who is it for?

Our Mont Blanc Summit week is designed for those with previous Alpine experience or British winter hillwalking experience. For example, if you have completed an Alpine Introduction course or an Introductory Long Weekend course in Scotland, you could consider our Mont Blanc Summit course. However, if you have never used crampons and an ice axe, we recommend that you join our Alpine Introduction course, followed by the three-day Mont Blanc Extension. You can also do a three-day Mont Blanc extension to our Haute Route trek.

R3R2R1

The north-East ridge from the Col du Midi (PD+/AD-)

This route starts from the Cosmiques Hut, which is reached by taking the Cable Car from the centre of Chamonix to the Aiguille du Midi.

From the hut, the route weaves its way up the North West Face of Mont Blanc du Tacul. The slopes of Mont Blanc du Tacul are threatened by serac fall, as well as being prone to avalanche after fresh snow. It normally takes a couple of hours to reach the shoulder of Mont Blanc du Tacul at c4,000m, from where Col Maudit is crossed to begin ascending the Northern slopes of Mont Maudit. Often the crux of the route is the exit onto the Col du Mont Maudit at 4,400m, which can be icy. From here we traverse steep slopes under the summit of Mont Maudit to arrive at the Col de Brenva (4,369m) between 4 and 5 hours after leaving the hut. It’s another couple of hours across the upper slopes of Mont Blanc, which are followed to the summit. We descend via the Goûter Route.

Courses

Mont Blanc Traverse / 4,000ers Mont Blanc Extension

Who is it for?

The Mont Blanc Traverse is suitable for those with at least a week of previous Alpine mountaineering experience. If you have climbed other 4,000m peaks in the Alps, then you could consider this route. If you have no previous Alpine climbing experience, we recommend attempting Mont Blanc either as a 3-day extension to one of our week-long courses, or via the Goûter Route on our Mont Blanc Summit course (if you have crampon and ice axe experience gained in the UK). We also attempt the North-East Ridge from the Col du Midi on our 4,000ers Mont Blanc Extension course.

The Aiguilles grises route (PD+)

The Gonella Hut on the Italian side of Mont Blanc re-opened in summer 2011, with the Aiguilles Grises route seeing ascents in excellent conditions during July and early August.

Though not overly technical, it’s a massive 1,760m of ascent from the hut to the summit and crevassing on the glacier that leads to the Col des Aiguille Grises can prove problematic. Once the mixed ridge to the Piton des Italians has been ascended, the route continues up the narrow Arête de Bionnassay to join the Goûter Route at the Dôme du Goûter. We aim to ascend the Aiguilles Grises route and descend via the Goûter Route.

Courses

Mont Blanc Italian Route

Who is it for?

This is a far less frequented route than either the Goûter Route or the The North-East Ridge from the Col du Midi. You need previous Alpine experience on routes of PD+ and you need be very fit. We will acclimatise on Gran Paradiso and Tresenta, meaning we spend most of the week in Italy.

See page 16 for dates and prices.

In summer 2012, we are offering three routes on Western Europe’s highest mountain.

MONT BLANC Summit height:

▲ 4,808m (15,774ft)

12


LOCATIOnS / The Alps

all at once it came togetherI edged my way along the narrow crest keeping my eyes firmly planted on the figure at the other end of the rope and doing my absolute best to ignore the monumental drop on both sides. Part of me wanted to stop and bathe in the exposure – the likes of which I’d never experienced before. But this was no place to start losing it and if I’m honest, this was always a possibility.

We continued; placing each foot with the kind of precision I’d normally associate with rock climbing and the whole time mulling over the old adage about falling into France and jumping into Italy – it seemed an unlikely way to get out of trouble but I was pretty confident we wouldn’t need to find out.

And then suddenly it was over; I could put my feet more or less where I wanted to again and I no longer felt a need to hold my breath. Al turned around and we grinned at each other. We’d done it: our first real Alpine classic.

Sooner or later, the Alps will capture the imagination of most climbers. We can push our grades on the crags and mountains of the UK. And we can transpose some of these skills to include Scottisgh winter and all its wonderful, freezing facets. But no matter how much we ignore the big, scary peaks on the other side of the channel, they will keep calling us.

Eventually I succumbed. At first ski touring, something I’ve always enjoyed, became peak bagging – no big deal. Then I wanted to get out in summer and was happy ticking off the summits without the skis. Before long it wasn’t even the tops that drew me, I just wanted to climb the routes. I was loving it: the more I did the more I wanted to do. But all this was done under the watchful eye of a guide – great as it freed my mind to really enjoy the experience, but also somehow restricting – I’m not a great follower.

Eventually I realised that to truly develop as a climber I needed to drop the guide.

That’s where pelle came inPelle was the head guide on the Jagged Globe Alpine Techniques course. And when he asked me what my goals were for the 6 day course, I told him in no uncertain terms: I wanted to get rid of him. I wanted autonomy; this was Independence Day.

The course turned out to be near perfect: I was climbing HS/VS and Scottish III in winter; I knew a clove-hitch from an Italian hitch and I had a decent amount of mountain nous picked up from years of hillwalking (and a bit of ski touring). I just needed to sharpen these skills up a bit and bring them to the bigger, scarier part of the Alps, where speed and efficiency are tested to the limit. I’d also need a much better understanding of the bits we don’t get here, like glaciers and crevasses.

The week split neatly into rock and mixedThe rock days gave myself and my fellow course mates a chance to fine tune our rope work: belaying and tying off, lowering and abseiling, stance management – almost everything we did came under the spotlight and was improved upon. Speed was always the priority.

We climbed sport and trad routes in the Aiguille Rouges: I pushed my grade with the reassurance of solid bolts, something I’m not used to; and Dave placed his own runners for the first time – a daunting experience for most but he made it look easy.

We then left the rock shoes in the hotel for a day and traversed the Aiguilles du Crochues in big boots. This felt more like the true alpine experience: a jagged, pinnacled, knife-edge ridge with techie cruxes, easy scrambling sections and even the odd abseil. I felt in my element – my Snowdonia roots proved a good grounding.

We took in the summit – the views over the Chamonix Aiguilles and the Mont Blanc massif were absolutely mind

IndependenceDay

Tom Hutton finds the skills and confidence to go it alone.

Saturday 26 May 2012 (Register now)

We are organising a familiarisation day in the Peak District for those who have never been to the Alps before, to make sure you know what to expect. If you have questions about any aspect of the Alps, and are booked on a Jagged Globe course, you are welcome to join. Alpine Guide, Roger Mear, IFMGA will run the day and will give an overview of the Alps. He will talk about weather conditions, route choice, mountain huts, as well as basic navigation and ropework.

The day is based in Tideswell, in the Peak District. The cost of the day does not include accommodation or travel. Details of the venue and advice on accommodation and travel arrangements is available upon booking your Alpine Course.

price: £50

This new course for 2012 visits the quiet Ecrins Massif in the Southern French Alps. Our aim is to climb mixed routes and snowy summits, with the aim of attempting the Dôme de Neige des Ecrins (4,015m), if conditions allow. The programme will be flexible and has been put together by one of our regular Guides, Greg Sauget, who grew up in the area. This is a suitable follow-on course for those who have completed the Alpine Techniques, Saas 4,000ers, Zermatt 4,000ers or Oberland 4,000ers courses. The routes attempted will be in the PD/PD+ range. A superb week for those looking for something a little different!

dates: Sat 7 Jul – Sat 14 Jul ‘12 Sat 4 Aug – Sat 11 Aug ‘12 Sat 18 Aug – Sat 25 Aug ‘12

price: £1,395 (From Briancon)

SummerAlpine Courses

Alpine Orientation Day – Tideswell, Peak District.

New Course: Ecrins Alpinism.

01 On the crux of the Cosmiques Arête. Tomaz Jakofcic.

02 Traversing the Aiguilles du Entreves. Tomaz Jakofcic.

nEWnEW

THE ALPS



13

blowing – and then dropped onto a snowy slope that led sweetly down to the uber-scenic, ever-popular, Lac Blanc. A cold beer was almost obligatory.

Wednesday was to be our first mixed day but the fickle Chamonix weather had other ideas so we dug out the rock shoes and chalk bags again and trooped south through the Mont Blanc tunnel, to the Corma di Machaby. Here we enjoyed some 9 pitches of pristine granite on Diretta al Banano (5c) – a truly memorable climb that was completed just minutes before the storm caught us up – well-judged Pelle.

Thursday dawned disappointing too but the Meteo assured us the weather was fine above the cloud so we went for it. Sure enough, the Aiguille du Midi cable car broke through the grey into

a wonder world of blue and white just above the half way station. We geared-up nervously and roped-up to descend the narrow arête onto the glacier. I was now paired with a second guide: Tomaz Jakofcic – a modest, quiet-spoken Slovenian with an impressive Alpine and Greater Ranges CV.

Tomaz and I became a rope team – fantastic from a learning perspective but slightly daunting having such an experienced second as we started up the Cosmiques Arete. We moved together well – and I was grateful for any tips and advice my partner could give me as we continued. But it did feel rather over the top at times as I meticulously practiced every bit of the safety system on a climber that could have done the route blindfolded and on crutches.

He was wonderfully supportive on the crux, which I found a lot harder than I was expecting. It really is quite something pushing your front points into 2 little holes and then pushing up on them.

From the lift station, we took the traversing cable car over the plateau to Hellbronner on the Italian side. A short walk led to the Torino Hut – our base for the night. Tomaz gave us some interesting lessons on crevasse rescue on the sunny terrace and then later in the evening, we did a session on navigation.

We also took the time to step outside and gaze at and photograph the alpenglow on the impressive southern face of Mont Blanc.

The two guides also ran through basic hut etiquette, which was useful for the others who’d not used one before. Final word was about getting up and getting moving in the morning. Something we actually managed well.

Our final objective was a traverse of the Aiguille d’Entreves – a modest crest of granite that shares a col with the far more impressive Tour Ronde. Seen from the hut, it looked little more than an outcrop with the summit of Mont Blanc towering over 1km above it. But up close, it looked every bit as intimidating as the other ridges we’d traversed and I set off with more than just a little intrepidation.

I shouldn’t have worried. Despite the incredible positions – high above the Toula Glacier – and the impressive neighbours, which included the Dent du Geant as well as the Tour Ronde and Mont Blanc, the climbing was enthralling but never too difficult. A wicked wind whipped in from the north at about half distance, and this made life pretty tough on the sections that followed the windward side.

The crux wasn’t unlike the Cosmiques – a strenuous mantle made all the more strenuous by the altitude. But I managed this one a little better than the previous day’s attempt and felt

quite pleased with myself as I swung between gendarmes on the enjoyable final stretch.

And then it was all over so early – another one of those things you learn about the Alps (well, on the shorter routes anyway). Yet the conditions seldom make another route possible. So it was with mixed emotions that I set off back to the hut – elation at the success of the climb, but disappointment that the trip, which had been truly brilliant, was over.

And that was exactly how Al and I felt just two months later as we set off back down to the Conscrits Hut from the awesome Domes de Miage. We had enjoyed a classic Alpine day on a classic Alpine route – our first real biggie. And yet it was barely mid-morning. We sat on a rock and enjoyed the sunshine – this time tomorrow we’d be on our way home.

We’d certainly had the full Alpine experience: summits and failure in the Aiguille Rouges – everyone needs to know when to back off. A magical bivi by Lac Blanc – one of those things you have to do before you die. We’d managed to dodge some serious stonefall beneath the Aiguille du Chamois – nothing can prepare you for the violence of giant cannonballs hurtling down the mountainside at that speed; and I’d gone in a crevasse up to my waist on the Tré la Tête – that’s something I could definitely live without ever happening again.

We’d seen sunrises and sunsets, moons and brochen spectres, and eagles and ibex. And we’d even managed to stick to the odd guidebook time!

But what mattered most to me was that for the first time, we’d done it completely by ourselves. Thanks to Pelle, Tomaz and the Alpine Techniques course, I’d finally found the confidence to go it alone.

I’ve already started planning next year’s trip…

“We took in the summit – the views over the Chamonix Aiguilles and the Mont Blanc massif were absolutely mind blowing – and then dropped onto a snowy slope that led sweetly down to the uber-scenic, ever-popular, Lac Blanc. A cold beer was almost obligatory”.

01

02

14


gEAr / Essentials

Jagged Globe’s Ski Mountaineering Course Director, Jim Blyth IFMGA has these tips.1. big mittens.

I don’t know whether it’s due to many seasons ice climbing and exposure to the cold, or just getting older, but I get painfully cold hands on early morning starts and when skiing at altitude. Unless the day is definitely going to be a warm one, I never leave without my big Black Diamond mittens. They are worth every penny and change my day each time I put them on. Add a pair of chemical hand warmers and I’m ready for a long, cold one.

2. lightweight down jacket. I’ve been advocating this bit of kit for years. The last thing into my rucksack and the first out. Every time I stop, on it goes. I used to carry a sleeveless down vest but face fabrics have become so much lighter and jacket design so much better that I now enjoy the benefit of sleeves. I don’t need a down hood though as my hooded fleece looks after my head. Synthetic jackets mean you can now be warm in climates where down is less suitable (i.e. where it can get wet).

3. Woolen underwear. Perhaps I shouldn’t mention this in polite company but we ski tourers used to smell. Badly. A week or more in the same polypro was not a good thing. It never felt good next to the skin either. A huge thank you to Icebreaker for re-inventing the wheel and giving us wonderfully comfortable, almost odourless thermal underwear. The garments don’t last nearly as long (but then polypro is indestructible) but that’s a small price to pay. Many manufacturers provide us with these garments and the range and choice is now as confusing as with most items of outdoor gear. Before buying a thermal top, make sure the back is long enough. I still see too many garments cut too short leading to a cold and uncomfortable lower back.

gEAr / Trekking boots

In hard snow you can back the bucket seat up with a buried axe belay.

TrICKS & TIPS / Construction of snow anchors

TrICKS & TIPS / 3 Ski Mountaineering Essentials

gEAr / Solar Chargers

how light is too light? A bendy fabric trekking boot is great for low-angled walking, but most Jagged Globe treks involve rough ground, with some steep sections of loose scree.

A 3-4 season boot with more rigidity gives you increased security on this terrain. When choosing a boot, try on as many as possible to find something comfortable. Ideally, have them fitted with a specialist insole. Overall, the message is not to go too light! On some of our more challenging treks where crampons might be used, you need a 4-season ‘B1’ rated boot, such as Scarpa’s classic ‘SL’. Our Trek Dossiers give advice specific to each trek, but if in doubt, call us!

TECH& SPEC

A 7-watt solar charger is fine for most camera batteries, portable MP3 players and mobile phones. You need a 12-watt solar charger for charging video cameras and laptops (a set up with a portable universal battery is required for charging laptops).

Select Solar are offering a 10% discount to Jagged Globe customers. Just insert the code JAGGED when ordering on-line at

www.selectsolar.co.uk

buried axe belay– The depth of the buried axe depends

on the quality of the snow– A sling is tightened onto the ice axe

shaft with a clove hitch at the balance point on the shaft

– Do not disturb the snow in front of the axe

– Always use in conjunction with a bucket seat.

We are often asked to recommend a portable solar panel. We like the foldable panels by Select Solar, as they’re robust, compact and reliable.



15

BASI Coach and Jagged Globe Off Piste Skiing Course Director, Simon Christy, gives the lowdown on choosing the right skis for general off piste skiing. Whilst there are no absolutes when it comes to choosing skis, Simon has 17 years of ski teaching experience, so hopefully this article should provide some useful pointers.The most common question I field before ski courses is what skis to use.

The answer is of course longer than the proverbial piece of string, but I will try to shed some light on how to select a suitable ski from the dozens of models on offer.

horses for courses

First off, accept that whatever ski you choose will be a compromise. A fat freeride ski will not perform as well on hard snow as a narrower ski (despite what many will say), but it will be heaps of fun on big powder days and in chopped up snow. A super-light, skinny rando-race ski will not be particularly ‘floaty’ in the soft stuff, but it will save energy when skinning uphill and be easier to edge on firm snow. At some point we have to decide where our priorities lie.

The numbers

How can we narrow down our choice of ski? Every model of skis will have some numbers associated with it: Length, Width (normally 3 measurements – tip, waist and tail) and Radius.

The starting point for me is always waist width. This has been creeping up over the years. In the late 1990s 80mm was deemed fat, these days waists of 120mm+ are not uncommon and an 80mm waist would be considered biased towards piste skiing!

1. WidthWider-waisted skis give the following benefits:

More float in powder. This not only feels great, but it also gives us lots of leeway. If we do get slightly out of shape, or have a ‘moment’ where all our weight ends up on one ski, there is room for recovery, where a skinny ski would disappear down into the depths, normally followed by our head! Wider skis tend to smooth out inconsistencies in the snow, giving a more predictable ride, particularly in chopped up or variable snow; they are less ‘twitchy’ and tend to be easier to slide around a turn smoothly.

But...

Wide skis tend to have a ‘sideways’ feel, which can be disconcerting at first. You have to work very hard to keep the skis on edge and the wider the ski, the longer the lever arm trying to pull the ski flat.

Also, if you are skinning uphill, the skin track may simply be too narrow and the wider stance can be uncomfortable. If the snow is firm, even with ski-crampons a wide ski can feel very insecure on steeper traverses and skin tracks.

Finally, a wider ski is necessarily going to be slightly heavier than a narrower ski, as it uses more material.

Where to start?90mm (give or take a mm or two) is my current starting point when looking at skis for all-round off piste and ski touring use. Any skinnier than this and we lose float and ‘recoverability’ in soft snow. Any wider than this and we start to encounter the challenges mentioned above.

2. radiusThe radius of a ski describes the size of circle a ski will track around if tilted onto its edge and allowed to slide along this. Generally speaking, a radius below 17/18m would be considered very ‘turny’ or ‘carvy’, with anything over 25m being considered quite straight.

A very carvy ski, while being great fun on the piste, is not necessarily the ideal choice off the beaten track. The greater the difference between tip and waist, the more unpredictable and twitchy the ski will be. In heavier or crusty snow this ‘hooky’ feeling is amplified and can combine with the weird sensation of the tip staying afloat and foot disappearing into the depths.

Also in tight, concave gullies, or on steep icy skin tracks a short radius ski will give an uncomfortable feeling of contact at the tip and tail, while the foot bounces around on fresh air.

At the other end of the scale, a long radius ski will need more proactive steering to make tight turns and if left to its own devices will carve long (very) and fast (very) arcs. This is great if you want to do 50mph down a big Alaskan face, less so if you are looking to make neat ‘Wedeln’ turns to match the 50 Swiss tracks already farming a slope.

When selecting skis for working with clients on off piste coaching courses, I look for a ski with radius between 18 and 22m.

3. lengthThis can really only be chosen through experience. Bear in mind that the shorter the ski, the smaller the surface area (hence less float), though generally with a wider ski we can afford to lose a few centimeters of length, as the extra width will compensate. The cat among the pigeons is ‘Rocker’, as this can make a ski feel ‘long’ or ‘short’...

Rocker – Technological breakthrough or Marketing Hype?The industry buzz-word over the last couple of years has been ‘Rocker’. Put simply, rocker describes a section of the ski that bends gradually upwards, either at the front (and before you ask, yes – my skis have always bent up at the front too...!), back, or the whole way along. By reducing the edge contact length rocker can make it much easier to steer skis round a turn and (at the tip), also assists with getting the skis planing higher in/on the snow.

The counterpoint to this is that reduced edge length = reduced potential grip both while skiing downhill as well as skinning back up again.

Weight – light is right, right?

For those of an uphill persuasion, shaving grams off kit can become an obsession, but a word of warning – the lighter the ski, the less solid it will be. In the last year I have seen 3 carbon skis break under not particularly hard use – caveat emptor!

My personal preference would always be to go for a solid ‘downhill’-oriented ski, as the excess grams can easily be shed in other areas (bindings, personal kit, personal etc).

Suggestions

For skiers on our Off Piste Introduction or Introduction to Ski Mountaineering courses, I would suggest looking for a ski with around 90mm at the waist, with a turn radius of about 18/20m (check out Salomon Lord, Fischer Watea 88, Scott Mission or Crusair, Trab Stelvio Light, Movement Source).

For more advanced courses you may want to go bigger and fatter for more downhill fun, or you may wish to optimise the weight/fun ratio by sticking on a ‘narrower’ ski.

gEAr / Ski selection

16


DATE AnD PrICES / Need to know?

jagged globe

The Foundry Studios, 45 Mowbray Street, Sheffield, S3 8EN, United Kingdom

T. 0845 345 8848 W. jagged-globe.co.uk

MOnT BLAnC

Mont blanc SummitSat 9 Jun – Sat 16 Jun ‘12 Sat 16 Jun – Sat 23 Jun ‘12 Sat 23 Jun – Sat 30 Jun ‘12 Sat 7 Jul – Sat 14 Jul ‘12 Sat 4 Aug – Sat 11 Aug ‘12 Sat 1 Sep – Sat 8 Sep ‘12 Sat 8 Sep – Sat 15 Sep ‘12 Sat 15 Sep – Sat 22 Sep ‘12

price: £1,795 joining in Chamonix

Mont blanc traverseSat 16 Jun – Sat 23 Jun ‘12 Sat 23 Jun – Sat 30 Jun ‘12 Sat 7 Jul – Sat 14 Jul ‘12 Sat 21 Jul – Sat 28 Jul ‘12 Sat 18 Aug – Sat 25 Aug ‘12 Sat 1 Sep – Sat 8 Sep ‘12


Mont blanc Italian routeSat 14 Jul – Sat 21 Jul ‘12 Sat 28 Jul – Sat 4 Aug ‘12 Sat 11 Aug – Sat 18 Aug ‘12


Mont blanc ExtensionsOur 3-day Mont Blanc Extensions run every week Saturday – Wednesday and Wednesday – Saturday from 23 June to 22 September 2012. We also offer 3-day Mont Blanc extensions to our Haute Route glaciated trek. These run Wednesday – Saturday and also cost £995. Please note that the 3-day extension can only be booked together with a preceding course.price: £995

SCOTTISh WInTEr COurSES

Introductory Winter Mountaineering, Winter Mountaineering and Snow and Ice climbing:Sun 15 Jan – Fri 20 Jan ‘12 Sun 22 Jan – Fri 27 Jan ‘12 Sun 29 Jan – Fri 3 Feb ‘12 Sun 5 Feb – Fri 10 Feb ‘12 Sun 12 Feb – Fri 17 Feb ‘12 Sun 19 Feb – Fri 24 Feb ‘12 Sun 26 Feb – Fri 2 Mar ‘12 Sun 4 Mar – Fri 9 Mar ‘12 Sun 11 Mar – Fri 16 Mar ‘12 Sun 18 Mar – Fri 23 Mar ‘12 Sun 25 Mar – Fri 30 Mar ‘12

Introductory long WeekendFri 20 Jan – Mon 23 Jan ‘12 Fri 27 Jan – Mon 30 Jan ‘12 Fri 3 Feb – Mon 6 Feb ‘12 Fri 10 Feb – Mon 13 Feb ‘12 Fri 17 Feb – Mon 20 Feb ‘12 Fri 24 Feb – Mon 27 Feb ‘12 Fri 2 Mar – Mon 5 Mar ‘12 Fri 9 Mar – Mon 12 Mar ‘12 Fri 16 Mar – Mon 19 Mar ‘12 Fri 23 Mar – Mon 26 Mar ‘12

prices: Introductory Winter Mountaineering (£655), Winter Mountaineering (£765), Introductory Long Weekend (£395) and Snow and Ice Climbing (£895).

Off PISTE SKIIng

At the time of publication, the following European Courses and Tours still have places available on them:

off piste Introduction (The 3 Valleys)Sat 21 Jan – Sat 28 Jan ‘12 Sat 25 Feb – Sat 3 Mar ‘12

price: £775 (From Brides-les-Bains, apartment accommodation. With Neil Milne BASI)

off piste Improvers (tignes)Sat 28 Jan – Sat 4 Feb ‘12

price: £1,255 (From Tignes Val Claret, half-board hotel accommodation plus 6-day lift pass, With Simon Christy BASI)

off piste perfection (la Grave)Sat 4 Feb – Sat 11 Feb ’12 (From Bourg d’Oisans, half-board accommodation. With Simon Christy BASI and Jim Kerr IFMGA)

ALPInE SKI MOunTAInEErIng

Introductory Ski MountaineeringSat 3 Mar – Sat 10 Mar ‘12 (With Andy Owen and Jim Kerr)Sat 17 Mar – Sat 24 Mar ‘12 (With Andy Owen) (Andermatt)Sat 14 Apr – Sat 21 Apr ‘12 (With Andy Owen)

prices: £895 (From Chamonix), £995 (From Andermatt)

Haute routeSat 31 Mar – Sun 8 Apr ‘12 (With Andy Owen)Sat 21 Apr – Sun 29 Apr ‘12 (With Andy Owen)

price: £1,195 (From Chamonix)

Queyras Ski tourSat 24 Mar – Sat 31 Mar ‘12 (With Andy Owen)

price: £950 (From Briancon)

Ski SilvrettaSun 26 Feb – Sun 4 Mar ‘12 (With Jim Blyth)

price: £865 (From Galtür)

Ski chamonix day toursSat 28 Jan – Sat 4 Feb ‘12 (With Jim Blyth)

price: £995 (From Chamonix)

oberland Ski tour + Mont blancWed 16 May – Wed 23 May ‘12 (Oberland, with Jim Blyth)Wed 23 May – Sat 26 May ‘12 (Mont Blanc, with Jim Blyth)

prices: £1,395 from Brig (Oberland), £850 from Chamonix (Mont Blanc)

please visit our website for more information about exotic ski expeditions further afield in 2012, including armenia and Georgia, argentina, chile and antarctica!



Documents

Issue 2 Expeditions & Courses 2012 CLIMB/ TREK/SKI · on Kilimanjaro. Look out for porters wearing our new gear on Africa’s highest mountain from January. TKrE / with us HMlayaI