Lead Magazine

Get your climb on.

lead

1

Welcome

2

lead

lead

3

4

lead

what’s in it?

6

--

What keeps us climbing?

8

--

Climbing with a disability

10 --

Mountains photography section

24 --

Strength Vs technique

26 --

Interview with James Clapham

32 --

Rainy Dartmoor

36 --

A surprise???

38 --

Interview with Ed Hamer

40 --

Bouldering photography section

44 --

The real Everest Experience

48 --

How to make a climbing film

lead

5

Climbers must all be insane.

What is it that motivates people to climb, even when they are scared?

Why is that even when the thought of going up a big scary route absolutely terrifies us, we still go and do it?

This is something I’ve experienced a lot. Because once you’ve thought about fear - even for a second - that’s it. Suddenly, you become aware of the fact that you’re quite high up now, and that the last clip looks so far beneath you, and actually, this foot hold doesn’t seem quite as secure as you thought.

If you fell now, how far do you think it would be?

Pretty far, I guess.

And in this moment, when it’s most important for you to keep on moving upwards you freeze.

Your fingers burn as they desperately try to cling on, your arms ache, screaming for you to let go.

You need to do something.

Move.

But you can’t.

No. It’s not even that.

You don’t want to.

You don’t want to commit to the next move, because what if it goes wrong? What if you fall? And the leader can never fall, right?

I mean, you wouldn’t do it with anything else, would you?

If you’re scared of water you’re not going to go swimming every morning. Same as if you’re scared of horses you’re hardly going to become a jockey, are you?

But when it comes to climbing, even people with a fear of heights or falling still don’t give up.

unknown. And climbing is a way of conquering that.”

I think sometimes we just need to remind ourselves the difference between real danger and perceived danger. After all, falling off a cliff and splatting on the ground isn’t exactly an irrational fear. It seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to be scared of. However, in reality, that’s probably not going happen.

You’re not going to fall off, and even if you do, you’re not going anywhere.

Another young climber, 22-year-old Juliet told me, “when you’re stuck on a scary part of a route, all your concentration is on that. But when you come down again, it’s almost as if you forget how scary it was, and just remember how good it feels to have done it.”

“Your fingers burn as they desperately try to cling on, your arms ache, screaming for you Or maybe, some of us just want to feel ‘bad’ or ‘dangerous’ to let go”. sometimes. It’s good to scare

For me personally - and I know some people will agree - this is not

6

an enjoyable experience. So why do we do it to ourselves? I know so many climbers who find the whole experience terrifying, but find the idea of stopping completely out of the question.

Never mind the whole actual climbing part - you know, physically moving your body - sometimes, that’s the hardest part: appearing calm and collected on the outside when everything’s so aggressive on the inside.

Do other climbers think like this too? Surely some of them must.

I spoke to 20-year-old climber, Evie, who told me she climbs because “when you climb, you are completely in control of the fear. I’m not scared of falling per se, I’m sacred of the

lead

yourself once in a while.

That’s why it’s so addictive. I think we almost like that fact that it scares us, pushes us, controls us even.

Besides, it’s definitely worth it when you finally get to the top, and feel like you’ve really accomplished something.

Photo: Colin Sharp

Photo: Lauren Sawyer

Every climber has had their fair share of scary moments, whether these were genuinely dangerous situations, or just nerves. But I suppose one of the main parts of climbing isn’t just about your physical strength or ability. Your mental strength can be just as important, and has to be trained just like any other muscle.

So I think I have come to the conclusion that maybe we are a little crazy.

We choose this sport, even when it scares us. But what would climbing be without the challenge? Pushing yourself is what it’s all about. Else all the hard work would be for nothing.

I think that’s why we come back again - and again, and again, and again.

Words: Lauren Sawyer

lead

7

Photo: Colin Sharp

Climbing with a

Words: Lauren Sawyer 8

lead

When I first started climbing at the age of 13, it never even occurred to me that having a few digits missing would be a problem. It was only a few years later that I started to realise what a real this would be. Looking back now, I don’t know how on earth I didn’t realise this - I mean, it seems pretty obvious, doesn’t it?

Just to clear things up, I only have seven of my fingers. I am missing two fingers on my left hand, and one on my right, but I’ve never really seen myself as ‘disabled’.

In fact, I’ve never felt worthy of calling myself disabled at all. I know people whose lives have been completely transformed, or face genuine discrimination, because of a disability. I never thought I was ‘disabled enough’ to be put in the same category as them.

Most people have always been quite supportive, even when I was in school.

Still, I’ll never forget the time my primary school music teacher told me: “You’ll never be able to play the guitar Lauren, you don’t have all your fingers” ever so bluntly.

all your fingers isn’t a necessity, I can tell you now, it definitely makes things easier.

There’s nothing worse than when you’re desperately trying to hold yourself in good position to clip the rope in, but you haven’t actually got enough fingers to hold the rope and push it through the clip. At the worst of times I end up dropping the rope, swapping hands, and then trying again, in an attempt to look like I know what I’m doing.

Also, I try and avoid routes with lots of smeary holds - you know, the kind that you have to get the whole of the palm of your hand on. This can be a problem when your left hand hardly even has much of a palm. In fact, it’s not even palm shaped.

Just long and thin, like an extra bit of arm with two fingers and a thumb sticking out of it. Not exactly ideal when you’re trying to get a nice big surface area.

And then there are overhangs.

After that, I told my mum I wanted to play drums instead a dream that lasted a good 24 hours, before I remembered I wasn’t ‘musically talented’ anyway.

I can’t plait my hair, can’t hold a handful of skittles, carrying more than one cup of tea is always a bit of a struggle, and I try to avoid wearing gloves as much as possible. But apart from that, my fingers have never been much of a problem.

fingers as an excuse. And when it comes to clipping, I just had to practice. It’s best to just do it smoothly the first time, rather than fumbling around and wasting precious energy.

In some ways, I even think my hands have made me a better climber. I don’t get put off by smaller crimpy holds, and having to pull up on one finger has never really phased me - I mean, it’s hardly a stretch when I’ve only got two to pull up on anyway.

Not only that, but I learnt very early on that your legs and core strength are much more valuable than your hands or arms. That’s always the first thing they drill into you when you start climbing: don’t rely on your arms. Your legs are much stronger, after all, you’re walking around on them all day, whereas your arms easily become weak or ‘pumped’.

Because my hands are not particularly strong, this was something I seemed to do anyway, and tried to transfer my weight onto my leg as much as possible. Without this, I’m convinced that my technique would not be as good as it is now.

My point is, everyone has a disadvantage. Even if I had all my fingers, there’d still be something I could use as an excuse for my failures. I’m too short. My arms are tired. I don’t have enough upper body strength. But what can you do?

Photo: Juliet Sawyer

At this point you’re probably thinking: “what’s this girl’s problem? So she can’t play the guitar?

What’s that got to do with climbing?”

Well, I took part in my first climbing competition about eight months after I’d started climbing, when I was 14. Shortly after, I was offered a place in my local wall’s Youth Squad, where I’d be given coaching to improve my climbing.

I remember a friend of mine saying with a confused expression: “But, how are you going to do that? I mean, you basically climb one handed, don’t you?”.

It was that moment when I realised the disadvantage that I had. I didn’t think that I climbed ‘one handed’, but this did explain some of the problems I’d been having. How was I expected to win competitions now? I was going to have to rethink the whole thing.

But then flashbacks of my old music - teacher, failed dreams and all that - came flooding back, and I said: “Yeah, but you know what? I’m going to do it anyway” - rather smugly I might add.

But the first time my lack of fingers became, let’s say ‘problematic’, was when I started lead climbing. Although having

I used to hate leading on overhangs.

My left hand is lot weaker than my right, due to the lack of... parts, meaning when I come to a clip on an overhang, I always have the same choice: Do I (a) hold on with my left hand - even though I fear it’s not strong enough to hold me - and clip with my right?

Or (b) hang on with my right hand - which I know can hold me - but then have to go through the painful experience of trying to clip with my left hand?

When I was in secondary school, I remember a woman gave a talk about there being no such thing as a disability.

She said the only things that can ever disable someone are their environment, or the people around them.

In reality, most of the problems I faced in climbing were just a result of my own anxieties. My hands were just another thing to worry about, on top of wanting to make myself a good climber. It was in my head.

If you’re too small, learn to dyno.

If your arms are tired, you could work on your endurance and strength training. Not enough upper body strength? Get started on those pull ups then.

And if you don’t have all your fingers, well, what does that matter? You’ve never known any different anyway. After all, didn’t you hear about Tommy Caldwell climbing the Dawn Wall in El Capitan, a few Januaries ago? The fact that he’s got half a finger missing didn’t seem to stop him.

When I lost in competitions, this was simply because the other climbers were better than me, not because they had more fingers than I had.

But if you’re still not convinced, then I suggest that you go and check out Kevin Shields on Youtube, right now. Shields only has one arm, but still climbs with immense skill, determination and power.

Honestly, if that doesn’t inspire you to climb hard, I don’t know what will.

Even back when I first started climbing, my left hand was perfectly capable of holding my weight - even on an overhang.

I was just scared of falling and used my

lead

9

Spend more time Photos and illustrations

by Lauren Sawyer

10

lead

in the mountains.

11

Ben Lomand, Queenstown, New Zealand

12

lead

lead lead

13 13

14

lead

lead

15

16

lead

Mount Batur, Bali, Indonesia

lead

17

18

lead

lead

19

Tongariro National Park, New Zealand

20

Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

lead

Watch out for Yetis though. lead

21

22

lead

Nagarkot, Nepal

lead lead

23 23

B oth strength and technique are invaluable when it comes to climbing, but is one more than the other?

Everyone seems agree that strength is a good thing. But do we need to associate training with such strenuous physical exercise?

We immediately start performing pulls-ups and endless bicep curls, thinking this will turn us into to mini Adam Ondras and Alex Puccios. Perhaps we should be focusing more on the smaller details, like footwork, accuracy and balance.

So firstly, what exactly is ‘strength’?

What does strength look like? When we think of strength, most of us probably imagine some guy with massive biceps and bulging muscles.

It always seems to be considered quite a masculine thing.

However, people seem to forget that

24

there are different types of strength: physical strength, endurance strength, and mental strength.

efficiency and saving energy.

And one thing about relying on strength: it’s exhausting.

Essentially, strength is what gives you power. And power is what means you can jump further, hold on longer, and climb faster.

Good technique allows you to climb for a lot longer. Technique is what will teach your body to behave in the most effective, efficient and energy conserving way. Things like clean foot swaps, clipping first time, or being able to stand on tiny footholds. And the more effortlessly you can climb, without having to fumble around or waste energy, means you’ll be able to climb for a lot longer with tiring.

Climbing uses very specific muscles - some that you don’t really use in most other sports - because you use pretty much your entire body.

This means that these muscles are often very fragile. People are quick to blame the lack of strength in their fingers or arms, when in fact, it’s your core strength that will keep you stuck to the wall.

So then why is technique so important? Surely, if you have the strength to power your way up a route, then what do you need technique for? Technique is all about

lead

People with bad technique use their arms to pull themselves up routes, and become worn out - or ‘pumped’ - when actually you need to learn to use your legs and centre of gravity.

Whilst those big muscly men are powering their way up the wall, they may look impressive, but they will tire quickly. Women on the other

Strength Vs Technique Photo: Colin Sharp

Are endless push-ups, planks and pull-ups really the key to great climbing?

hand, are considered more technical, graceful and elegant - or so people think.

any sport, not just climbing.

For example, sports like ballet, martial arts, gymnastics, even tennis, all require a huge amount of technical skill. Of course, it’s important not to ignore strength, but technique allows you to refine every last tiny detail.

people have in their whole bicep.

But being a free solo climber - no ropes - it’s safe to assume that Honnold must possess a huge amount of mental strength as well.

Sometimes, you’ve just got to find the strength to not think, and just climb.

Perhaps, it may seem like the easier to option to use brute force to lug yourself up difficult routes sometimes, but focusing on technical skills is a much better idea in the long run.

However, no matter how flawless your technique is, there is one thing that can hold even the best climbers back: mental strength. Take the fear of falling for example; many climbers possess this, meaning even if they have the physical strength or technique to perform a move, if they’re too scared, they won’t go through with it. No matter how well your body can perform, it’s from your mind where a lot of climbing comes from.

So strength and technique both have their own uses in climbing.

Tempting as it may seem to just stick to brute force, technique seems to be more valuable for someone wanting to really improve their climbing. However, above all, no matter how silent your feet are, or how closely you keep your hips glued to the route, or how precise your foot swaps are, it’s mental strength that will really make or break you as a climber.

The key is, the more movement a sport uses, the more it relies on technique. This can be applied to

Climbers like Alex Honnold probably have more physical strength in one finger, than most

I spoke to Team GB climber, Ed Hamer, who told me about some of the experiences he’s had with climbing with men and women in competitions:“They’ll put women on the same route sometimes, and they’ll find a ridiculous way of doing it. It’s amazing to see! And they’ve used almost no strength, and no energy! And you’re like: we should all be doing it that way!”

lead

Words: Lauren Sawyer

25

Photo: Lauren Sawyer

Location: Daddy Hole, Lummation Quarry, Torquay

26

lead

Inside the world of

Lauren Sawyer met up for a quick chat with South West climber, James Clapham ... on a sea cliff.

lead

27

Photo: Lauren Sawyer

“

Modern society as a whole can become quite repetitive and safe

“

28

lead

lead

“I’ll just quickly go back up and get the rope”, James said casually as he strode off towards the massive rock face.

There was me thinking, he’s just going to wonder up the path to the cliff top, sort the rope out, and scurry back down.

Not quite.

I turn to see James - a tiny speck against the soaring limestone tower - ascending up the rock effortlessly.

Without a rope.

I mean, it’s definitely a lot quicker than fiddling around with gear and ropes - or walking, for that matter.

For a confident climber like James, I’m sure this seems like ‘no big deal’ at all. But for a not so hard-core climber like myself, climbing anything above the ground without a rope or any protection seems pretty terrifying. Needless to say, he was back down again onto solid land before I even had time to process what had happened.

This was the first time I’d ever met James Clapham, and I can honestly say I know few climbers who come close to the kind of enthusiasm and passion that he shows for adventure.

Most climbers in the Devon area know James from him South West Climbing guide - which is actually very handy to have.

When asking him how the idea of making a guide came about, James tells me, “We needed a new guide book. The old one, it was 20 years out of date”.

After approaching The Climbers’ Club editors with the idea (and when I say approach, I mean, meet up for a beer) the project was set into motion. It was James’ suggestion to split the book into Dartmoor and South Devon, putting the bouldering with the granite climbing, and the deep water soloing with the coastal section.

Growing up locally, James has a lot of first-hand experience with South West climbs. In 2010, he set himself his own project, to climb every route on Dartmoor up to E4 that year. He finished only 40 short.

But making a guide of everything climbable in the South West isn’t exactly an easy task.

“It was much harder than I thought. We agreed it would

lead

probably take a year and a half to two years. It took five years to finish it.”

James also worried his guide might not follow the original’s footsteps. He explains, “The Nick White guide - it’s not the most user friendly guide - but it’s got so much character. It’s reckoned to be one of the funniest guidebooks ever written, with all the crazy ‘here will be dragons’ and caricatures. He did capture the spirit of the area which is definitely quirky.”

Despite this, the new guide was received well. It’s equipped with photos, a user friendly nature and humurous ‘tongue and cheek’ writing.

It’s easy to see where James’ love for the outdoors comes from. Growing up in a village on Dartmoor, his childhood wasn’t exactly packed with the internet, smart phones and TV. “All I did was go and play sports or climb trees, or go have a run around on the moors.

But that’s because we didn’t have anything else.”

As James points out, it’s important for parents and schools to make the most out of the outdoors, especially today. “If people don’t appreciate and understand the outdoors, they’re more likely to litter, pollute and treat the environment in a poor manner.”

But this is easier said than done, as James describes society as ‘one huge moving and constantly changing thing’.

Especially in our culture, with our takeaway coffees and flat screen TVs, busy office jobs and designer clothes, everything has become more immediate and materialistic. Nobody has the time to slow down, go outside or appreciate the outdoors.

“Society’s moving, I think, in quite a bad direction for the environment. I think it will be very hard to change that.”

Modern society as a whole can become quite repetitive and safe. This is something I’m sure James can relate to, as he quit his job to live in the mountains and have a more adventurous life.

Although, it didn’t happen quite like that. James explains, “I think maybe people lack imagination a little bit.

29

(Yes, it’s actually called DADDY HOLE)

Everyone’s different, but society is very much like: you grow up, you get educated, maybe you go to uni, you get a job, you get a house, you get a family, you get a car. That’s what you do.”

But if you want to do something different, you can. James tells me how he worked at Tesco’s from the age of 16, for 10 years. During this time, he made the most of career breaks and holidays. Despite working full time, he was still able to do a four-week expedition to Alaska in 2007, and tonnes of other long weekend trips.

“I’m not saying you should quit your job. You can still have a ‘normal job’ and have a really adventurous life, if you choose to. It takes more courage I think, for a lot of people to add some insecurity to their life, than it does to actually go on the trip.”

Anything is possible if you’ve got the motivation to make a change. James says, “I left my job eventually because my life was going in a different direction. I’ve made that into my life now. Chamonix was the first place I ever climbed in the Alps; it holds a pretty special place for me. I’ve climbed all across the Alps, and now Chamonix is home.”

But for a lot of climbers these days, that’s it. James reminds me, “you can use climbing to go on amazing adventures and see places that people have never been to, or even seen before.

And although I think it’s great that more people are climbing, there’s so much more to it.

It can take you all over the world, not just to your local wall.”

But going on an adventure doesn’t necessarily mean travelling to the other side of the world. There is great climbing here in the UK, or even the South West alone (you only need to read James’ guide to see that).

“The UK is really unique.

There’s sea cliff climbing in the rest of Europe, the rest of the world, but the UK has a really unique blend of sea cliffs and mountains”.

The UK is hugely varied with its amount of sea cliffs and sea stacks. Once you get past the typical windy wet British weather, it makes it one of the best sea climbing areas in the world. The opportunities are endless.

One thing I’ve noticed myself is how much soul and passion climbers like James carry with them. With the focus on indoor climbing centres, bouldering gyms and even the Olympics on the horizon, people can forget how simple climbing really is.

“We’re really lucky. In the UK, you can climb on a dozen different types of rock. Other countries, say Spain, it’s predominately limestone. It’s a huge country with a huge amount of climbing, but most of its very similar”.

You have just one goal: get to the top. It’s not about plastic and podiums and getting pumped.

All these indoor fitness fanatics rarely get to experience the kind of adventures outdoor climbing has to offer.

So whether it’s climbing, travelling, exploring, or just the kind of person you want to be, there are always room to add a bit of adventure to your life.

If everyone appreciated what’s around them a bit more, I think the world would be a much nicer place. As James simply puts it: “Adventure is here on our doorstep, if you want it”.

“Obviously, it’s good that we have indoor climbing walls

30

because it means more people can go climbing. And that’s great!

Climbing’s a great sport and great way to stay fit.”

lead

Photo: Lauren Sawyer

“

You can still have a really adventurous life, if you choose to

lead

“

lead

31

We could show you some really nice scenic photos... but this is England.

Lead were tired of seeing idealic pictures of exotic landscapes, and thought we’d try and capture how Dartmoor usually is - grey.

32

Dartmoor in the fog and rain.

lead

lead lead

33

34

lead

lead

35

Photos by: Lauren Sawyer

36

lead

lead

37

38

lead

Ed Hamer is hard to sum up.

After meeting Ed, you instantly know that climbing is his passion. Instead of being motivated by grades or trophies, he’s more interested in the quality of the climbing, and destinations it takes you. Having met him purely by coincidence - shortly after his return from The Great British Climb Off - Ed was more than happy to speak to me about his experiences.

As well as making up half of the Hamer brothers, Ed climbs for the British Senior Lead Team, with two silver medals.

“I’m one of the oldest in the team now!”

Ed has climbed up to 8c/+ outdoors, trad at E8, and bouldering at V13. Being one of the UK’s best all-round climbers, Ed is known locally after finishing fourth in the Quay’s 2014 DWS competition - impressive stuff.

With an exciting childhood in various countries, it’s clear where Ed gets his appreciation for the adventure. “I was born in Zimbabwe, that’s where my dad got me into it.

We did loads of climbing out there, because there’s so much untouched rock.”

We discussed climbing being a ‘sport without rules’, and how the Olympics could change this. “I think it will be really good for raising the profile, but the bigger side, it would ruin it. I think climbing’s really nice because it’s not that well known. Most sports in the Olympics - say gymnastics - you do indoors. Whereas climbing, you train indoors - there are competitions - but then you can take all of that experience, and you go outside and climb all around the world.”

Something competitions require is to be able to read routes beforehand. “When I started I was awful. Some of the training sessions were solely going through the route instead of doing actually any climbing”. Ed would have six minutes to view a route, solve it, and then draw it.

“It’s really important to remember all the holds, and know what’s a jug, what’s a crimp, and the different brands.” ​I wondered how much training it must take to reach this standard - or does it come naturally?

“I think I manage to do a lot of things just through strength. In Sheffield it tends to be training on the 45 degree board and just getting ridiculously strong, instead of actually going out and trying to get good footwork. But now, I want to focus on getting more flexible and using my feet more.”

“OMG I need to go and do something to keep them happy”

After, Ed’s family lived in Mali, Tanzania, Kenya and York. “That’s where we really got into climbing started training properly and were going to the Leeds climbing wall. Then we moved to the Peak District. We’ve lived there for about six years - mainly for all the outdoor climbing.”

I ask which he prefers: inside or outside climbing?

“I’m trying to balance it. I do indoor competitions, and like to train a lot and stay fit and strong; but then, I’ve done so much outdoor climbing with my brother.”

Ed’s sponsors are Wild Country, Scarpa and Peak Ales.

His brother Sam has been sponsored by Berghaus for three years. “Hopefully at the end of this year I might be joining.”

Having sponsors is essential for a professional climber, but also adds pressure: “Sometimes it’s quite hard when you haven’t done something for a while. You think: OMG I need to go and do something to keep them happy.

But they do seem quite relaxed.”

Having trained five days a week for seven years, Ed’s style has evolved over time. “You see so many videos of like ‘the strongest climber’ and I always think OMG that looks good, I’m going do that for a bit! When I’ve had a coach I’ve performed my best in competitions, but my worse outside. For me, it came down to wanting to climb well outside. I want to do quite well in competitions, and really well outside.”

It seems clear that Ed sees climbing more as a lifestyle than a sport. And you can see why when his whole life does revolve around it. So I guess if I was going to try and sum him up, I’d probably say something like, “he just wants to get out and climb”, and what’s wrong with that?

Words and photo: Lauren Sawyer

lead lead

39 39

40

lead

lead

41

Photos by: Lauren Sawyer

42

lead

lead

43

The Real Everest It’s a common thing to have on your bucket list: climb Mount Everest. And yet, how many of us actually manage to do it – to even come close to visiting the paradise that is the Himalayas?

Lead decided to get a glimpse of the experience, from a group that ventured to Everest’s base camp, back in 2013.

Everest base camp is a whopping 5,380m high.

That’s over half way up Everest, which stands at a terrifying 8,848m tall. Four Brits – Phil Sawyer, Martin Littleton, Charlotte Ridgers, and Stephen Bell – decided to venture to base camp together, after meeting while climbing Africa’s tallest mountain, Kilimanjaro, the year before.

“Everest came up as the next challenge and immediately sounded like a brilliant opportunity to go to Nepal, and see Everest with my own eyes,” said Martin. “And at the same time, raise money for a worthwhile cause,” added Stephen. The group climbed the mountain on behalf of cancer research – a charity especially important to Charlotte, after explaining that she lost her Grandma to brain cancer.

A typical expedition begins by flying to Lukla, in the North East of Nepal. This small town sits comfortably beneath a towering mass of mountains, but this isn’t the most intimidating thing here – that would be the airport. Its single runway is steep, short and narrow. Based on top of a 2,000 feet drop, it’s no wonder this runway is generally known as the world’s scariest.

Nevertheless, Martin described the landing as “hair-raising” yet admits, “I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie so found this experience more exhilarating, rather than scary.”

It took the group seven days to reach basecamp, and the journey seemed like one of a kind.

Phil explained the differences between his experience ascending Everest, compared to Kilimanjaro: “Kilimanjaro was all in tents, so every night we had to get them done, and cook, whereas Everest was all little teahouses – like little chalet buildings. They started off nice,

44

lead

but as you got higher they got worse and worse and worse. From some facilities at the bottom, to no facilities at the top.”

“Kilimanjaro was more of a natural experience,” added Stephen. “Everest felt very commercial the whole way. Although the scenery, area and people were amazing, the fact that every village you stopped in had wifi, and pubs, detracted from the whole experience.”

The Himalayas remain the biggest wonder of the world, but with visitors increasing each year, are we forgetting just how deadly this place can be?

In 2015, Nepal’s earthquake seemed to be a wakeup call, and reminded people just how dangerous this area is. 22 were killed, in an event which transformed such a magnetising tourist attraction, into a source of destruction. Are too many of us forgetting that Everest is by no means a walk in the park?

“It becomes a matter of money and ambition,” says Stephen. In agreement, Martin adds, “I’m sure some people just pay their money and assume they’ll be dragged up to the summit by experienced leaders and Sherpas.”

Last year, 641 climbers reached the summit of Everest. Sounds good, right? Just imagine it: gazing down on such a vast, open area. The empowering feeling of conquering 8,848m of rock.

Must be amazing.

But let’s be honest: climbing Everest isn’t as glamorous as the movies make it out to be. It’s tiring, crowded, and hard work. That’s not to say that this kind of landscape isn’t breath-taking, but there’s other things to consider – there’s the parts of this place that you won’t see on any brochure.

Rubbish, in particular, has become quite an issue. “It upsets me to think that such a beautiful mountain is now covered in litter because more and more people are climbing it and not respecting it”, says Charlotte. “It’s just become a bin up there”, says Phil.

“Because the conditions are so harsh, the litter, the oxygen cylinders, and the dead bodies to an extent, littered the mountains. Where does it stop? It’s only going to get worse. It’s not like you can get a cleaning crew up there.”

lead

45

People have to queue to reach Everest’s summit these days. As if waiting to board a Disneyland ride. And little things like this do not enter people’s minds, when they are so focussed on reaching the top. In their vision, things are going to be perfect. And often they are, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also prepare for the worst.

Phil explains, “You can’t just rock up with a couple of mates and go up there and back. You have to have proper planning, you have to have Doctors, a satellite phone. In case of an emergency, you have to have the people who know what they’re doing.”

The group may have come back in one piece, however they did witness various problems while on the mountain. “We did see somebody have to be airlifted off, from an injury from a yak,” says Phil. “It was scary to see just how lonely and remote you are up there.”

“One of the guys on our trip lost the central sight in one of his eyes, due to the altitude, and had to descend quickly which was scary,” says Charlotte. She also mentions how the journey became more challenging, when she had to battle a parasitic infection, as well as altitude sickness. “The problem with altitude sickness is that you don’t really think straight – almost like you are drunk – so it’s easy to make silly decisions. I think some people are so determined they don’t really realise how much of an affect the altitude is having and push on regardless, and this is very dangerous.”

So, here’s the problem: if Everest is such a deadly place, should people be going there?

Are people being too ambitious? Underestimating

46

lead

things? Or is it worth it? After all, scaring people away means we are unable to see – to really appreciate – such a profound natural wonder.

And plus, visiting the area is good for the local economy. “But also, the government is potentially corrupted,” Stephen points out. “Very little of the actual money is going to those who have most to lose, or the areas that need it the most.”

There are some improvements to the Himalayas, however, particularly in terms of safety. Better equipment and modern weather forecasting have contributed to less fatalities. In December 2016, the Department of Tourism tightened regulations for climbing Everest. For example, those over 75 are now banned, and those wanting to reach the summit must climb 7,000m beforehand.

Stephen says: “regulations regarding prior experience are in place, but it’s regulating this that will be challenging. There are so many other spectacular peaks in the Himalayas that the potential to loss in money, through tighter control and limiting numbers on Everest, could easily be recovered by promoting them.”

Despite aiming to reach Base Camp, the four all mentioned a highlight of the trip to be reaching the summit of Kala Pathar, a neighbouring peak reaching 5,643m. “The sun was shining and the views were out of this world. I have a panoramic photo of the view of the mountain range with Everest in my kitchen, and I smile every time I look at it!” said Charlotte.

Of course, it’s not just about the mountains when you come to the Himalayas – it’s a totally different culture there too. “Kathmandu is an attack on the senses!” Martin begins. “The hustle

and bustle of narrow streets, the colourful stalls selling everything you can imagine, the lovely smells from the food sellers. Amongst the chaos, you then find the temples of quiet places, where you can reflect on your journey and really soak up the Nepalese culture. The people were very friendly, despite the fact they must tire of the endless stream of trekking tourists passing through their city.”

In all honesty, Everest may be the highest point of the Himalayas, but it still remains a small part of a big place.

Words: Juliet Sawyer

lead

47

48

lead

Thinking you want to make your own climbing film, but not sure how to go about it? Here’s a load down on some tips and tricks to get you started.

Words, Photography and illustrations: Lauren Sawyer lead

49

50

lead lead

think most climbers secretly wish they had some amazing climbing story that could be shown at the next Sheffield Adventure Film Festival.

Climbers seem to love to watch climbing. A great adventure film is always good at inspiring us all to get out and climb hard, but you don’t necessarily need to be the next Jen Randall or Alex Honnold level climber in order to make a film that captures the spirit of the climbing world. All you need is a bit of creativity, a decent camera, a laptop and of course, some climbers.

Plan plan plan The first and most important step is to plan it out. The best films have a story. Whether you’re making a serious climbing documentary, or a humorous underdog story about one of your friend’s sends, your film needs to have a point to it. Will it have speaking in it or just climbing? What kind of tone or style are you going for? Watch other people’s stuff to give you an idea of what yours is going to be like.

If your film is taking place in a particular location, it always pays to check it out beforehand to see any potential shots.

It always helps to try and storyboard your film out beforehand. Even if this is just for rough guidance, it gives you an idea of where your film is going and can help you plan the kind of shots you might go for. And if the idea of your film changes, or it takes a turn you didn’t expect, you can always adapt your storyboard or make a new one.

Now for the shooting When it comes to shots, you want to get as many as possible. Rule number one is you can never have too much footage. Experiment with viewpoints and angles, because the bigger range of shots you have, the more engaging this will be for your audience. Think about different ways that you can show the same route, or even make a time-lapse of different people trying it throughout the day. Filming a route from the ground normally just ends up with a whole camera roll of bum shots, so think about where else you can position yourself. Can you film from above the climber? What about close up or far away?

Think about close up shots to zoom in on the action. And don’t be afraid to show struggle; don’t sugar coat the climbing world. If you want to show a climber battling against their environment, you could think about using longer shots to emphasise the vast

scale of a massive cliff face or daunting looking climb.

It never hurts to bring a tripod along, as you don’t want to end up with shaky footage.

This can be frustrating to watch and distract the viewer.

If you don’t have a tripod there’s always something you can either strap your camera to or rest against – a tree, a rock, even part of the route itself. Sometimes it can pay to use more than one camera to capture two different angles of the same route.

If you don’t have more than one available, most smart phones record decent footage, depending on how professional you want your film to be.

But it’s not all about the climbing. If you watch other climbing films, they often show other footage like getting to the crag, the surrounding landscape or even having a beer after a good send. Think about whether you want to include talking or interviews. The more you build up a story or show the character of a climber, the more the audience will become invested.

The bit afterwards Editing can be where your film truly starts to come together. Remember you want your footage to tell a story, so refer back to your storyboard to make sure you know where your film is going.

You don’t necessarily need to be a fancy FinalCut Pro master. Depending on the film you’re going for, you can just as easily edit it on programmes like iMovie or even on an iPhone. As long as your film has a strong beginning, middle and end, it doesn’t have to be jam packed with special effects and transitions.

This is also when you want to start thinking about music. This can seriously affect the atmosphere of your film, so think about what kind of mood you are trying to reflect. Most climbing films have quite an upbeat or fast moving soundtrack. There are loads of creative commons music libraries (watch out for copyright) to scroll through and find something that fits with your film.

Whether you want to make the next Valley Uprising, or just something to impress your friends on social media, the best way to learn the art of filmmaking is to just have a go. So grab a camera, grab a friend and go out and do it.

lead

51

Hey,

did you know...

Lead have had a crack at making a few films of their own?

52

lead

Check them out here:

And that’s the crack lead lead

53

54

lead

Thanks for stopping by

lead

55

lead

Get your climb on.

56

lead