Over the weekend I have been working for Adventureworks running an expedition training course for a team I’m taking to climb Cotopaxi in the Summer. Over the weekend they spent time on a range of team building activities and also learnt a lot about expedition life and what to expect in Ecuador. They are raising the money for the expedition themselves so on Saturday afternoon we also ran an abseil event in Millers Dale which many of them have sought sponsorship for.
Cotopaxi is a challenging mountain with a long summit day so on Sunday we spent the day walking on Kinder Scout. While we can’t recreate a high altitude mountain in the Peak District (the summit of Kinder Scout being about 18000 feet lower than Cotopaxi!) it at least gave the team a taste of expedition trekking as well as allowing valuable discussions on fitness and training.
Over the next few months the team will be training as hard as possible as well as completing all their organisational preparation. It’s a busy time in expedition life and it won’t seem long before we’re boarding the plane for a great adventure in a beautiful part of the world.
While I was busy with the team Peak Mountaineering had various other activities on the go. Simon was out with returning clients Alan, Tim, Nick and Trina on a guided mountain biking day. The group were originally part of a stag event we ran a couple of years ago and that day gave them the biking bug. Now they are super keen cyclists and regularly pop up to the Peak for a taste of the best biking around. Simon took the group to the White Peak and they enjoyed a day blasting the limestone dales………and an end of ride scone eating competition (apparently Simon was well and truly out scoffed!). They’ve already booked to join us again in September.
Finally, Mark was also out in the Peak District with Roz, Steve, Chris and Paul on an Essential Navigation Skills course. The team had a busy day practising a range of navigation techniques and finding their way around various ingenious landscape and contour features. Mark reported an excellent day with the group and a sample of the feedback from participant Steve certainly backs that up…….
“The course was enjoyable, and paced about right - neither too little nor too much information. The classroom/cafe section was definitely helpful for picking up the concepts like handrails, collection points etc, and probably helped put everyone at ease with each other. I liked the way the practical tasks got more complicated as the day went on, adding more concepts each time. Good to each be set a challenge in the afternoon, a little pressure makes it more realistic.
The location was perfect, lots of micro features without having too many obvious landmarks (which would make cheating too easy!). Mark was an excellent teacher and good company”.
Many thanks Steve.
I hope everyone else had a great weekend too.
Cheers,
Paul
Following Peak Mountaineering’s highly successful Ladakh expedition in 2009 we are running another expedition to Stok Kangri in 2010. Stok is a beautiful mountain situated in the amazing Indian Himalayan Ladakh region. At 6150 metres it is a substantial but attainable challenge which can be tackled comfortably by mountaineers new to the himalayas. It is a breath taking mountain and from the summit there are stunning views of the Zanskar and Karakorum mountain ranges and K2 is also clearly visible.
Our itinerary starts with a flight in to Delhi on the 5th September. After exploring the excitement of the city we will fly to Ladakh’s capital Leh. Leh is a brilliant place to relax and acclimatise for a few days before we begin the walk in to the mountain. Then, once at base camp we’ll complete some acclimatisation walks before making our summit bid. A good rest once back at base camp and then we’ll trek back to Leh for a celebratory feast and a return flight to Delhi. Once back in Delhi there are options to visit the Taj Mahal or return directly to the UK.
The cost of the trip is a bargain at £1400 (this includes internal fights in India and the only extra cost would be the flight to Delhi). We have put together an information sheet and would be delighted to email or post one to you. Alternatively, just give us a call and we’ll talk through the details with you. Places are limited and offered on a first come first served basis………..are you with us for the adventure of a lifetime?
Today I met up with returning clients Paul and Reuben for some lead climbing instruction. As I drove across Rushup Edge this morning I was disheartened by the torrential rain hitting the windscreen and remembered my half serious promise to Paul about it being a dry day. Fortunately, by the time we met up the rain had stopped and as we left the cars at Froggatt it was starting to look very promising. The crag was still very wet when we arrived but a short session on gear placements and belays at ground level and a good breeze meant we were on our first climb enjoying dry gritstone and the first patches of blue sky less than an hour later.
From that point on the day got warmer and sunnier and we had a peach of a day. We spent time looking at lots of key leading skills and enjoying some of the best of Peak gritsone climbs and in no time it was 5.30pm and we were heading back to the cars. As I threw my rucksack in the boot the first drops of rain hit the windscreen and by the time I was driving along Rushup Edge the rain was torrential. Now that’s what I call timing!
Thanks to Paul and Reuben for a great day and I hope you get chance to use your new skills very soon.
Cheers,
Paul
Today Peak Mountaineering worked with our youngest orienteers of the week. These little stars were only 5 but it certainly didn’t stop them being brilliant.
The sessions involved some skills activities then the groups participated in a star orienteering event (a type of event where competitiors run out to control points then return to a central checkpoint each time to get a new target) which became very competitive and was a great way to put the skills into practice safely.
I was really proud to see children this age enjoying and learning from our instructors and I look forward to seeing one of them at the orienteering world championships in a few years - well quite a few years actually! Well done to all.
After the sessions finished I nipped up to join Dan for some climbing at Castle Naze. The castle is an underrated local gritstone crag that provides a perfect venue on a spring evening. We fitted in a good few hours before rain stopped play. It really got me excited about the summer rock adventures ahead. Roll on sunshine!
For the first part of this week we are running a series of orienteering sessions in local schools. It’s been a busy day with instructors dashing all over the area and returning with tales of exciting sessions and brilliant children. We’ve always considered the activities we do with school groups as a vital part of our work and it’s always so inspiring to introduce new skills to primary age groups as they are so enthusiastic and full of life.
The groups today have been learning key orienteering skills for the first part of the session before taking part in some inter school competitions to test their new skills. The competition is introduced as ‘just for fun’ but it certainly doesn’t stop the teams getting very competitive! Luckily we’ll be doing the same thing with other schools over the next few days too.
This weekend Peak Mountaineering has been running an SPA assessemnt in the Peak District for Adrian, Rik, Steve and Caroline. The Single Pitch Award is a climbing instructor qualification that allows holders to supervise groups on single pitch crags in the UK.
Saturday was rather wet and overcast and we spent the day at Yarncliffe Quarry and Lawrencefield looking at setting up systems to safeguard groups and all the associated group management issues. This was followed by a exam paper and debrief.
Today we spent a rather drier and sunnier day at Burbage North looking at personal climbing and solving common single pitch problems.
The group performed brilliantly and the very best of luck to them all with their future instructional careers.
Mark was also running a private guided navigation skills session with Melanie and Steve on Saturday. The team headed to the Derwent Valley to learn some essential navigation skills Melanie is planning to put to good use in some mountain marathon events over the summer. The very best of luck to them too - please let us know how the events go.
We are still working on the first aid pages updates to the website but, seeing as we’ve had lots of enquiries, we have scheduled in our first round of Outdoor First Aid courses…………..
Outdoor First Aid (OFA)
These 16 hour (two day) courses are ideal for the outdoor enthusiast, oudoor instructor and expedition leader alike - taking you through the skills essential for rescue and emergency care. Additionally if you need a first aid course to validate your NGB award (eg MIC, MIA, Mountain Leader, SPA, WGL, Mountain Bike Leader, Local Cave and Mine Leader etc) then these HSE approved courses are for you.
OFA 16 hours (2 days) programme
Safe best practice
A systematic approach to incident management in the outdoors
Unconsciousness - causes and treatment
External bleeding, internal bleeding and shock
Resuscitation procedures
Awareness of current regulations
Remote injury management
Illness recognition and management
Managing heat and cold injuries
Incident management scenarios
Price
£120 (includes first aid manual and first aid certificate valid for three years)
Package
Interactive hands on practical training
Use of recommended first aid kit
Easy to follow individual course booklet
An accredited, recognised certificate valid for 3 years
2010 Dates
10th/11th April
17th/18th May
21st/22nd June
17th/18th July
All the courses are based in the Peak District. Please call us on 01614407065 or email info@peakmountaineering.com to book your place. 10% discount for early bookings.
We’ve spent a fair bit of time in portaledges over the years and clients often ask what they are like to live in. This gives a flavour of portaledge life…………
Here’s a report from the Black Diamond website about a skier who survived a 70 minute burial and reckons the Avalung was the thing that made the difference………..
The following is a recent report from an avalanche survivor in the Bedretto Valley in Switzerland on January 30, 2010. It is a first person report that has been edited for brevity and clarity/translation.
‘Last Saturday I (and a group of friends) had a very bad experience. We were in Tessin (Italian part of Switzerland) and we decided to make all together a ski-tour. We were 20 people, the snow conditions were really good, fresh powder, but the wind was really high! We didn’t calculate this problem.
We made a tour around a peak in Bedretto Valley (north of Tessin) and with a friend we were the last two people of this group, a bit far from the others. Everything was good, sunny and fun day. I heard a “whoom” on the way up and normally when I go up I don’t have the Avalung outside. Usually, I use it just when I’m skiing. It’s not funny when you hear a “whoom”, it’s not a good sound and I decided to pull my AvaLung mouthpiece out of my backpack. I bought the AvaLung pack last year and I had never used it. You buy but you hope never to use.
We walked 4-5 minutes more and then I saw an avalanche that came in my direction. I couldn’t make nothing. I had skins under my skis and skiing was really impossible. In 5 seconds I was in the avalanche, scared and screamed and I’m not an expert and I didn’t know what I could make. At that moment your brain can do nothing. I put my hand in front of my face and in some seconds I was under the snow and I didn’t know if the sky was up or down. Total panic!
I managed to get some space in front of me and I could breathe. I thought to myself that my friends were here and they could find me. After 20 minutes nobody. I thought that everyone was under the snow. After this time I decided to use the Avalung system, I used to breathe and I tried to stay quiet and relaxed. I breathe slowly, waiting for someone. I could check my watch but in this situation it’s not a good idea. I used the Avalung for 1 hour 10 minutes and then I saw again the light. (I was) really happy to see the rescue people and very happy that I was alive.
My personal opinion, I think that I’m still here because I had the Avalung. Black Diamond saved my life and the rescue people made the rest. I like so much ski touring but for sure, now I will take an avalanche course and next year try again. Winter 2010 for me is closed. Thanks a lot guys and hats off about your products!’
Suddenly the cost of an Avalung seems like money well spent! Stay safe.
