8. Mpro July2016

M PRO

FOR THOSE THAT WORK AND PLAY OUTDOORS

WWW.MOUNTAINPROMAG.COM JULY 2016

PAUL PRITCHARD

life lessons

MARK VALANCE

wild country

WHITE GOLD

find the best skiing

■ NINA SCHLESENER ■ HAZEL FINDLAY ■ FLOWER & BIRD GUIDES ■ reviewed: HARDSHELLS, NEW GEAR

Contributors Paul Pritchard is a climber, variously called Doctor Death and the Lancashire Lazarus after the life-threatening accidents he has survived. His definitive climb (so far) has been the Totem Pole in Tasmania. ppritchard.blogspot.co.uk

Mal Creasey is a semi retired International Mountain Guide and MIC based in North Wales. He has over 30 Alpine and Scottish Winter seasons to his credit. hillskills.org

Felicity Martin has a passion for nature, which underpins work as a freelance writer and photographer. felicitymartin.co.uk

Welcome Reading our contributions in this issue, I’m reminded once again that we – walkers, climbers and mountaineers – are the guardians of our high and wild places. Out of sight means out of mind for many of the general public, our politicians and our media, and in that wider context I think it’s vital we tell our stories straight and true: all of them – personal, environmental, and political - the good, the bad and the ugly.

There’s a rich tradition of this in our outdoor culture. I’m reminded of it as I read Richard Smyth’s gentle and encouraging call to arms for the British Trust for Ornithology and Felicity Martin’s eyes-wide-open discovery of the world beneath our feet, Mark Vallance casting a wry eye over a life spent in service of climbing and mountaineering, the gifts of joy and experience that Alpine mountain guides Nina Schlesener and Andreas Bengtsson Moström bring to those in their charge, as well as the profound learning in Paul Pritchard’s account of an accident that turned his world upside down. To very badly paraphrase my friend Rob Bushby recently (sorry Rob!), this is all part of a continuum, the yin and yang of our mountain heritage… and what a wonder-full place it is.

Get an eyeful and a heartful - witness it well.

See you on the hill,

Da vid

Richard Smyth is a novelist, journalist and wildlife writer for publications including BBC Wildlife, the TLS, New Scientist and Bird Watching. richard-smyth.co.uk

Dan Aspel is the new gear editor for Mountain Pro, a qualified journalist and summer ML with a particular passion for scrambling, bivvying and via ferrata.

Chantelle Kelly is our editorial assistant without whom interviews, book reviews and more would not happen. She is relatively new to the great outdoors, but learns fast!

Lucy Wallace is a freelance Winter Mountain Leader, Wildlife Guide and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Assessor based in Scotland. She works with adult and youth groups, coaching navigation and hill walking skills, as well as leading schools’ expeditions overseas.

Nicole Macgregor is responsible for the day to day running of Mountain Heritage Trust. Based in the Lake District, Nicole is also a keen rock climber. mountain-heritage.org

David Lintern, Editor Alison Austin is the John Muir Trust Property Manager for Ben Nevis Estate, and also a geologist, climber and mountaineer. johnmuirtrust.org

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JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 3

Contents Mark Vallance

White Gold

Wildflower ID

Paul Pritchard

REVIEWS 6 profile: nina schlesener 8 INTERVIEW: Mark vallance 10 Paul Pritchard 18 Find the best skiing 24 Mountain Heritage Trust: joe tasker 30 wild country: extract 32 wildflower Identification 36 John Muir Trust Ranger’s Diary 42 Tall Tales: The Four Malcolms 44 BIRD Identification 46 GEAR: LIGHTWEIGHT HARDSHELLS HIS 50 GEAR: LIGHTWEIGHT HARDSHELLS HER 51 GEAR: CUTTING EDGE 52 55 TRIED AND TESTED: Hazel Findlay

50

the team EDITOR: David Lintern e: david.lintern@targetpublishing.com GEAR EDITOR: Dan Aspel e: dan.aspel@targetpublishing.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Chantelle Kelly e: editorial@targetpublishing.com SUB EDITOR: Suzanne Cann e: suzanne.cann@targetpublishing.com SALES DIRECTOR: Ruth Gilmour e: ruth.gilmour@targetpublishing.com t: 01279 810084 GROUP SALES MANAGER: Michael Wolstenholme e: michael.wolstenholme@targetpublishing.com t: 01279 810067 SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE: Chris Kemp e: chris.kemp@targetpublishing.com t: 01279 810083 DESIGN/PRODUCTION: Leann Boreham e: leann.boreham@targetpublishing.com t: 01279 810075 MARKETING EXECUTIVE: Sarah Kenny e: sarah.kenny@targetpublishing.com t: 01279 810091 MANAGING DIRECTOR: David Cann e: info@targetpublishing.com Some material may be speculative and/or not in agreement with current medical practice. Information in FSN is provided for professional education and debate and is not intended to be used by non-medically qualified readers as a substitute for, or basis of, medical treatment. Copyright of articles remains with individual authors. All rights reserved. No article may be reproduced in any form, printed or electronically, without wriiten consent of the author and publisher. Copying for use in education or marketing requires permission of the author and publisher and is prohibited without that permission. Articles may not be scanned for use on personal or commercial websites or CD-ROMs. Published by Target Publishing Limited. Colour reproduction & printing by The Magazine Printing Company, Enfield, Middx. EN3 7NT www.magprint.co.uk . ©2012 Target Publishing Ltd. Produced on environmentally friendly chlorine free paper derived from sustained forests. To protect our environment papers used in this publication are produced by mills that promote sustainably managed forests and utilise Elementary Chlorine Free process to produce fully recyclable material lin accordance with an Environmental Management System conforming with BS EN ISO 14001:2004. The Publishers cannot accept any responsibility for the advertisements in this publication.

52 Published by Target Publishing Ltd, The Old Dairy, Hudsons Farm, Fieldgate Lane, Ugley Green, Bishops Stortford CM22 6HJ t: 01279 816300 f: 01279 816496 e: info@targetpublishing.com www.targetpublishing.com

Cover image Klaus Fengler

51

The Alpine Bookshelf Alex Roddie and Chantelle Kelly cast an icy glare over the latest mountaineering literature.

THE ASCENT OF NANDA DEVI Published by Vertebrate, £12 This is one of the best mountaineering books ever written. A bold claim?

Perhaps, but Bill Tilman’s classic mountaineering tale of 1937 has it all: a bold objective, a plucky band of amateur climbers, mutinous porters, sublime natural beauty, and a fair number of disasters and pitfalls along the way. The achievement of Tilman, Odell and his small team is astonishing when you consider that, at 7,816m, Nanda Devi was the highest mountain to be climbed until the 1950 ascent of Annapurna. This is long before the commercialisation of Himalayan climbing. Their journey to the mountain was physically arduous, their equipment rudimentary in the extreme – in fact, Tilman says with some pride that no oxygen, pitons, snowshoes or crampons were used, and they suffered from numerous gear failures. The emphasis is on teamwork, comradeship, and a cheerful attitude when things inevitably go wrong. For me, this classic tale is summed up by the manner of their descent: in ragged clothing and worn shoes, carrying their loads themselves, with no money left but a Rs.100 note that couldn’t be changed anywhere. It’s the epitome of the adventurous early years of Himalayan climbing. AR

The Maverick Mountaineer Published by Allen & Unwin, RRP £17.99 Biographer Robert Wainwright reveals the remarkable life of climber George Finch in a fascinating and entertaining read. Wainwright argues that Finch was one of the greatest Alpinists of his time, but his dream of summiting Everest was stolen from him by the establishment. He was also an inventor and scientist, and it was George Finch that pioneered the use of artificial oxygen - which enabled the successful attempt on Everest 30 years later, but at the time caused a rift in the climbing community. He further antagonised the old school climbers by ditching the tweed most climbers wore, opting for an eiderdown with sleeves instead. He was certainly a forward thinking maverick, and Wainwright has successfully marked Finch’s place in history with this book. Recently placed on the Boardman Tasker shortlist. CK

First Ascent Published by Cassell Illustrated, RRP £7.99 First ascent rediscovers the stories of the pioneering men and women who dared to scale the world’s highest peaks. The collection includes the ascent on Mont Blanc in 1780s, the ‘golden age’ of alpine climbing, the climbing of Yosemite and the summits of the Americas, and the later climbs of Everest, Annapurna and the Himalayan peaks. Author Stephen Venables, himself the first Briton to summit Everest without supplementary oxygen walks us through the history. I found the book a little slim on detail and more of an overview, but nevertheless, it’s beautifully illustrated and a good introduction for those keen to learn more about the history of mountaineering. CK

Instant Weather Forecasting Published by Bloomsbury, RRP £9.99 The perfect handy-sized book that will fit in your pack and a great tool for those of us who’d like a crystal ball for mountain weather prediction. Now on its 5th edition, Instant Weather Forecasting has been a bestseller since it was first published nearly 50 years ago. The book features 24 photographs of cloud formations, accompanied with explanatory text than enables you to learn how to read the sky, pick up clues and predict the weather. Simple! CK

6 Mountain Pro | JULY 2016

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PROFILE

Guiding Light: Christina “Nina” Schlesener Nina Schlesner is the youngest female IFMGA Guide in Germany.

Now she’s the author of a superb photo-rich guide book to her native peaks too. Mountain Pro’s new Gear Editor Dan Aspel caught up with the 32-year-old to find out more about her life in the mountains.

So what’s special about the village of Berchtesgaden and the

experienced in hiking. But at the age of 15 the Watzmann traverse

Bavarian Alps?

was my first big mountain adventure. It would become one of the

Berchtesgaden is one of the most beautiful places in Germany and

greatest experiences of my life. In one day I felt everything: fear,

the jewel of the German alps. It’s also my home (in German we say

exhaustion, doubt, the belief that I wouldn’t survive... but after we’d

“heimat”) and deeply engrained in my heart. It’s a small village

finished the route life came back to me like a lightning strike. The

surrounded by nature where you can enjoy tranquillity. A huge area

only thing which stayed in my mind was pure confidence in myself,

of Berchtesgaden is left untouched because of the National Park

absolute joy, pride and the brilliant panoramic views. It was one of

and it’s restrictions not to intrude in the natural process: to leave

the first things I really managed myself and this made it so formative

nature on its own and respect its laws without wanting to change it.

for the life that has followed.

But on the other hand it’s also well connected to towns like Salzburg and Munich where you have the most modern culture and lifestyle.

You’re the only female IFMGA guide to work in Berchtesgaden.

It’s an interesting place to be to connect the traditional with the

Why is that?

modern.

Becoming a Mountain Guide is really hard work. It takes all your passion, free time and money. All of your life is dedicated to this

How does the terrain compare to the rest of the alps?

job. You have to suffer, bring up a lot of willpower and stay focused

For sure you’ll find many places like this in the alps. But the

- and you need to be willing to sacrifice a lot for this goal. And

prominence of the Watzmann, which stands in the centre like a King

afterwards, when you guide clients, you have a lot of responsibility.

on his throne, makes it a unique place. For me, you can compare

Not everybody can do it.

the scenery with Zermatt and the Matterhorn. The needle of the Watzmann and its striking silhouette mixed with the emerald green

Your book “Berchtesgaden: My Most Beautiful Tours” has just

lake of Königssee at its feet makes you feel like you’re in a fairy tale.

been released. What made you want to write it?

It’s the only alpine National Park in Germany and beside the rich

I love this place and the chance to write about your loves and your

flora and fauna - which is magnet for over 1 million tourists per year

passions is like a gift you can’t hide away. You have to spread the

- it has a huge potential of rock and climbing routes which is a point

word! I see myself as a link for others, to help sharpen that feeling

of attraction for passionate climbers. Berchtesgaden is the place to

for the natural environment and the singularity of nature. We have

be if you love rock climbing in untouched nature. That’s why many

to save this sensation for future generations.

professional climbers like Thomas and Alex Buber and Ines Papert live here!

Did you enjoy the process of putting it together?

I loved every day of the process and enjoyed getting to know all the

You grew up in the area and had your “first real mountain

little details of this place even better: from the small flowers to the

experience” on the Watzmann traverse. Tell us about it.

big trees, from the goats to the marmots. The natural world holds

I grew up between the mountains and was already quite

so many unique moments for us and researching the book was

8 Mountain Pro | JULY 2016

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probably the biggest joy I could have had. It’s like a treasure which becomes bigger and bigger in your heart the deeper you go. I felt like I became even more a part of the system of life in the Park, and it made me feel so content.

How big a project was it?

The process itself took around 12 months - but only because I already knew the area as well as my vest pocket! Otherwise it would have taken many years to collect all this information. Luckily last autumn was one of the best for a very long time, so I was able to work on the project without interruption.

I’m a competent mountaineer and i’m visiting Berchtesgaden

For more information on Nina’s book, or to

for the first time, which route should I attempt?

order a copy, try the following links...

For sure you should attempt the Watzmann traverse. Don’t be

http://www.delius-klasing.de/

disappointed at not being alone because you will be rewarded with

http://www.accdistribution.com/uk

a truly unique experience. www.mountainpromag.com

JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 9

INTERVIEW

FRIENDS in high places

Chantelle Kelly spoke to entrepreneur and mountaineer Mark Vallance.

If you had to describe what you do to someone who didn’t

enjoyed it, and it sort of helped educate me I think. Before going to

know in one sentence, what would you say?

Antarctica, I actually had spent a year in India - I think that probably

Well, I’m retired now but I used to have the perfect job, which was

taught me how to be patient - which is a useful thing to be good at,

doing the things I like doing.

both there and afterward.

How did you develop your love for climbing and the great

After the first year you were appointed Base Commander and

outdoors? Were there any epiphanies or was it a gradual thing

were responsible for the safety of 23 people - what were the

over time?

challenges in such a remote place?

It started as a family thing, going to the Lake District as a child and

My responsibility was for the whole base, but a lot of the work that

I got to know the Lake District, and then the first successful Everest

went on there was way beyond me - it was very much about logistics

expedition happened. When the film came out I was absolutely

and making sure that the domestic side of things worked well. I

blown away by it and I wanted to be a climber.

mean we had two cooks and a doctor, and diesel mechanics and all sorts of electricians. Basically you had to get on with other people

You have just released your autobiography Wild Country, how

and you can imagine with 100 days of darkness in the wintertime,

did you feel when you found out it was awarded in the Mervyn

things can get a bit fraught.

Peak Awards?

I was very surprised, because the whole thing happened so quickly.

In 1978 you started making mountaineering equipment and

I’d never heard of the Mervyn Peak Awards until a few days before

launched the company Wild Country- where did the idea come

the closing date, and the people at Vertebrate Publishing suggested

from?

I put it in and it was all rather quick.

At the time I was working for the Peak National Park and I had spent five years there and I was really looking for a change. The idea for

What can readers expect from the book?

the ‘Friend’ – the camming device I founded the company to make –

Well, they will perhaps learn a bit about mountaineering and

it was invented by an American friend of mine called Ray Jardine. He

climbing, a bit about business, and a little bit about Parkinson’s.

didn’t want to do anything himself, he didn’t want to get involved, he just wanted to go climbing, so I started the company and it did

What was it like writing your first ever book, did it present

remarkably well.

any challenges you had not faced before?

Well it was quite a challenge because I’m a bit dyslexic; English has

Were you surprised by how well received it was?

never been my strongest suit. One of the things I did was to choose

I think I was more relieved than surprised, I had every faith in it but

an editor, Ed Douglas, who I knew would understand what I wanted

I gave up a good job and my wife had given up work because she

to do, and help me to do it.

was having a baby. It was quite a big step to give up the day job.

After starting the company, within eight months I was selling to 16

After finishing your education, in 1969 you left to work for

different countries - so it took off pretty well.

the British Antarctic Survey at Halley Bay where you spent 2 years - What did you learn?

Why did you decide to launch a retail store (Outside, based in

Well it was a responsible job, quite a big responsibility for

the Peak District) in 1986?

somebody of that age; I think I was 25 when I went down there. I

When I did that most of the climbing shops were pretty much the

10 Mountain Pro | JULY 2016

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INTERVIEW

I THINK IF YOU WANT TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR YOU OUGHT TO BE A CLIMBER FIRST, THEN YOU MIGHT DO BETTER.

Mark taking ice core samples during his two years with the British Antarctic Survey.

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JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 11

INTERVIEW

climbing. My best climb there was a very small expedition we did on a mountain in Tibet, called Shisha Pangma, the fourteenth highest mountain in the world and that was a really good trip. There were just six of us doing that.

Is there a link for you between entrepreneurship and climbing?

Yeah, that’s a good question. There is a link in that people get worried about things in normal life, which they don’t need to get worried about. If you climb mountains on a regular basis sometimes you come pretty close, well sometimes you get killed, but you come Mark (left) discussing rock shoe design with Jerry Moffatt (centre) and Wolfgang Güllich (right).

pretty close to death and the importance of something like money or whatever, suddenly seems to be very small if you’re fighting for your life on some mountain. I think if you want be an entrepreneur you ought to be a climber first, then you might do better.

Mark climbing the Old Man of Hoy, Scotland, in 2006.

What have been the challenges of adapting to a new way of life when diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 54?

Well I carried on climbing for a bit, I didn’t just stop. Its 18 years since I was diagnosed and I actually only gave up climbing completely about a year ago, maybe a bit longer about 18 months ago. I was lucky, the pills seemed to work and I was able to continue being pretty active - it’s getting harder and harder now.

You served as president of the British Mountaineering Council - you’ve been called a ‘moderniser’ as far as the organisation is concerned. Do you agree with that, and what were the challenges of the role for you at the time?

At that time there was a problem with the finances of the organisation, they spent a lot of money on things, which they perhaps shouldn’t have spent it on. When I was elected president same - they were fairly small and they were crowded, just cramped

nobody else wanted to do the job, and I was in a position where I

and crammed. I had seen a shop in America called LLB, which was

wanted to continue being involved in mountaineering but couldn’t

huge, and I couldn’t afford to do anything like that but I did think it

actually go climbing, so my loss was the BMC’s gain - that’s the way

would be possible to get an old building and do it up so there was a

I see it. I changed quite a few different things, particularly regarding

bit more space and the right sort of ambience to encourage people

the democracy of the organisation - which I think made it a better

to buy things. It turned out to be a good move.

organisation. I don’t mind rolling my sleeves up and getting involved in something, and I got very involved in the BMC.

In 1992 you were part of the team that launched Sheffield’s climbing wall called The Foundry. Why indoor climbing, then?

You’ve had a big impact on the climbing industry - what do you

Yeah that was a lot of fun. It was something which was beginning to

think is next for climbing?

take off on the continent, in Belgium and I think they had some in

More of the same, but its getting more diversified. I mean there’s a

Holland. We went and saw these and we thought we could do better.

lot of different games that can be played on mountains, you know,

We thought we could make the walls more interesting, more like an

from walking up them to skiing down them, fell running - like the

indoor crag. And we did.

lady from Yorkshire who did the double Bob Graham (Nicky Spinks Ed.) - that is absolutely extraordinary for somebody as an ex-cancer

On top of all these business ventures, you’ve successfully

victim doing that. I mean I’ve done half of it, but turning around

completed some impressive climbs - which are the most

and going all the way back again is absolutely outstanding. So

memorable and why?

there are new games being played, competition climbing has been

Well, there are two sorts of climbs; there are rock climbs and

introduced over the last 20 or so years and a lot of people like that,

alpine climbs. The most memorable rock climb was on El Capitan

a lot of people don’t like it. These games are relatively cheap and as

in Yosemite Valley, California which was a 3000ft face, which took

long as you don’t have accidents they keep you pretty fit.

three and a half days to climb, even though now a days people do it in three and a half hours or less, which is just amazing.

Then there’s alpine climbing, which means usually walking up snow, climbing up snow and ice, and a certain amount of rock www.mountainpromag.com

Is there anything else you want to add?

Can I just say that I feel extremely privileged to have done the things that I have done.

JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 13

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British watch brand Elliot Brown has teamed up with Mountain Pro to give away a Mountain Rescue England & Wales special edition watch to raise awareness of this voluntary organisation that provides an essential, life saving service.

The limited edition Mountain Rescue watch 202-012 (£360) is based on Elliot Brown’s durable Canford collection.

For each watch sold £36 will be donated to Mountain Rescue to help raise funds to buy vital equipment and for Mountain Rescue members the watches are available to buy at the considerably discounted price.

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Interview - Noel Hanna Adventurers Lynne and Noel Hanna have made history by becoming the first husband and wife team to climb Mount Everest from both sides. The couple successfully summited together from the Nepal/south side in 2009 and on 21st May they successfully summited from the north side in Tibet.

This feat was both a physical and personal triumph for the couple who stood on top of the world’s tallest mountain to sprinkle the ashes of their beloved dog, Babu.

Here Noel talks about the feat and how he finds the energy and endurance to complete such challenges.

When we last spoke you were about to attempt Everest from Tibet/north side with your wife Lynne. Was the trip a success?

Yes, we successfully summited from the north side in Tibet, on Saturday, May 21 at 07:00 Tibetan time after a 7 hour climb from high camp at 8300mts. We then returned back to Advance Based Camp at 6400 at 1800 hrs the same day. This feat was a record-breaking triumph for Lynne and I as it makes us the only married couple to summit from both sides.

You attempted the trip before and had to stop due to retinal haemorrhaging. Did you have to face any life threatening situations this time?

We both prepared well and trained very hard for the expedition and we didn’t have any health issues.

You previous summited Everest together from Nepal/south side. What unique challenges did the Tibet/north side present?

This trip was my 7th summit of the north side and each time it has been very different. On treks like this it is usually the weather causes most of the issues.

How do you compare the two sides?

The north is more technical at later stages therefore more dangerous than the south in my opinion.

Whilst on the climb how important was nutrition and did you use any supplements?

Nutrition and diet are essential to the body’s ability to complete such treks.

I try to get all of my essential nutrients from my diet, however I take a Q10 supplement because it is one nutrient that you can’t get enough of through your diet.

16 Mountain Pro | JULY 2016

Q10 is critical for energy metabolism and yet is depleted during intense exercise, therefore Q10 supplementation is important to Lynne and I. We have both taken Bio-Quinone Q10 since 2009 and it gives us added energy, coupled with great muscle recovery.

The Everest expedition is all about endurance it is a long expedition over 7 weeks and the body starts to breakdown with poor nutrition and lack of sleep you need all the help you can get and Bio-Quinone Q10 provides it.

You took your German shepherd’s ashes with you, how did it feel when you finally got to scatter them?

Lynne and I first attempted the north side of the mountain in 2005, but were forced to abandon it when I experienced retinal hemorrhaging in my eyes. On our return home to Northern Ireland we got Babu, to keep me company as I recovered and we had a very special bond. Babu trained with us in the mountains throughout his 10 years, but sadly passed away last year. I felt very emotional; we had both decided when Babu passed away that we would remember him by taking his ashes to Everest. I now feel he is at peace on top of the world.

What’s your next adventure?

I am heading to K2 in Pakistan, it is a very technical peak at 8611 M it is lower than Everest but much more difficult with less than 300 summits in the last 50 years. www.mountainpromag.com

FEATURE

Life a

18 Mountain Pro | JULY 2016

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nd Death

lessons from the Mountain

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger? Paul Pritchard tells a tale that moves beyond the platitudes.

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JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 19

feature

I

t is the most profound moment in one’s life: the moment of death. I was acutely aware that my life was about to end.

There was little I could do about it apart from calmly accept my fate, and make my last moments as mentally comfortable,

as undistressing as possible. At the same time I had to keep my options open (here’s a novel idea: “what if I lived”). In my confused state, I had little motivation for reviewing my life, and it was with a strangely comfortable detachment that I contemplated my demise.

Where was all this blood coming from? This was my initial thought when I came-to, face down, on a ledge pooled in my own sticky secretion. I fondled the top of my head and discovered a huge hole in my skull. When I pulled it away my hand was not only painted red but also bathed in a clear watery substance cerebrospinal fluid. My right side had no feeling and I could not move my right arm or leg. I was alone and for a moment didn’t know where I was.

Then, slowly it all came back to me: I was halfway up a needle of rock, aptly named The Totem Pole - sixty meters high and only four meters square. This obelisk, as slender as Cleopatra’s Needle, stands in the sea on a remote stretch of coastline in southern Tasmania. My partner Celia Bull and I were attempting to climb it when a paving stone sized block scythed through the air thirty meters into my head.

Celia hauled me the thirty meters up to that ledge but I was too out of it to notice much. However, whatever happened next, I knew I could trust her with my life. I was dimly aware that she had Jumared out to alert the rescue. So I entered into a sort of meditative trance, neither asleep nor awake, neither fearful nor complacent - just nonjudgmentally aware of my state and my surroundings. So passed ten long hours on that tiny ledge before a difficult rescue ensued.

I realised there and then if I had any hope of surviving this I was going to have to bring all my twenty years of climbing experience into play. I had to show extreme patience and extreme determination at the same time. All I wanted to do was go to sleep but I was certain if I did so it might have been the last sleep I made.

Looking back, rock climbing and mountaineering uniquely prepared me for this very day, and it did so by teaching me five, very valuable lessons.

Lesson number one was imparted to me on the East Face of El Capitan in Yosemite, California: On a climb we named Adrift because it wandered around in the Pacific Ocean area left of North America Wall - the first few pitches of Adrift are now Jorgeson and Caldwell’s famous Free Dawn. Here I learnt the true meaning of freedom. It was my first big-wall and I was introduced to a sea of stone, looking down while all the rest of the world are looking up. There began a lifetime of following my passion. Instead of following a well planned out career, I chose to climb.

I know what you are thinking: That this brain injury could have been avoided early on if I had only ignored my passion and got a steady job. However, that would have been a slow death to me and, as you will see, my life has improved through paralysis.

Lesson number two was taught while sitting out a weeklong storm on a sheer side of the Central Tower of Paine. ‘Tres Platos’,‘The Knife’, ‘The Fly’ (Sean Smith, Simon Yates, Noel Craine) and I were

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half way up this surreal granite spire in Chilean Patagonia. We were attempting to climb a route no one had climbed before. Through the telescope at Base Camp we made out a hairline fracture that ran over a kilometre direct to the summit. Patagonia is infamous for the ferocious storms it can conjure up out of nowhere and at times the storm was flying the porta-ledge, with us in it, like a kite. Here I learned that we are not in charge of our own destiny and so fear is meaningless. That doesn’t mean one should not be concerned for ones own welfare: just that being paralysed with fear or not being paralysed with fear, the result will remain the same. I was now using this fatalistic approach to great effect.

I learnt also the benefit of patience in Patagonia. During one expedition to Cerro Torre I had to sit out a six week storm with a handful of unlikely characters including ‘Strappo’ and ‘Manuel’ (Roger Hughes and Leigh McGinley). Never had we whittled so many artistic pieces from the timber of the beech forests. This particular knowledge, honed over several expeditions was also invaluable to me in my present predicament.

My fourth instruction, this time in humility, came on Meru Peak, the Hindu centre of the universe. The year was 1993 and we had come to climb the Sharks Fin, an improbable but highly sought after prize that would later become somewhat of a last great problem of the Himalayas. It had been attempted many times before and many times since, only succumbing in 2011. We were going strong, until disaster struck in the form of footwear. Johnny Dawes fumbled his plastic boot whilst struggling to put it on one morning. We watched with heavy hearts as it spun into the void below. The day before Johnny had free climbed a very difficult pitch in the rarefied air of over 6000 meters. Philip Lloyd and I climbed on for a day but couldn’t justify sending Johnny down on his own wearing only one boot. The three of us were forced to eat the ‘humbles of the deer’ and slide back down to earth. We are not as important as we like to make out and mountains are unresponsive to climber’s desires.

This indifference is what furnishes them with such beauty and such

I realised there and then if I had any hope of surviving this i was going to have to bring all my twenty years of climbing experience into play.

danger.

My final lesson came on Mt Asgard on Baffin Island. Here I finally grasped the benefit of stubborn determination: perhaps my most useful instruction in the trials to come. This mountain is a flat top giant ringed by huge cliffs. The vertical wall took us eleven days to climb but only after two weeks of ferrying loads over passes and glaciers and across a seemingly endless flat-bottomed valley we named the elastic flats. Having summited we returned to the heads of the fjord and discovered that the solid ice we had skidooed over on the approach had melted. This necessitated a march over the tundra, food having been exhausted days ago. Here, for the first time, I went into a trance putting one foot in front of the other for long hours. I pushed myself so hard on this trip to the Canadian Arctic that it took me half a year to recover. But we had climbed Mount Asgard.

Later…

After ten hours on that ledge I became aware that I was being lowered into a waiting boat by a paramedic. I had lost half my blood and the surgeon had to pick shards of bone and lichen out of my brain in the dead of night.

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feature

It has now been eighteen years since my accident and my life has broadened out to include more than ‘just’ rock climbing and mountaineering - a whole gamut of human experience. It now encompasses pedal sea kayaking, parenting, speleology, a university degree (I left school for the Verdon at 16), river rafting (though I won’t be making a habit of that particular pursuit), pedalling my recumbent trike through Tibet to Everest Base Camp, as well as lead climbing again.

Though I still enjoy climbing once in a while, with only half a

a lesson beyond price: to be present and not to squander this precious gift called life.

functioning body it is now much more painful and challenging.

What’s more, eighteen years of living with a disability has again

safety and providing the much needed Talisker, I would never have

provided me with a lesson beyond price: to be present and not to

been able to realise my dream. Just as an Olympian has a team of

squander this precious gift called life.

dieticians, trainers and coaches, a politician spin doctors, a scientist

This year, with the assistance of 10 people, I went back to the

benefactors, or a writer a readership. Every one of us relies on each

Totem Pole and I finally climbed it. This was my most important sixth

other and needs a helping hand sometimes; even the strongest and

lesson: Without every one of those people, helping to carry gear,

most resilient of us. It’s only that some need a little more help than

ropes, food and water; without people cooking and making tea, on

others.

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reader’s report

All photos: Andreas Bengtsson

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White

Gold Johan Andersson might just have found the holy grail – a man who always knows where the best powder is.

R

ight place at the right time is the dream all keen off-piste skiers have for their ski holiday. In order to make the dream come true I booked a ski trip with a different way of delivering the white gold.

I have just landed with my friends at Geneva and we’re waiting for the

luggage to arrive. A text arrives to my phone…

“I’m at the Montreaux Jazz café. Walk to the right when you get out.”

We are talking to some girls. They are on their way to Chamonix and discussing if the snow if good enough to make it worth hiring a guide to do the Valle Blanche.

“Where are you going?” one of them asks.

Without thinking, I reply “I don’t know.”

“What?”

“Well I don’t know.”

“Aha, ok” “ but... “ Oh dear, not the best way to to impress! Then again, never mind vanity - I want to know. The person to answer that question is Andreas Bengtsson Moström. Andreas is a

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reader’s report

Swedish mountain guide who has skied around 300 ski resorts in

The first chairlift takes us from the village at 1400m up to 1900m.

11 different countries (including 4 in Iran and 30 in Japan). He is the

There’s 10-15 cm powder on the slope. We are shouting, playing and

one waiting for us at the jazz café. He is the founder of Mountain

jumping in the feather light snow during the short run down to the

Guide Travel, a mountain guide bureau specialized in finding powder

next lift. Now, we climb to 2700m and are inside the clouds, above

snow and the brain behind a the trip I have signed up for – a concept

the forest.

called Best Skiing At The Moment.

“We are going to start in Clavier. There is a low pressure moving up from the Mediterranean and the tree skiing in Piemonte will be

“Follow close behind me and shout if you lose contact with the person in front of you.”

Carefully, we drift down the slope on the other side. Andreas turns

the best place over the next 3-4 days. Then the isotherm is going

right into the mist and disappears. Suddenly the snow is up to our

up but we can ski the high glaciers over on the French side. Besides

knees. Everyone is silent, visibility is zero and all I can see is the

Barolo is my favorite wine and coffee is great!”

back of my friend in front of me. How does Andreas navigate? And

Just a few minutes later the bags are in the van and we are driving towards the Alps. That great feeling of an adventure ski trip with friends is in the air. We all throw our questions at Andreas and his passion for skiing and finding snow is impressive.

“Have you skied all resorts in the alps?”

“No, only about 200, I still have many to explore.”

why is he singing?! Suddenly I can see a small house and behind it some trees.

“Come closer so you can see the line”, calls Andreas.

In front of us is a perfect 25 degree slope with big trees spaced 4-8m apart.

“Ok guys, welcome to best skiing at the moment. You can ski left

The following morning we are handed Transceiver, shovel, probe

or right of my track as you like, after 300m we’ll cross a road and I’ll

and avalanche balloon backpack. Andreas has wide powder skies in

wait for you there. There is a small drop in some places down to the

his van for rent, for those that chose not to bring their own. After the

road, remember to slow down when you see that there are no more

avalanche briefing we ski down to the ski lift from the hotel. There

trees. “

is 3cm of new snow but the sky is grey and there is a light snowfall.

Then he takes off. All we can see is a cloud of snow and his blue

Is this the best the Alps has to offer? The slope is empty and there is

helmet floating down in between the trees, disappearing at every

no queue for the lift.

turn in puffs of fresh powder. We follow, and soon the forest is full

“I love Italy and this is the best weather for skiing. No Italians ski

of shouting from happy skiers high on adrenaline. Andreas is waiting

in this weather”, Andreas comments on our fascination that we are

further down with his camera, taking pictures of us popping up out

almost alone.

of the powder. It’s like magic. The snow is over my waist and on the

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Suddenly the snow is up to our knees.

Everyone is silent, visibility is zero and all I can see is the back of my friend in front of me. How does Andreas navigate? And why is he singing?!

Best Skiing At The Moment guide: Andreas Bengtsson

turns it’s over my head.

“How did you know it was this deep? Can we go up and do it again? Where is the lift? Do we need to walk to get back?”

Andreas is just smiling and putting his camera away.

“Please follow me” he says and takes of into the forest on the other side of the road. Many powder turns later and 700 vertical meters lower we come out neatly by the side of a chair lift. It’s the best powder day of my life. By the time we finish lunch there’s enough new snow to lay fresh tracks. True skiing luxury.

Tuesday and Wednesday are just as good and on Thursday and Friday the sun comes out and we get to ski the bigger powder lines above the trees. It is all magical. Over dinner on Friday evening Andreas explains he is concerned the temperature is going up and the snow will get heavier. “The isotherm will be at 3000m, so I’d like to go higher. How about we check out tomorrow and leave the hotel to ski in Alp d’Huez on the way back to Geneva? If we leave at 8 we will be there by the time the lift opens at 9. If we are lucky, the small low pressure from the west will add some new snow tonight on that side.”

It’s a plan. And there are definitely no complaints when we find another 20cm of powder snow at 3300m the day after. On the last night, we stay in a

Find the White Gold

“Best skiing at the moment” runs Sunday to Sunday from December to March –

hotel in Annecy on the way back to Geneva. My friend

booking for 2017 is open now. It includes all ground transport during the week

Thomas gives a toast to the week and our mountain

incl. transfer to from the airport, ski passes, accommodation incl. breakfast, a

guide with the words. “I have skied more powder in

UIAGM/ IFMGA certified Mountain Guide and all safety equipment.

one week then I did in a whole season as a ski bum in

For more information visit www.mountainguide.se

Chamonix 20 years ago”.

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Film

our semi regular double bill of the best of outdoor film.

Damavand - An Iranian Dream Sponsored by Trek and Mountain and the BMC, this short film by Mathew Traver and Hot Aches Productions follows a UK ski mountaineering team who set out to climb Iran’s highest mountain. The team is lead by Shirin Shabestari, an Iranian now resident in London. The film examines the pivotal role mountaineering played in Shirin’s upbringing and shows just how much this summit means to her.

Hooks Independent filmmaking at it’s most charming, this is the full length tale of walker and writer Stephen Pern’s journey around every MBA bothy in the UK, told with humour and affection. It’s worth catching Stephen’s older film on youtube – Down the Spine of Japan – too.

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mountain heritage

The Legacy of

Jo e Task e r Joe Tasker and Family in Hull

Nicole Macgregor from the Mountain Heritage Trust looks at the life of Joe Tasker, pioneering climber and inspirational writer.

Early life

that an overhanging climb that took everyone else ten minutes, Joe

Joe Tasker was born in Hull on the 12th May 1948. He grew up

could climb in two.

in a Roman Catholic family and was the second of ten children.

When Joe was seven years old he and his family moved to Teesside

At the age of 20, Joe decided to leave the college.

“He was always grateful for the excellent education he had

where Joe attended St Thomas’ Primary school in Port Clarence.

received and his amazing will power and stoicism may perhaps have

After a move to Billingham Joe became interested in the outdoors.

been partly due to the somewhat Spartan way of life and to the

He joined the scouts and went on trips to the Lake District and the

Jesuit ideals of spiritual development through self-denial. He started

Cleveland Hills. His family and friends recall antics such as climbing

his training as a priest but at twenty he realised that he did not have

up lamp posts and on the gates of the Middleborough transporter

the vocation and decided to leave – the hardest decision of his life.”

Joe Tasker 1948-1982 Obituary, Dick Renshaw.

bridge.

At the age of thirteen Joe went off to school at Ushaw Seminary College in Durham to study to become a priest. Around this time, Joe

Partners in climb

started to rock climb and discover a love of adventure. In 1966 Joe

After leaving Ushaw College Joe worked as a dustman and then

began climbing in a quarry near Ushaw. One of his teachers noted

went on to study Sociology at Manchester University. It was here he

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would make friends with his first climbing partner, Dick Renshaw.

experiences because, despite the risks, ‘visiting the mountains had

Joe and Dick climbed together in the Alps in the 1970s and by 1975

become a way of life’.

had succeeded in climbing the North Face of the Eiger in winter.

Soon after they went on their first major expedition to Dunagiri, a

The last expedition

7,066m high mountain in the Himalaya. After driving all the way in a

In the winter of 1980-1981 Joe Tasker was part of an eight-

Ford Escort van they climbed Dunagiri in a light-weight Alpine-style

man expedition to climb the West Ridge of Everest without

ascent. However, on the descent they ran out of food and fuel, and

supplementary oxygen - the same style in which Joe summited

Dick suffered frostbite to his fingers.

Kangchenjunga in 1979. The expedition was unsuccessful and the team was defeated by

After their return from Dunagiri Joe was inspired

illness, exhaustion and

Joe Tasker and Pete Boardman on Changabang

to climb another Himalayan

brutal weather conditions.

peak, however Dick was still

Joe returned to Everest in

recovering from frostbite and

1982.

This expedition to climb

unable to climb. Joe needed to find another climbing

the North East Ridge

partner.

involved several members who Joe had been on

He found Pete Boardman.

An accomplished

previous expeditions with

mountaineer and writer,

including Chris Bonington,

Pete was the ideal climbing

Pete Boardman, Charlie

partner. Although they had

Clarke and Dick Renshaw.

Joe and Pete were

never climbed together before, Joe had complete

last seen on the evening

faith;

of the 17th May 1982 climbing near the summit

“With some people it is not

before they completely

necessary to have climbed in

disappeared from view.

their company to know that they… share the same spirit” Savage Arena, Joe Tasker, p92.

The next challenge for the pair was the unclimbed West Wall of

Adrian Gordon set off to climb the North Col in hope of gaining

Changabang (6864m). Joe’s predication that he and Pete would

a view of the two climbers. For three days they waited before

climb well together proved to be correct. They succeeded in the first

returning the base camp. They had to accept that Pete and Joe could

ascent of the West Wall on the 15th October 1976.

not have survived.

After 1976 Joe’s mountaineering expeditions were mostly to the world’s three highest mountains. Joe, Pete Boardman and Doug Scott achieved the third ascent, and first lightweight ascent, of

The next day Chris Bonington and advance base camp manager

At a press conference on his return from the expedition, Chris Bonington said “On the 19th, the 20th, and 21st, we saw no sign of them and

Kangchenjunga on the 16th May 1979. You can read about British

by the 21st I realised that, almost certainly, something had gone

climbing history on Kangchenjunga in the April issue of Mountain

seriously wrong. One was injured or dead and the other had not

Pro.

been able to signal to us or get help. We were desperately worried.”

Joe also succeeded in the first ascent of Mount Kongur (7649m) in China on the 12th July 1981 alongside Pete Boardman, Chris Bonington and Al Rouse.

In an article written by Dr. Charlie Clarke for the BMC he notes that

The disappearance of Joe Tasker and Pete Boardman in May 1982 remains a mystery.

Joe was also a writer. His books have inspired generations of writers and mountaineers and are now considered must-read

Joe later wrote the following about a particularly memorable section

classics of mountain literature. His last book - Savage Arena - was

of the ascent: “It was the most gripping lead I did on the entire

released after his disappearance. In retrospect it almost reads like

climb. I was wading through steep, waist-deep snow and it took me

an obituary tracing his life back to Ushaw and through his major

an hour to climb 300 feet. I had to stamp down every step before I

expeditions.

dared put my weight on it. I was quite frightened but thought, Chris is belaying me. He’s on the ridge and can always jump down the

Mountain Heritage Trust, alongside Ushaw College

other side if the slope avalanches away.”

and Durham University, are delighted to introduce

Expeditions were not always this successful and there was always a high level of risk. On the 1978 expedition to K2, Nick Estcourt was swept away and killed by an avalanche. Joe returned to this

a new exhibition celebrating the life and legacy of Joe Tasker. The exhibition can be seen at Ushaw College, Durham from the 25th June to the 1st

mountain in 1980 determined to summit, but was almost killed

September then at Keswick Museum and Art Gallery from the 9th

himself when buried by an avalanche. Joe was never deterred by his

September until May 2017.

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book

Wild Country: The man who made Friends

Mark Vallance has some impressive accomplishments to his name, perhaps the best-known being the founding of rockclimbing equipment company, Wild Country. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in his mid-fifties, Mark was robbed of his plans for retirement, but found a new sense of purpose as a reforming president of the British Mountaineering Council and in writing his autobiography, Wild Country: The man who made Friends. In this extract from his book, published on 2 June 2016, Mark tells how he followed a lifelong ambition to climb one of the big Himalayan peaks.

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Climbing at high altitude is very different from Alpine climbing. I cannot think of any other activity to which it equates, except maybe ocean sailing.It is committing, debilitating and dangerous.

Everest (8,848 metres) on the left, Cho Oyu (8,201 metres) and other peaks seen from the Pang La.

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book

I

had always wanted to climb a big mountain but it wasn’t until 1989 that I felt relaxed enough about the business to take several weeks off. Time was passing and I wasn’t getting any younger. If I didn’t get on with it, my dream would remain just

that – a dream. One expedition was all I wanted. One summit would satisfy my urge. It didn’t have to be Everest. Though it is very big, it is also very expensive, and even then was getting overcrowded. A smaller objective would be fine, so long as it was the real deal. As it turned out, one mountain did not feed the rat, it just whetted its appetite. Over the course of the next three years I went first to Nepal, then to Tibet and finally the Karakoram.

A Himalayan trip should not be taken lightly. In the fifties, some mountaineers talked about conquering mountains. I don’t know of any mountain that has been conquered, but I know of many mountaineers for whom the reverse is true. It is a matter of complete indifference to a mountain whether or not a mountaineer sets foot on its summit or not.

When I was a young climber, 8,000-metre peaks were invitation only. They were expensive, required sophisticated logistics and participants needed to take a couple of months off work. To get on a team, you needed an extensive mountaineering track record. I did not have the time or experience to organise my own expedition, but by the time I got around to realising my ambition, the commercial expedition business had burst into life. The more ambitious trekking companies had started by climbing straightforward lower-altitude peaks. It was only a matter of time before guiding services began on big mountains.

I saw an advertisement in one of the climbing magazines that a company in Bristol was offering an expedition to Changtse, the northern peak of the Everest group. It was over 7,500 metres high and approached from Tibet like the early British expeditions to Everest in the twenties and thirties. It was among the very first

ascent.

There was much work to do before we left, checking equipment

commercial expeditions organised and marketed by a British

and buying fresh food that would survive the trek to Base Camp. We

company. I picked up the phone and talked to Steve Bell, one of the

explored the city on bikes from the Summit Hotel, a quiet oasis on

owners of Himalayan Kingdoms, later Jagged Globe, and leader of

the fringe of town. In the evenings we ate steaks at Rum Doodle, or

the expedition. It was just what I was looking for: no time-consuming

great Thai food at Yin Yang in the garish tourist district of Thamel. I

logistics, no finding a team. All I had to do was get to the airport with

had expected Kathmandu to be like a bigger Darjeeling, but I could

a rucksack full of high-altitude climbing kit.

not have been more wrong. Darjeeling is a spacious town, at least in

The make-up of our team was diverse. Two Norwegians, a Finn and two Brits, a BBC producer called Graham Hoyland and me, flew from Europe. In Kathmandu Steve introduced us to those members of the

my memory, clean by Indian standards and at 7,000 feet relatively cool. Kathmandu, at 3,000 feet, is hot, dusty and dirty.

We went to Dumre by minibus and hired a beaten-up old truck to

team from the southern hemisphere: two Aussies, the New Zealand

take us on to Bhotewodar where we spent the night. We had maps,

guide Russell Brice and a chap from Hong Kong. I had assumed I

but they were inaccurate, and though we had a vague idea of the

would be one of the older members but as it turned out I was about

way to the bottom of the mountain, the Japanese, who had made the

in the middle. Russell was supplying most of the logistics for our

first ascent, had approached from the other side. We faced six days

trip. He had a lock-up in Kathmandu and a rather motley selection

of trekking uphill to get us to where we thought we could make our

of tents and shelters. Russell also had his own team of Sherpas who

base camp at about 14,500 feet. On the third day we came to a small

worked as a sort of cooperative.

village where the children ran away from us. I think we must have

Our first problem was that the border between Nepal and Tibet

been among the first Europeans they had seen.

had closed as a consequence of the demonstrations and massacre in

Climbing at high altitude is very different from Alpine climbing. I

Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Changtse was off the menu. Steve Bell

cannot think of any other activity to which it equates, except maybe

immediately sought permission from the Nepali authorities to climb

ocean sailing.It is committing, debilitating and dangerous. Most of

an outlier of Himalchuli, a mountain south of Manaslu and similar

the climbers who grasp this particular nettle do not spend much

in altitude to Changtse. Even better, it had only had one previous

time, if any, on technical rock, or even technical ice. They are more

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Mark Vallance contemplates a pair of working man’s hands following his ascent of The Nose, El Capitan.

Mark Vallance rappelling down to the sea ice to inspect an emperor penguin colony during his time with the British Antarctic Survey.

Wild Country is published by Vertebrate and is available here: http://bit.ly/28LOu9B often trudging up a trail carrying a huge pack, hoping the next camp is not too far away.

The three-kilometre ridge on Himalchuli, between the small

got back to the Summit Hotel in Kathmandu.

The other team members insisted I write to Jilly Cooper to tell

summit at the start of the ridge, first climbed on Graham’s birthday

her how much we had enjoyed her book so I did, telling the story of

and consequently dubbed Graham’s Knob, and the top was a

how I had carved up her book. My letter would have arrived at her

Himalayan version of the Cuillins with technical sections that Russell

publisher the following Monday morning. On Wednesday her reply

and I had to equip so we could all carry loads safely. I could not

popped through our letterbox and was immediately pinned up on

believe how hard Russell worked, or how conscientious he was. I had

the corkboard in our kitchen, where we left it for months:

brought the prototype Terra Nova four-person tent that I had been working on with a view to using it on the mountain to get feedback

Dear Mark,

on the size and design and to photograph it. We pitched this tent

Life is very bleak, sometimes, even for writers living in beautiful

about halfway along the ridge as Camp 2.

parts of Gloucestershire, and I cannot tell you how your wonderful,

The last thing I had done before making my way to the boarding gate at Heathrow was pop into WH Smith to buy a paperback. I had

wonderful letter absolutely cheered me up to the sky, as high as your mountain.

a couple of books already but I felt a bit light on reading material. I

It was a wonderful letter and a wonderful testament to a writer

didn’t have much time so I picked up the thickest paperback I could

to think of you all reading bits of me so high up. You have made me

see: Rivals by Jilly Cooper. Five weeks later, high on Himalchuli, four

very, very happy. I feel warm and cherished and I am very glad that I

of us lay in the prototype tent in our sleeping bags, waiting for a

made you laugh. Will you give my love to everybody and say thank

storm to blow itself out. I had read 600 pages of Rivals; the other

you so much for such a wonderful tribute. I’m in the middle of writing

three had finished their books. Carefully I divided my book into

a sort of semi-sequel to Rivals at the moment, on polo; I’m very stuck

four pieces, keeping the last part for myself and distributing the

on it but letters like yours certainly help to break the block.

remaining three. It didn’t really matter that you read the sections in the correct order. Everybody enjoyed what they had and we were

Much love to you all,

still swapping individual chapters for a pint of beer when we finally

Jilly.

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wildlife and nature

A guide to

Wildflowers Felicity Martin unlocks the secrets of our mountain flora

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A group walking through blooming heather

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JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 37

wildlife and nature

Ling is the heather that covers vast swathes of hillside

H

illwalkers often know little about the mountain and moorland wildflowers under their feet, but are delighted to discover their names and the folklore associated with them. Understanding when and where different species

occur adds to the overall outdoor experience and can even aid route choice – I’d rather walk on dry grassy ground flecked with tormentil than through a patch of bog asphodel where my boots will be squelching. The steeper the hill, the closer the flowers are to your eyes as you climb and, possibly, the more welcome a pause to stop and look more closely.

The natural beauty of wildflowers means that they are a good way of introducing people to the ecology of the places they are visiting.

It is easier to spark interest in an elegant spike of early purple Heath bedstraw grows in dense mats

orchid or in a bright pink clump of wild thyme, before engaging a group in the subtler colours and forms of mosses, liverworts and lichens, or the geology of the rocks those are growing on.

On early morning hill climbs, Alpine lady’s mantle is beaded with dew, each globule reflecting the sky and surrounding landscape.

As the wind picks up, it tosses around the impossibly slendernecked butterwort flowers – so fragile yet so strong. What at first sight appears to be drab green and brown moorland reveals, on closer examination, a whole palette of hidden colours. To survive the harsh environment of wild and windswept hills most plants are miniaturised and hug the ground. Tiny blue milkwort, white heath bedstraw and shy violets are readily missed in the mat of low vegetation.

When you crouch down to see the details on the upturned face of a starry saxifrage it is difficult to feel anything but wonder at its strange and perfect form, which could be the creation of a sci-fi movie. A pair of yellow dots gleam at the base of each waxy white petal and in front of them protrude what look like antennae, each with a bulbous red top. These are stamens, the male part of the flower, with the pollen bearing anthers on their tips. In the centre of the flower, the creamy female pistils, shaped like two conjoined cloves of garlic, swell and redden once they are fertilised and seeds start to develop within.

Once you are more familiar with wildflowers, you can predict what you will find in differing habitats. The mix of species alters

Tormentil is common on most grassy hills

as altitude increases, from heathland flowers on the lower hills to alpine specialists on mountain tops. Climate plays a part too – for

Butterwort catches insects on its sticky leaves to nourish the plant

instance heather is more common in central and eastern hills than in the wetter west. Certain flowers, such as wood anemone and chickweed wintergreen, can be an indicator that a hillside was once wooded.

The underlying geology also has a significant role to play.

Although some species can grow in a variety of soils, others will only survive in acid peaty ground or where limestone is present.

Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve is famous for its collection of alpine flowers, some of which grow nowhere else in Britain, because of the combination of height (up to nearly 4,000 feet / 1220m) and lime-rich rocks. On a more local basis, topography also governs what will grow, with wet hollows providing habitat for sundews or marsh

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When you crouch down to see the details on the upturned face of a starry saxifrage it is difficult to feel anything but wonder at its strange and perfect form, which could be the creation of a sci-fi movie. lousewort, while eyebright and harebells require well-drained

Heath spotted orchid comes into flower in June An ungrazed ledge with vigorous growth of mountain sorrel and Alpine forget-me-not

ground.

Naturally, wildflower spotting is a seasonal activity. You won’t find wildflowers blooming in the hills in autumn or winter, although you could enjoy the fruits of cloudberry, bilberry or crowberry in late summer. Purple saxifrage is the first species to appear in the mountains as snowfields recede, while heather is one of the latest to flower. Sometimes there is a clue in the name, as with the rare early gentian, now sadly only found in Teesdale.

Britain’s wildflowers are subject to human management of the land, as nowhere is beyond our influence. Most species have disappeared from intensively cropped agricultural land, except for those that hang on in field margins and hedgerows. In the hills they have largely escaped herbicides, but their extent has been affected by grazing and management for sport shooting. These practices have favoured certain species over others – for instance the mix of plants was more varied and taller growing before sheep took over from cattle as the principal livestock. On grouse moors a patchwork of variously aged heather is created by burning, which reduces biodiversity, whilst on hills with artificially high deer populations the vegetation suffers trampling as well as grazing.

Our rarest species keep a toehold in a few sites, such as inaccessible mountain ledges. Last summer I went hunting for flowers I’d not seen before on Ben Lawers and neighbouring Beinn Ghlas. Taking care not to tread on any precious specimens, or let

Close up of starry saxifrage

vertigo on the steep grassy sloes suck me over a crag, I explored high, shady places beyond the mouths of sheep and deer. Here winter lingers longest, giving ‘Alpine’ conditions. The vegetation was taller and thicker on these ledges, but the only plants of any size I saw were roseroot, its yellow heads topping a cactus-like stem ringed by fleshy leaves, and Alpine sorrel, whose long green flowers spikes rose from a mass of kidney-shaped leaves.

The tangle of vegetation was flecked with blue, pink and white, but I had to peer closely and gently part the stems to see which leaves belonged to which flower. Many of the pretty plants I spotted were new to me, although I recognised the families they belong to. I took many photographs home, where I pored over books and the internet to put names to Alpine forget-me-not,

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Close up of Alpine-forget-me-not

JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 39

wildlife and nature

Ripening cloudberry fruit with its raspberry-like leaf

Moorland and damp heaths

Grassy uplands

Mountains

Tormentil

Cloudberry

Heather (ling)

Eyebright

Purple saxifrage

Bell heather

Common dog violet

Starry saxifrage

Cross-leaved heath

Common milkwort

Yellow saxifrage

Bilberry (blaeberry),

Bird’s-foot trefoil

Alpine lady’s

Cowberry

Devilsbit scabious

mantle

Crowberry

Heath bedstraw

Round-leaved

Lady’s bedstraw

sundew

Wild Thyme

Common

Heath speedwell

Moss campion

butterwort Lousewort Bog asphodel Heath spotted orchid

Alpine mouse ear, thyme-leaved speedwell, mossy saxifrage, rock whitlow grass and others. Of course, when trying to confirm my sightings, I realised that I should have also made notes about Cross-leaved heath grows wet ground and has greyish foliage

features I may not have clearly captured: the number of petals, shape of leaves and whether they were opposite or alternate on the stem.

My own knowledge of wildflowers has developed this way by exploring different habitats. It started in childhood by learning the range of common plants my parents could identify then adding to them through my own study. Walking with people with much deeper botanical expertise also helped, though I’d seldom remember the Latin names they gave me!

What I’ve found most exciting about discovering wildflowers is learning about their life cycles and how their properties have been used by people in the past. I remember as a child bringing home from holiday a jam jar containing a sundew I’d found in an Irish bog. Although very numerous there, it was species I’d never seen growing up in the south of England. The fact that it was carnivorous fascinated me and I fed it so many flies that all its leaved curled

Cloudberry has a large white flower

up to digest them and I could no longer admire how the sticky globules protruding from the leaves reflected the light. It was only later that I discovered another insectivorous plant, butterwort, and later still that I found out the significance of its name.

As with many wildflowers, the name butterwort hints at the use it as been put to, with the common ‘wort’ suffix being Middle English for root, herb or plant.

Its sticky, bright yellow-green leaves were used to curdle

Eyebright flowers are beautiful when seen close up

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milk as the first stage in making butter. The leaves

Our rarest species keep a toehold in inaccessible mountain ledges. www.mountainpromag.com

Roseroot has orange seed pods and stiff, succulent leaves

Alpine lady’s mantle has deeply lobed leaves and thrives in high places

Wild thyme growing on the gravel on a mountain path

produce a strong bactericide and were sometimes applied to sores

sun-warmed Lady’s bedstraw and you’ll be overwhelmed by its

on cattle to promote healing. Milkwort was thought to increase the

honey-sweet scent. In the past, the straggly plant was pulled up by

flow of milk in cattle that ate it and for that reason was sometimes

the handful, dried and used to stuff mattresses. It is also associated

given to nursing mothers. Often ‘wort’ plants have a beneficial

with a rich folklore, as I discovered last summer in Romania, where

effect, but lousewort was so called because it was believed to give

people strung it over their roofs to protect the family inside for the

cattle that ate it lice. More recently, it was realised that it grows in

year ahead.

wet areas where animals can pick up liver-fluke.

The ubiquitous tormentil that makes grass appear to be scattered

The human uses of plants can be a key way to help novices take an interest in wildflowers. The following species are widespread on

with yellow stars, is an astringent herb that as been used to

British hills so make a good foundation for a repertoire of plants a

treat mouth ulcers, sore throats and piles (ouch!), while its roots

walk leader or mountain guide can share with those they take on

were once used to tan leather. Put your nose close to a clump of

the hills.

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land management

BEN NEVIS through the seasons m m e r Su

The John Muir Trust look after the highest mountain area in the country. Alison Austin shares her ranger’s diary

W

inter definitely outstayed its welcome this year,

the most densely wooded areas on General Roy’s map from the

hanging on until mid-May until it finally departed

mid-eighteenth century. Shortly after this period, massive flocks of

to make way for spring. Even over the early May

sheep were introduced to these hills, suppressing any prospect of

bank holiday weekend lots of snow remained on the

woodland regeneration. Today there are no sheep in upper Glen

summit of the Ben, covering the navigation cairns. To alert walkers

Nevis, and we are working with our neighbours in this European-

about what the conditions to expect higher up, I got some images

designated Special Area of Conservation to control deer numbers to

together for the visitor centre at Glen Nevis. A number of local

allow the heavily browsed heathland and woodland to recover.

mountaineering instructors have also been helpfully uploading pictures onto the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre Facebook page.

In April I was lucky to be treated to the sight of a pair of golden

May is the time when I start to search for the locations we use for monitoring deer browsing on the heather and for the tree seedlings which we’ve tagged. A team of four trainee volunteer rangers from

eagles displaying in the sky high above the Steall car park at the end

the Nevis Landscape Partnership will join me this year - to gain

of Glen Nevis. This pair has a nest not far away – and hopefully they

some monitoring skills and to assist with surveys.

leads into Steall Gorge – possibly caused by a carelessly discarded

Joe Tasker We record browsing levels across 30 locations, and weand alsoFamily Hull © have to find around 160 tagged seedlings to enable us to in measure Tasker Family height and growth rates. I say ‘around’ 160 as we invariably lose a Photograph few seedlings – so last year we marked a few extra. When we plant Collection Scots pine later this year, I will mark a few of these and record their

cigarette end. Over an area of around about 200m by 700m, the

progress into the future. This information helps us judge whether

heather and dead grass were burned and some of the underlying

our deer control is at the right level. So far on Ben Nevis Estate,

moss damaged, but most of the tree seedlings above knee height

we’ve found that heather browsing has slightly reduced, and that

survived. It will be interesting to see how this bit of land recovers

since 2007 we’ve seen a mean increase in seedlings of 13.7cm.

next to the undamaged area. Already the new molinia grass shoots

That’s good news, so we plan to keep our deer cull at the same level.

are adding a touch of bright green to the landscape.

Recording habitat recovery is a slow process but all the indications

will rear some chicks again this year.

Despite the extra snow on the summits and the freezing temperatures, March and April were much drier than usual.

Unfortunately, an accidental wild fire broke out above the path that

Part of my work involves monitoring species, and this spring I’ve been out recording breeding bird transects. Many songbirds are

so far are positive.

Elsewhere in the glen, the Nevis Landscape Partnership, of which

in decline, so monitoring in the woodland helps us gauge their

the John Muir Trust is a partner, has been planting seedlings to

numbers, which in turn provides us with another measure of the

increase woodland cover and connectivity on land close to our

health of the woodland. I love listening to the willow warbler’s trill

property. This all contributes to a healthy flourishing glen – it’s great

through the dappled sunlight that brightens up the woodland at this

to work together like this and to make an impact over a wider area

time of year in Glen Nevis. This is an ancient woodland with amazing

of land.

lichen and moss growth in among the trees, stubbornly clinging on

I’ve also been out looking for mink footprints in our newly

even up into the steepest parts of the gorge. This small remnant was

installed mink rafts. We’ve had a couple of unconfirmed reports of

once an extensive woodland, and it would be wonderful to see it

sightings of American mink. We take that seriously because they’re a

expand to cover some of the surrounding slopes.

non-native species which can travel up and down waterways wiping

On the open hill not far from the woodland, there are a couple of centuries-old charcoal burning platforms that correspond with

42 Mountain Pro | JULY 2016

out the endangered water vole. We have a thriving population of water voles in Glen Nevis so we want to prevent that happening. At

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Many songbirds are in decline, so monitoring in the woodland helps us gauge their numbers.

All about the Ben Over 100,000 people

▶︎

walk to the summit of the

Ben – the UK’s highest point – every year. 40,000 enjoy the wild and rocky route through the Steall Gorge to the stunning Steall Ban waterfall. The Trust work to manage visitor impact by maintaining the upper stretch of the Ben Nevis summit path as well as the Steall Gorge trail. We collect litter this stage, we’re looking to discover if they are definitely present; if we do, we’ll

in collaboration with local organisations such as

then capture them. No confirmed record of their presence so far!

Friends of Nevis. One quarterly litter clearance on

The first work party of the year on Nevis was completed on June 11, when a

the summit of Nevis filled 18 bin bags with rubbish

hardy team carried their tools the Ben to carry out routine maintenance on the

left on the hill - 10 of them just banana skins (they

footpath and to remove litter from the summit. A great effort!

can take years to degrade).

The summer is now getting busy with more work parties and wildlife

The Trust carries out regular wildlife and habitat

monitoring. Over this period, I’ve also taken a group through the Steall Gorge

surveys to inform their ecological restoration work.

as part of the Wild Lochaber Festival, an annual week-long celebration of the

This includes deer control so that native trees, and

landscapes, culture, geology and wildlife of the area. It’s a great week to visit

other habitats, can regenerate. As a result, they are

Lochaber, with a fantastic range of events from high level walks and boat trips to

seeing year on year seedling growth in the area.

whisky and wildlife tours.

The trust also works with neighbours and other land

If I manage to find any spare time, I hope to have a look at the exciting

managers in the Nevis Landscape Partnership to

archaeological excavations taking place around the iron-age fort of Dun Deardail

manage this special and popular area.

in Glen Nevis. Hopefully we’re now on course for a beautiful summer in this

For more information, see johnmuirtrust.org/

amazing part of Scotland.

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JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 43

tall tales

The Four Malcolms What’s in a name? Mal Creasey recalls the time he found out.

O

ne of the best things about mountaineering is the

still regarded as a bit of a test piece, and the guide book of the day

spontaneity, when things or events just happen and

gave it as a 3* grade 1V/V. At just 3 pitches shouldn’t detain us too

there you are with a few mates and you get one of those

long. We reckoned it would be relatively safe from avalanche once

fantastically rewarding days when up to that point in the

we were tucked in at the base of the route and the descent would

day everything seemed to be against you. Conditions are foul, you

take only a couple of minutes, back down the very bottom section

weigh up the odds, just manage to squeeze a route in and you have

of number 5 gully, thus minimising the time we were exposed to

a brilliant, and hilariously funny day with everyone in the vicinity

avalanches. In any event we reckoned there were enough of us

joining in, a really good ‘craic’.

around to look out for each other.

It all started one wet miserable day in February on the ‘Ben’. My

So, although nothing was planned we finished up with 4 ropes

climbing partner for the day, another Malcolm reckons it must have

(or was it five?) on The Curtain, a classic route situated about 15

been 1983 or 84, anyway the one thing that is crystal clear in my

minutes above the CIC hut. You could hardly see the route until you

memory is that it was a wet miserable day with little wind and a

bumped into the bottom pitch! In spite of the thaw (which made

really dense hill fog, the sort where you are soaked in minutes. There

the ice nice and sticky so placements were brilliant), there was

were several of us milling about outside the CIC hut under the north

still plenty of ice, so much so that you could almost set up three

Face of the Ben, there was lots of heavy wet snow and it was getting

independent lines for the first pitch. This was a real bonus as there

wetter by the minute, certainly not a day to go poking around in

were lots of ice chips flying about. What quickly became apparent

any gullies especially when you can’t see a thing beyond the first

once we started climbing was that one of my colleagues was called

30 metres. Being pretty active back then on the Scottish scene in

Malcolm, another colleague was also climbing with a guy called

winter I knew most of the other guys around and I can’t remember

Malcolm, and I was climbing with another Malcolm. So it was a

who suggested it, however between us we decided that the only

succession of climbing calls each ending in – you guessed it – Climb

possible route that was ‘on’ was the Curtain. In those days it was

when you’re ready Malcolm –that’s me Malcolm – Take in Malcolm

44 Mountain Pro | JULY 2016

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and so it went on. The longer it went on the more we exaggerated things became – even the non Malcolm’s joined in with the occasional – How’s it going Malcolm?

To everyone’s amusement. Everything was dripping wet, we couldn’t see 10 metres and we all duly completed the route, ran back down to the CIC and trudged back to Fort Bill for a beer! It was a great day grabbing a quality route with some friends and colleagues when earlier in the day the odds of doing anything were pretty thin!

What we didn’t realise at the time was that with the absence of the usual howling gale, the folk milling around the CIC could hear every word crystal clear, and questions were being asked!

The sequel to my tale, (which Malcolm my climbing partner didn’t know until a few months ago, and to my knowledge none of the other culprits do to this day) is that in 1998, I was leading a group on the Summer Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt. We were spending the night at the Bertol Hut above Arolla prior to starting our last big day across the upper Mont Mine Glacier towards the Col du Valpelline and finally Zermatt. The clients had gone to bed and I was sharing a beer with two Scottish lads when one of them recalled an incident from years earlier when it seemed that several people with the same name were on the same route on a misty, murky and wet miserable day in winter.

I played along and they gave me the whole story, chapter and verse from their point of view. After we left the hut, a few folk were still milling around wondering what to do, some wisely left deciding that by the time they got down the pubs would be open, whilst other optimists arrived having no idea that some brave (or foolish) souls had actually gone on the hill, nor who or where they were. All they knew is that everyone on the Ben that day appeared to be called Malcolm!

Should I destroy the myth and mystery or just keep quiet? A few minutes later we all retired to bed so the punch line was still mine for the taking. But how, and when?!

At 4 am the next morning, most of my group were outside the hut getting getting ready with crampons and harness, I was still in the hut chasing up a few stragglers when the two Scots lads appeared blearily eyed from the dormitories. I wished them a good morning and said cheerio – oh and by the way – I’m Malcolm – and left them gawping after me as I scuttled down the steps and on to the glacier into the dark of a pre dawn start. www.mountainpromag.com

JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 45

WILDLIFE AND NATURE

WILD BIRDS OF THE

Uplands

Richard Smyth shows how to keep an eye out for those we share the hills with.

46 Mountain Pro | JULY 2016

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T

he dotterel is one of Britain’s most fascinating and likeable birds.

The problem for those who want to study it is that it breeds and nests up high – way up high. In Scotland, this misleadingly dainty member of the plover family seldom makes its home below 3,000

feet.

The ornithologist Desmond Nethersole-Thompson became a leading authority on the dotterel. In doing so, he famously camped out for “hundreds of nights on the roof of Scotland”. Not all upland bird studies require that kind of commitment. Conservationists, however, are always grateful for the help of people who feel at home in high places.

“Remote and high-altitude areas are much more difficult to get covered by our traditional bird-watching volunteers, many of whom would not be physically able to reach these places,” says Ben Darvill, Development Coordinator at BTO Scotland.

The BTO’s What’s Up? project seeks to harness the skills of climbers and hikers in developing a clearer picture of our upland bird populations.

Without them, out-of-the-way regions – Dervill cites areas of Sutherland and north-west Perthshire as examples – simply don’t get the footfall required for comprehensive coverage.

Where volunteers are able to commit to ‘structured’ bird surveys, which are undertaken by the same people in the same place at the same time each year, the BTO can use the data gathered to estimate how populations are changing over time. But, with the right location information, even casual records of birds sighted in the hills are useful for assessing species distributions.

There are a number of bird species whose inconvenient habit of breeding high up and far from human habitation makes it difficult for conservation pros to keep track of their numbers and breeding patterns. Some, like the ptarmigan and curlew, occupy an iconic place in our upland ecology; others, like the saw-billed goosander, may be less familiar; the meadow pipit and skylark may, to the uninitiated, seem to be nothing but LBBs – Little Brown Birds.

But Darvill stresses that you don’t have to be a bird buff to help with a BTO bird survey.

“The suite of species in upland areas is much more limited than in, for example, a lowland woodland,” he says. “This makes things more manageable for those less familiar to help with bird recording. Some species are easier to identify than others, but identifying them all is possible. You don’t need to be an ‘expert’.”

The BTO’s What’s Up? isn’t the first attempt to harness the data-gathering power of citizen science in the uplands. A few years ago, the RSPB appealed to Scottish climbers for help in studying both the dotterel and the snow bunting amid fears that climate change was putting the birds’ survival at risk.

And it’s not just in the UK that citizen-scientists are taking to the hilltops.

John Lloyd is the lead ecologist on the Mountain Birdwatch project, based in Vermont, USA. A long-term study of the rare Bicknell’s Thrush, Mountain Birdwatch attracted around 200 volunteers in 2015. Lloyd explains the appeal.

“First, it’s a great chance to contribute to an important scientific program,” he says. “The information collected during Mountain Birdwatch helps scientists keep track of bird populations and implement appropriate conservation actions as needed. Our citizen-scientists recognize that their Photo: Dawn Balmer

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observations are an important part of keeping bird populations healthy”.

JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 47

WILDLIFE AND NATURE

“Second, participating in Mountain Birdwatch is a great excuse to get out and go birdwatching in the mountains. For those of us that are goal-oriented, committing to a Mountain Birdwatch route can be just the push we need to get us out the door and up the mountain with binoculars in hand. Related to this, volunteering for Mountain Birdwatch is a great way – although not guaranteed! – to add Bicknell’s Thrush to your life list.

“Finally, I think most of our volunteers just enjoy being out in the mountains, and appreciate that they can combine their love of the outdoors with an activity that helps conserve the species that make those environments so special.”

Lloyd himself has happy memories of his time surveying in the

Some species are easier to identify than others, but identifying them all is possible. You don’t need to be an ‘expert’.

montane spruce forests of north-east New England.

“Waking up in the middle of the night on a remote mountain, boiling up some coffee, and then standing at the first survey point as Bicknell’s Thrush begin their pre-dawn vocalizations is just pure, primal fun,” he smiles. “I love it. I’m not distracted by people or phones or email; it’s just me and the birds. And it doesn’t hurt when you get to end your day at 10am sitting atop a sunny rock with this beautiful landscape rolling out away from you.”

Susan Holoran has been working on mountain bird surveys in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland since 2008. It’s work that has brought her into contact with dotterel, golden plover, ptarmigan, ring ouzel, snow bunting, raven, greenshank, curlew, golden eagle, merlin, peregrine and hen harrier. But it hasn’t been without its discomforts.

“I enjoyed the rich ground flora on Creag Meagaidh, as I had to climb straight up a steep part not taken by walkers,” she recalls,

between climbers and the dramatic natural environments in which

“though the third time I did it I was plagued by clegs [horseflies].”

they operate.

On another occasion, looking for peregrine up Ben Dearg, a blizzard

“Clearly the focus of a lot of climbers is the climbing itself, but the

drove her back; on Skye, in the snow north of Old Man of Storr, a

incredible places we go to are as much of a draw and the things that

low, thick fog closed in – “my GPS died and I almost went over a

live in those landscapes are an important part of what makes those

cliff.”

places special,” he says. “Climbers might not identify themselves as

There are even more formidable dangers in the mountains of New England.

“Volunteers occasionally encounter bears along the trails, which can be a bit exciting in the pitch dark of an early summer morning,” John Lloyd says. “But you have to be comfortable working in remote,

birdwatchers, but being out at a crag and seeing stunning wildlife whilst you belay your mate is a really special thing – they might not be able to name the birds they see but that doesn’t mean it isn’t valued.

“That said,” he adds, “there is a wealth of knowledge about

difficult country to participate in this programme, so I think most

birds and wildlife amongst our members, and climbers have

volunteers take these events in stride.”

been involved in bird conservation projects, such as helping with

Holoran, like Lloyd, is in no doubt that it’s worth the effort. She ticks off a list of memorable upland experiences.

peregrine ringing.”

Indeed, many climbers are more than willing to take a hands-on

“It’s always nice to watch pairs of ring ouzel and hear the song;

role in conservation. Climber Colin Knowles’ work at hard-to-access

have dunlin circle you, singing; disturb an eagle feeding nearby; find

peregrine nests in south-west England is just one example “It can be

a young red deer curled ‘hidden’ in the grass while its mother runs

hazardous,” Knowles acknowledges; “Peregrine sites aren’t designed

ahead; watch a fox which hasn’t spotted you; see courting short-

with climbers in mind”; BMC volunteers have also played a key role

eared owls or, later, a chick begging loudly on the ground; see a hen

in establishing a Site of Special Scientific Interest at Horseshoe

harrier hunting.

Quarry in the Peak District.

“There’s a sense of wilderness, because you don’t see many other people; there’s wildlife there that you can’t see in other habitats.”

Rob Dyer, Access and Conservation Officer at the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), is conscious of a strong connection

48 Mountain Pro | JULY 2016

“Regardless of what activity we take part in, looking after the landscape we use and love is important to many climbers and walkers,” Dyer says.

Find out more: https://www.bto.org/cy/node/55774

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Photo: Jill Pakenham, Goosander

Photo: John Harding, Curlew

Photo: Neil Calbrade, Ptarmigan

How to help In Scotland, What’s Up? offers an easy entry point for those who

Photo: Dawn Balmer

want to pitch in.

“At present there are three options for helping out,” Ben Darvill says. “One is to go about your walk as normal and record any birds that you see and identify, noting down the date and grid reference of the sighting – these can be entered into the BirdTrack app while out in the hills, or once you’re home and in front of a computer.

“The next option requires more commitment, where you need to re-visit the same hill above 750m two or three times each year, walking a specific route and recording the birds you see.

Volunteers can choose the hill, though we’ll provide guidance.

“Finally, we are always on the look-out for birdwatchers who are willing take on a Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) square.

These are 1km squares that have been randomly chosen by a computer. We ask volunteers to visit these twice a year. BBS

Photo: Peter M Wilson, Dotterel

squares in the uplands,” he adds, “are much harder to get covered”.

Those of us who explore the high country of the UK know that we enjoy a special privilege; we get to go to places few other people go, and see things few other people see. Projects like What’s Up? give us a chance to put these special experiences to a practical use: expanding our knowledge of the world in which we walk, scramble and climb, and helping to protect the habitats on which so many rare and threatened species – from dotterel to golden eagle – depend.

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JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 49

GEAR GUIDE

Lightweight hardshells

for him

Does ‘fast and light’ translate as wet and cold? Dan Aspel and Lucy Wallace find out Vaude Lierne jacket, £120 At 390g and compressing down to size of a 750ml water bottle, the Lierne only just justifies being described as a “lightweight waterproof”. But a competitive price, breathable fabric and the feature set makes this well worth a look.

Design-wise it’s fairly walking-centric and entry-level, with poppers and Velcro patches on the main zip’s storm flaps, good wrist and hem adjustments, dual pull cord front adjusters for the well-peaked hood and another Velcro adjuster patch at its rear (a design I’m not so sure about). The 2.5 layer fabric means that, although not particularly lightweight, the jacket is relatively quiet in use. It also has zipped underarm vents protected (again) by Velcro storm flaps - which I found irksome to undo. The two zipped pockets are capacious but sadly obscured by hip belts or a harness. The generous cut is good for ventilation and comfort, and presented few issues in strong wind. Overall, an interesting budget choice that may suit less technical users. ■ www.vaude.com

Berghaus Hyper jacket, £120

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The Hyper is focused on mountain marathons and challenge events, but I think its appeal is broader than that. At 100g it’s absurdly light, and compresses (via the included stuff sack) down to the size of an apple. This would mean nothing without performance, but I’ve found the Hydroshell fabric to be a good emergency waterproof layer and an effective windproof too. The design is basic, with no pockets or hem or hood adjustment, but that hood itself fits well (although the peak is negligible), doesn’t restrict movement and can be buttoned down when not in use. The material is thin and not quiet, especially in strong winds, and the fit is on the athletic side. Overall this is a brilliantly compact, affordable and effective BEST BUY ultralight shell that has become a mainstay of my i spring/summer pack. ta www.moun ■ www.berghaus.com

Black Diamond Mono Point shell, £230 The Mono Point is fairly lightweight at 253g and when rolled into its own hood can be compressed to roughly the size of a 500ml water bottle. The design walks the line between minimalist and traditional hard shell values. The cut is long (it extends well below the waist and won’t lift out of a harness), the helmetcompatible hood is strong with an encompassing peak and excellent drawstring adjustment, the sleeve and hem adjustments are burly, and the overall impression is as a hard shell should be: armour-like. The single chest pocket is map sized while the effective (but noisy) Gore-Tex Paclite fabric has long ago proven its credentials in the mountains. Unfortunately there is no women’s version - the nearest equivalent is the heavier weight Liquid Point (356g, £200). Overall, some may find the hood a little too contricting, but otherwise this is a sturdy and highly rated mountain shell with good lightweight credentials.

■ blackdiamondequipment.com

Montane Minimus 777 jacket, £200

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Montane are the “faster, lighter” experts, and this jacket doesn’t disappoint. At 150g it’s extremely light and packs down to the rough dimensions of an inflated crisp packet. You’re carrying 50 per cent more weight than the Berghaus Hyper (and paying 66 per cent more), but it’s clear where that investment is going.

The three-layer Pertex fabric makes this an excellent breathable and weatherproof shell, with an immense 20,000mm of hydrostatic head. A non-adjustable elasticated hood is helmet compatible and has an effective peak, and the fit is athletic and well judged. Unfortunately there is no EDITOR’S women’s version (nearest is the lower-spec Minimus CHOICE £150) but for men, this is a superb lightweight waterproof and a top choice for UK or alpine mountain pursuits. n tai ■ www.montane.co.uk n www.mou 50 Mountain Pro | JULY 2016

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GEAR GUIDE

Lightweight hardshells Rab Women’s Flashpoint Jacket £200 At just 160g this ultra light shell made from three layer Pertex Shield+ is by far the lightest hardshell in the test. It comes with a handy stuff sack, about the same size as a can of pop, with a tab for krabbing on to a harness. Other features include a zipped chest pocket, and a wired brim on the helmet compatible hood. Pertex Shield+ is technically waterproof, but Rab themselves say that the garment is sized down to allow layering under a beefier hardshell should the need arise, and that certainly reflects my experience of it; excellent as a light weight emergency shell in shower conditions, perfect for rock climbing or running, when every gram counts, although if there is proper rain forecast I might opt for something heavier. ■ http://rab.equipment

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Berghaus Women’s Velum III Jacket £250

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EDITOR’S CHOICE

Updated for 2016, the Velum III is by no means the cheapest option, but after quite a bit of use in mixed weather conditions I believe it represents the best combination of value, performance and durability in this small test. Made from Gore-Tex Active shell, which is light and breathable, the jacket has a functional design aimed at a wide variety of mountain uses from spring through to autumn. It’s got a reasonable hood that fits over a helmet, with a good, stiffened and wired brim. Large chest pockets open directly in to the body and double as vents. I would have liked a small secure pocket for valuables but it isn’t a deal breaker. The fit is active - short in the body but with good freedom of movement. At under 332g it’s a reassuringly solid but light option to throw in a pack for big mountain adventures.

■ http://www.berghaus.com

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for her

Sherpa Adventure Gear Thame Jacket £140 Sherpa have combined a 2.5 layer stretch Sukatec fabric with a more robust nonstretch version to create a 345g jacket for under £200. This in itself is pretty impressive, and the membrane performs well, with the usual provisos that it is a lightweight option and potentially less durable than premium membranes. The jacket itself is designed with trekkers in mind, with handwarmer pockets (too small for an OS map) and an external napoleon pocket. The hood has a good, wired peak but is a bit small for a climbing helmet. Despite the low weight, the jacket includes a rain baffle behind the main zip, microfleece chin guard and pit zips for dumping heat. Cuffs are simple Velcro tabs. I’d prefer something more technical for mountain use, but the weight and price make it an attractive proposition for overseas trek and travel adventures.

■ http://www.sherpaadventuregear.co.uk

Arc’Teryx Beta LT £360 Weighing just 310g but nevertheless built out of burly Gore-Tex Pro Shell, this is a light weight shell with a performance membrane for when you really aren’t sure what the elements are going to throw your way. The chest pockets are roomy but won’t quite take an OS map, and there is a small internal zipped pocket.

The hood is big enough for a helmet, but although the brim is stiffened, there is no wire so it’s not as good as the others here.

However, for summer and Alpine use I’m happy to do without. The cut is superb - beautifully articulated arms allow freedom of movement without riding up and it looks good too.

Sculpted cuffs are secured in place by rubberized hook and loop tabs.

The baffle behind the zip is smaller than the Berghaus Velum III, but again, for summer use I’m ok with this. For fit and style it’s a winner, and the materials perform superbly, but with a few minor niggles I’m not sure if it is worth the heavy duty price tag. ■ http://www.arcteryx.com JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 51

GEAR GUIDE

Cutting Edge A double dose of new boots, panties and other toys reviewed by ML’s Lucy Wallace and Dan Aspel Berghaus Women’s Fast Hike Trousers £85 Updated for 2016, the excellent Fast Hike Trousers are now made from Berghaus’ innovative ColourKind Eco, which uses dyed yarn technology. The process of dying the yarn rather than woven fabrics uses less water (saves 89%) and chemicals (saves 63%) than traditional dying processes, with 60% less CO2 emissions, obviously a good thing. The trousers themselves have stretch panels across the seat and knees, two secure zipped pockets, including one on the thigh, hand pockets and mesh lined venting side zips, plus a webbing belt.

The new fabric is quick drying and has taken whatever abuse I can throw at it (varieties of extra rough rock mostly) for a couple of months without any signs of wear and tear. The cut is fairly narrow, particularly towards the ankles, which can be cinched down further with hook and loop tabs. I love them for multi day trekking and scrambling about in hills of home. LW ■ http://www.berghaus.com

Mammut Trovat Guide High GTX £195 The Trovat Guide High GTX replaces Mammut’s tried and tested MT Trail XT, much loved by, well me actually. I’m happy to say that the new boot is equally comfortable straight out of the box, thanks to a combination of Memo Foam and a beautiful Nappa leather cuff lining. A Gore-Tex membrane helps keep feet dry. It’s a solid B1 model that will take a crampon, but is comfortable enough for year round bog trotting, expedition use, and the kind of mountain days where a variety of terrain is on the menu. Each boot is fairly heavy at 1560g and there is some stiffness, as you would expect from a crampon compatible option, but they hold my heel well and don’t feel cumbersome or hard even on long days.

Stability is superb - they are very good at preventing ankle roll on uneven ground. The Vibram MT Traction II outsole is excellent, gripping gravel, wet grass and rock. Since receiving my test pair, they’ve done a couple of hundred kms with an expedition pack, some grade III scrambles, plus a lot of heather bashing, and I’ve found them to be the kind of do anything, go anywhere mountain boots that my tired feet really appreciate. LW ■ https://www.mammut.ch 52 Mountain Pro | JANUARY 2016

DMM New Dragon Cam set: Sizes 2, 3 & 4 £170 DMM have refreshed their flagship single stem cams for 2016, with some subtle changes to increase camming performance. The main upgrades are to the camming lobes, which have extra material added to improve stability and increase the surface area. The camming surfaces are now un-anodised- exposing raw aluminium to the rock. This is intended to improve grip in marginal placements and on rock that doesn’t lend itself to cams, e.g. slate. My test pair only got to play on granite, which loves cams, and I found that they bit the rock with confidence inspiring solidity - the difference was noticeable. The crystals in the rock did scratch and deform the metal pretty quickly however, so I wonder whether there will be a long-term durability pay-off on this type of rock, but only time will tell. Additional changes include an ergonomic thumb press, to reduce fumbling in extremis. The other features that I appreciate about these cams are the double axle, which dramatically increases the placement range, and the long doubled up 8mm dyneema sling for excellent extension, saving on quickdraws. Rated to 14kn from size 1 upwards, I tested sizes 2, 3 and 4, which are available as a bundle. The new versions are still marginally lighter than other equivalent cams, although we are really just talking about the odd gram here and there. Still, it all adds up, and its great to see that there is no major weight penalty for such sturdy camming devices. LW ■ http://dmmclimbing.com

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GEAR GUIDE

Osprey Rev 18 rucksack, £90 First impressions were that the Rev 18 was overdesigned and would frustrate me on the trail. They were wrong. With 580g of rucksack you get a trio of front straps, two hip belt zip pockets, easy access mesh side pouches, a cavernous main compartment, a hand-sized top-access section, a front mounted and waterproof phone/GPS access pouch, rear adjustable bungees for excess items and adjustment, and an excellent in-built 2.5litre hydration system. Favoured touches are the magnetic fixing for the hydration mouthpiece (making replacement it on the hoof stress free) and the unclip-and-flip mechanism for the phone pouch (no need to remove it to check your mapping app). You could carry enough gear for even the longest of trails in this sack, but even with a litre of water, some keys and a phone the adjustments make it tight enough to run with effectively. Size and design make it well suited for scrambling routes too, and not just the perfect companion for long distance trail runs. DA ■ www.ospreyeurope.com

DMM protection set, £155 I bought this protection set last summer after being long dependent on the scrambling racks of my climbing partners in north Wales. Combined with a few quickdraws, a handful of slings, a suitable harness and a selection of karabiners it’s given me everything I need to tackle roped Grade 3 scrambles - and above - at home or abroad. As the slightly discounted set includes not only the standard 1-11 wallnuts and 1-4 torque nuts, but also offsets (“for flared cracks”) too, I’ve found the anodised colouring really helpful for quick reference whilst glancing down for the right piece of gear, and the clear labelling at the top of each hanging loop aids in that too. There’s nothing whatsoever to nitpick here. I’ve not taken a fall on any yet, but few could doubt DMM’s pedigree and I’m looking forward to years of joyful scrambling with these at my side. DA ■ dmmclimbing.com

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Platypus Meta Bottle with microfilter, £40 Lightweight bottles with in-built filters have been on the market for some years now, and there’s no doubting their ease and effectiveness at making wild water potable. The Platypus Meta is a new and strong contender in the field. When empty the soft, lower half compresses down well for storage, and when topped up with unclean water is straightforward to invert and squeeze. This forces fluid through the lid-mounted microfilter while filtering out all solids and 99.9 per cent of bacteria and protozoa at a flow rate of 2litres/min. There’s no suction involved on the user’s part, so you simply scoop, close, squeeze and drink. It’s very bulky overall compared to competitors and I was unable to extract the last few milliliters of water at the end of each fill - as the filter doesn’t reach that far down when inverted. However, overall it’s an effective way to drink any water you can find worldwide, and a great way to save pack weight in water-rich regions. The filter has a 1,000litre lifespan and you can buy the 1-litre bottle alone for £18 or the 0.75-litre version for £16. DA ■ www.cascadedesigns.com

Vaude Scopi 32 LW rucksack £95 Very much built to a weight rating, you’ll struggle to find another 32-litre alpine climbing sack that comes in at 650g. The nearest and best competitors are roughly 50% heavier. The question is, how much does the Scopi sacrifice to get there? The answer is: quite a lot. There’s much to please the minimalist climber here - a huge, unfussy main compartment secured by both zip and roll-top, hydration pack compatibility, a removable hip belt, dual ice axe loops and (removable) top fixing straps, teardrop design and removable aluminium stays and padding. However, the shoulder straps and belts sacrifice suppleness and comfort to get there, and the attachment of ice axes feels considerably neater and more satisfying on its main competitors. The strengthened fabric on the sides and bottom is rugged enough for purpose (unlike the inner stay zips, one of which I broke on first touch) and there will be many to whom such a minimal pack is a highly desirable item. Personally I would take the extra 300g of weight for the added cushioning, design tweaks and comfort every time, but I’ll probably never set a speed record on the Hornli ridge, either. DA ■ www.vaude.com

Garmin Fenix 3 Sapphire HR, £470 It’s an expensive item, but in terms of digital outdoor function there’s very little the Fenix 3 can’t do. The number of features on offer are too varied to go into detail here, but GPS-fuelled global location and altitude figures are easy to summon up, the digital compass is effective and you can record myriad activities as well as track a boggling array of stats from heart and recovery rates to stress levels, cadence, stride length, lactate threshold and many more. I deliberately approached the Fenix without consulting the manual, and found instinct was strong enough to unlock 99 per cent of features without trouble, while moderate use has seen a need to charge it every two weeks on average. At 86g it’s relatively heavy, but the silicone strap is excellently judged and I didn’t find it too intrusive even whilst jogging.

From the crisp display to the fascinating world of data it helps unlock it’s hard to imagine a finer outdoor watch. DA ■ www.garmin.com JULY 2015 | Mountain Pro 53

TRIED AND TESTED

Tried & Tested Chantelle Kelly speaks to Hazel Findlay.

Photo: adam demmert

Can you tell me a bit about yourself?

I’m almost 27; I’ve been climbing 21 years. I am technically based in the UK but you’re more likely to find me living out of a van somewhere in Europe or out of a tent somewhere else in the world. I love climbing more than anything and despite being currently injured, feel extremely lucky to be able to travel the world doing what I love.

clothing. The brand is built by climbers and skiers and they do their very best to make sure we have what we need. I think La Sportiva make the best shoes and Sterling Ropes the best ropes.

What climbing shoes do you use, and why?

La Sportiva shoes because they are ridiculously high quality, fit my feet, have great rubber and do the job for all types of climbing. My favourite shoes are the Muira VS and the Solution.

What is essential to you in regards to climbing equipment?

Absolutely essential for climbing are good climbing shoes and clothes you can move in. For roped climbing a good quality harness, rope and hardware are necessary.

What’s your must-have piece of kit?

For big days it’s a head torch, so that if it gets dark you can finish the route and find your way back down safely.

What are your go-to brands for equipment?

Black Diamond for me is the be and end all of climbing equipment and www.mountainpromag.com

You have made a number of first female ascents - which one has been your greatest achievement?

I thought that the PreMuir on El Cap was the biggest challenge for me as we spent six days on the wall and I got really tired. It was also the most fun.

What’s your plan for the rest of 2016?

At the moment my big mission is to get my body fit and healthy after shoulder surgery last year. Everything else is a bonus!

JULY 2016 | Mountain Pro 55

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