Mountaineering

When we moved to Switzerland over 10 years ago, I had never set foot on a mountain. Now that I was livening in the mountains, I decided that I should climb the three mountains that I had heard of; Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn and the Eiger and I thought that would be it. I hated … Continue reading Swiss 4000m peak challenge complete – mission report

The Taschhorn represented my penultimate 4,000m summit in Switzerland and whilst I desperately wanted the trip to succeed, recent bad weather ensured that I had to keep my expectations low. Sebastian and I knew it was a risk as we left our valley after a 3:00am alarm, but you have to put yourself in a … Continue reading Taschhorn (4,491m, AD)

During the trek from Lukla to Ama Dablam (AD) Base Camp (BC) I had developed a stuffy nose which a local had said was due to yak crap mingling with the dust and which, when breathed in, can result in a nasal infection. Well, I don’t know if that is true but I arrived in … Continue reading Ama Dablam Summit Report

When I called the Verbier Guide Office to complete the last of the 48 Swiss 4,000m peaks I should have requested an old, gauloises smoking guide who had seen better and faster days. Having completed the Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc only two days previously, I was looking for a slow and steady ascent of … Continue reading Summit Report – Lauteraarhorn (4,042m, Assez Dificle)

Canadian skimo racing team member Michelle asked me to step in at the last minute to compete in the Pierra Menta three stage trail race after her two previous team-mates had pulled out – it was tough and she pushed me hard. In return, Michelle agreed to accompany me on Nordend after my planned partners … Continue reading Summit Report, Nordend (PD, 4,608m)

If I am honest, sometimes mountaineering is not very pleasant – wind, rain, snow, cold, dehydration, hunger, exhaustion and the risk of dying mean that sometimes I wonder what the hell I am doing clinging to the side of a mountain. The traverse of Piz Bernina, via the famous Biancograt (“white ridge”), with Scottish mountain … Continue reading Summit Report – Piz Bernina Traverse from Switzerland to Italy (4,049m, AD+) with a close encounter with a crevasse

As novice mountaineer Frank Persyn (only previous summit the Breithorn) and I made our way to the Dom Hut via the steep and never-ending via ferrata and rocky paths, I could not believe that Duncan, Colin and I had made the same climb in winter carrying skis, boot, poles, sleeping and cooking gear! We were … Continue reading Summit Report – Dom (4,545m, PD+ via Festigrat) featuring Frank Persyn

Inspired by my father-in-law, my goal is to climb all 82 of the 4,000m peaks in the Alps and the first stage is to climb all the Swiss peaks. There are 48 Swiss peaks and so far I have climbed 42. A successful summit of the Lenzspitze would leave only five remaining and the hope … Continue reading Summit Report – Lenzspitze (3rd time lucky) and Nadelhorn Traverse (4,294m, AD+)

A combination of COVID and a guide with a broken collar bone meant that I found myself with Scottish mountain guide Kenny Grant at the top of the Jungfrau glacier staring into misty, white mass of nothing. We set off tentatively, hugging the left-hand side of the glacier, using the rocks to our left as … Continue reading Summit Report (Grosses and Hinter Fiescherhorn 4,049m PD, Gross Grunhorn 4,044m PD+ and Finsteraarhorn 4,274m PD+)