Latest News & Events Diary

The reason? He's been busy racing all over the UK, Ireland and Iceland filming climbers for his latest project, then back to his editing suite to put the hours in.

So you've seen enough pre-practiced headpoints and redpoints where the outcome is usually certain? His latest climbing film is going back to basics......... here's the press release... but before that here's a link to a teaser - it's a manifesto in its own right!

View the On Sight trailer HERE

PRESS RELEASE

"On Sight is a gripping adventure into the world of cutting edge rock and ice climbing documenting what is possible with a ground up, no pre-practice approach resulting in raw, compelling and often frightening footage. The climbers in this film aren't necessarily the strongest but they have the biggest kahooners(!); willing to take a 30 foot fall for the ultimate on sight ascent.

In the age of indoor gym climbing and pre-practiced ascents, On Sight gets back to the basics of climbing, the simple game of getting to the top using only your strength, skill and bottle! The risky game where you stand to loose so much more than you could hope to gain.

On Sight features an all star cast in spectacular locations on extraordinary routes produced in stunning High Definition.

Climbers include; Pete Robbins, James McHaffie, Leo Houlding, Adam Long, Ricky Bell, Dave Birkett, Steve McClure, Lucy Creamer, Mary Jenner, Ian Parnell, Neil Gresham, Jordan Buys, Sonnie Trotter, Dave Pickford, Ben Bransby, Jack Geldard, Jon Winters, Neil Dickson..... as well as insightful commentary by veterans of the game like Mick Fowler, Johnny Dawes and Andy Perkins.

On Location in – Iceland (Ian Parnell and Neil Gresham ice climbing at Kaldakinn), Madagascar (James McHaffie and Jack Geldard adventure big walling), Ireland (Ricky Bell amazing first ascents on the huge Fairhead seacliffs), Scotland (insane winter climbing with Ian Parnell and Jon Winters), North Wales (Welsh Slate and sea cliffs), England's fabled Gritstone (Pete Robbins and Jordan Buys take big falls on the grit), Colorado (Sonnie Trotter attempts Sphinx Crack), further venues and climbers to be confirmed....

This Mark Leach route from 1989, was graded F8b+ and even though it has had repeats, it is known that it has shed holds. Steve thinks it could now be even F8c+.

More details at www.climbmagazine.com

Lakes Festival High Council

The idea for this festival came out of a BMC Area Meeting at the Golden Rule, Ambleside last October where, "someone lamented the demise of climbing on the high crags of the region." Also with other UK climbing communities like North Wales coming together and organising events such as the recent Tremadoc clean-up, several people thought it about time that a similar 're-energisation' occured in the Lake District, and things are happening....

The newly revamped Lakes Area Meetings are well attended. The next one will be at 7.30pm on Thursday 5 June at the Hawkshead Brewery Beer Hall (in Staveley Mill Yard). Those bolts will raise their heads once again, this time it will be a report on a Lakes Bolting Workshop - to aid in the replacement of old bolts on Lakeland Slate and Limestone - which is being held on May 17th at Scout Scar just outside Kendal and being led by the BMC's Dan Middleton. Also on the agenda at the next Area Meeting is, "abseil chains in the Lakes – are these the next step forward?" Ouch! That may hurt some.

The latest Lakes Area Newsletter is also now available HERE. These Area Newsletters that are being produced across the UK are slowly morphing into mini climbing area magazines and are well worth a look to keep you up to date with local climbing issues and climbing ideas.

But back to the Lakes Festival of Climbing.

The Festival is to be based at Seathwaite, in the Duddon Valley where there are lots of valley crags and it is a hop, skip and a jump to Wasdale, Eskdale, or a walk over the hill to Dow Crag. Meet Friday night at the Newfield Inn for beer and a pub quiz at 9pm, climb all day Saturday and then return to the Newfield again for music, beer and food, with cups of tea and more climbing on Sunday. Local businesses including Needle Sports and Lakes Climber are supporting the event, there will be a boot demo by Boreal and DMM will be in attendance.

Accomodation is camping or bunkhouse and the Festival has a website with more details www.lakesfestivalofclimbing.co.uk

More good news too. Al Phizacklea who just had a nasty fall at Wallowbarrow Crag will be hopefully making an appearance on the Friday night at the Festival.

"Well by now you probably have heard the news. The Chinese have finally summit Everest from the North with the Olympic Torch. This means that all the climbing restrictions that had been in place on the south side have now been lifted. In short we are allowed to go and climb the mountain WOOHOO.

It was about 6am yesterday that I woke to the drone of a small jet circling the mountain. Now this is not normal so at once we knew some thing was happening. The plane circled the mountain for around 2hrs and then the news came through. At 9.16am China had got the Olympic torch as well as 21 climbers to the summit. The news was greeted with relief here at base camp; one could see the climbers visible perk up after an enforced period of rest due to the restrictions imposed by the Chinese.

So where does that leave us now?? Well we are a little behind time but its nothing too bad to be honest. Ran and Rob spent about a week resting down the valley and both have come back looking fit and well. We are now looking at going back up the mountain with our camp 3 acclimatization cycle. This will mean spending 4 or 5 days above base camp again letting our bodies get used to the ever increasing altitude. Then, all being well we will have 3 or 4 days rest before we start thinking about a summit push.

So the last few days have been action packed with people playing cards, scrabble (which Ran is pretty good at) and lots of monopoly (there have been a few harsh words over this one!!). Despite the longer than normal rest period we have all kept busy and the time has shot past. I for one can't believe that we are going back on the hill tomorrow.

A few days back the ITN film crew arrived; these were the same boys I worked with when I climbed the North Face of the Eiger last year with Ran. It was great to see them again and good to see that they were travelling light as ever. They had over £7000 of excess baggage with them that ran to 14 porter loads!!!!!! They do however have a complete editing suit set up in a tent and managed their 1st live broadcast last night so well done them

Yesterday was fun, Rob, Ran and myself all went into the icefall with Dave and Liz with a view to get a few shots for the Telegraph newspaper. Liz got us all to dress in our down suits (a little warm I must say) oxygen masks and hats etc in order to show readers what we will be wearing on summit day. As we were doing this a heap of Sherpas on their way down from camp 2 passed us, they couldn't believe their eyes. However as it's all in aid of a great cause none of us really minded, all the laughs and smiles. It was a great way to spend a few hours apart from the fact I got sun burnt, so if anyone out there wants to sponsor me for sun cream and or moisturiser in future then please get in touch!!!!"

UKClimbing.com related articles.

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner

Ecuador's Iván Vallejo also tagged the top of Dhaulagiri yesterday, making him the 14th man to climb all the 8,000-meter peaks—and the seventh to do them without supplementary oxygen. With the list of male 8,000-ers growing so long—and the first American, Ed Viesturs, having already completed the quest—Himalayan fans' attention has turned to the “race” among women.

Read the report by Dougald MacDonald at Climbing.com.

Last year Steck's solo effort on Annapurna was cut short on May 21 when rockfall sent him on a 300-meter fall to the base of the south face. He miraculously survived.......

Full report and photos at the Alpinist Website.