UKC

Andy Houseman - Alpinist Video Profile

© Jack Geldard - UKC

Andy Houseman is based in Darley, rural North Yorkshire. He works for the family haulage business Houseman International, doing everything from driving HGVs, coordinating transport logistics and answering the phone through to building fences and concreting barn floors.

It's an expedition life for Andy Houseman  © Jack Geldard - UKC
It's an expedition life for Andy Houseman
© Jack Geldard - UKC

Andy Houseman in the Himalaya  © Jack Geldard - UKC
Andy Houseman in the Himalaya
© Jack Geldard - UKC
When not driving trucks, Andy is known as Alpine climbing's 'Mr Nice' for his relaxed and friendly manner. Andy has spent many seasons climbing in the French Alps, basing himself out of Chamonix, where he has racked up an impressive tally of ascents of long and committing mixed routes.

On top of that he has made several Greater Ranges expeditions, from Alaska to the Himalaya, with varied success: from complete shut down on unclimbed Himalayan north faces to being nominated for the Piolet d'Or for a new route on Chang Himal back in 2010.

In the UKC interview video below we speak to Andy whilst he was on a quick trip to Chamonix from Darley to climb the Grandes Jorasses North Face. The video includes footage from an Alaskan epic on the Slovak Direct as well as from an attempt at the unclimbed 7000m peak of Link Sar in Pakistan with Jon Griffith - a mountain that the pair are returning to in 2015.

Andy shares some of his climbing adventures and speaks about being pinned down in a storm with Nick Bullock, not knowing if they would make it through.

 

VIDEO: Andy Houseman Profile

 

Andy Houseman is sponsored by: Adidas Eyewear, Black Diamond, Scarpa,The North Face and Tendon Ropes





29 Dec, 2014
Inspiring stuff.
31 Dec, 2014
Enjoyed that, a really interesting insight!
29 Jan, 2015
Yeah, that was a really good wee profile. The right length, nice mix of climbing/discussion, and interesting to hear a top climber talking about a trip that didn't quite work out, despite there being no epics. Among all the situations that look scary in that video, I'd be terrified of climbing leashless on some of those giant ice faces! Fair play to him. The thought of watching an axe slide away (for about three minutes!) gives me the jibbers. Hope it goes well for him on return to Pakistan, D.
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