Newsletter February 2010
Greetings adventurers, welcome to 2010 and the prospect of the journeys ahead this year!
It is really encouraging to see that many of you are getting mobilised and committing to trips for the coming year, our team are looking forward to sharing their experience and knowledge to see you achieve your goals and have a quality memorable experience whilst travelling and climbing. I’d also like to thank those of you who joined us on trips over the past year, I’m sure it wasn’t easy to get away in tough times but there’s nothing as refreshing as the new perspective you glean from a trek or climbing trip where you experience exotic new places and people.
There is a lot going on here at AC at the moment with the New Zealand season in full swing and lots of people coming and going. We are presently in full planning mode with ongoing preparations for this year’s expeditions with plenty of new adventures on the horizon.
Please read on to see what's been happening and what's coming up here at Adventure Consultants.
New Zealand
The beginning of the season featured some wet and windy cycles coming through but this has now turned into fabulous climbing weather for our most active month of the year. What distinguishes New Zealand from other climbing and training destinations is that those that get to terms with the wiley ways of the New Zealand mountains become mountaineers while other regions create mountain climbers. If you want to develop a really sound mountaineering foundation you may well find that a combination of training and climbing in both New Zealand and a continental climate such as USA or Europe provides a really solid grounding that covers all aspects to develop a solid experience base.
Tititea / Mt Aspiring, 'glittering peak', is still being climbed at this time of year, via the full NW ridge route. An exciting alpine rock route followed by the summit snow cap and highly recommended. If you need to do a course first we have several 7 day and 10 day courses still to go until April.
Check out our New Zealand guided ascents and our New Zealand instruction course programmes.
Aconcagua 1 and 2, 09/10 Season
The climbing on Aconcagua is very easy, there are no technical moves on the entire climb, but actually summitting Aconcagua can be very hard. Factors such as weather and the altitude can be problematical and even negate a serious summit attempt. The Adventure Consultants season featured climbers standing atop of the highest peak on the South American continent on both expeditions that were ably led by AC guide Matias Prieto. These summits were achieved on 17 December and 16 January, a big hooray to Dale, Edward, Jonathan, Tim and David.
What to do in Nepal in April or May?
Adventure Consultants have several trekking & climbing trips on & we'd love to show you around our other favourite mountain range, the Himalayas. Three Passes Nepal, Everest Basecamp, Island Peak. Give us a call to chat travel, climbing, trekking in the Himalaya.
Our Everest 2010 climbers and trekkers all set to depart for Nepal in 6 weeks time. Mike Roberts is leading the expedition and Ang Dorjee Sherpa will be guiding the team also; Passang Tenzing is Climbing Sardar and Ang Tshering Sherpa is the Expedition Sardar. Caroline Blaikie is returning as Everest Basecamp Manager and Mark Sedon will make the journey to Nepal in mid-March to set up Everest Basecamp before the team arrive. The expedition team doctor is Dr Chris Bulstrode from the UK.
Three Peaks Nepal – Trips # 1 and 2
We have added a second earlier expedition in the post-monsoon in Nepal, our popular Three Peaks Nepal program climbing 3 x 6000m peaks – Island Peak, Lobuche East and Parchamo. The two trips and their dates are;
Trip #1: Oct 6 - Nov 5, 2010
Trip #2: Nov 10 - Dec 10, 2010
There are now only a few spaces left on both trips so it would be prudent to get yourself booked on now if you would like a confirmed place on the expedition. More details at Three Peaks Nepal
Vinson Massif
successful and Ski the Last Degree
Once you’ve been to Antarctica it always beckons you back - yearning you to once again to be a visitor to the sometimes hostile but always beautiful white icy interior of the continent.
Not one to resist the allure, Dean Staples again led the AC team to Vinson Massif’s summit on Jan 5, followed the next day by Steve Moffat’s team of three. Congratulations to Peter, Rob, Iza, Stan and John. Their dispatches and photos are at Vinson 09/10.
If you are thinking about Vinson for next season (Nov, Dec, Jan) you need to be booknig NOW, places fill fast and seats are limited on fights to Antarctica. Our 2010 / 2011 departures dates and prices are on our Vinson page.
New for AC for the 2010 / 11 season is our Ski the Last Degree to the South Pole program, 14 – 30 Dec 2010. Without a doubt this is definitely one of the more incredible journeys on earth! On this expedition you ski to the South Pole, much as the first intrepid explorers did almost 100 years ago, albeit in a manageable timeframe and with significantly less suffering!
NEW Kilimanjaro program
Our new re-launched Kilimanjaro 13 day climb and safari programmes are now scheduled as Sunday through Friday departures, which means you can visit Africa, climb Kilimanjaro on our 9 day Machame route itinerary AND fit in a 4 day safari, all inside two weeks away from home. The new pricing is very competitive at US$4,200 for the climb and US$5,700 per person including the 4 day / 3 night safari. Same outstanding service and care from your AC western guide leading each trip and a safari combining deluxe tented camping with top flight lodges, visiting the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Upcoming departure dates are;
Dates in 2010 and 2011:
2010 Trip #3: June 27 - July 9
2010 Trip #4: July 11 - 23
2010 Trip #5: August 29 - September 10
2010 Trip #6: September 12 – 24
2011 Trip #1: January 9 - 21
2011 Trip #2: January 23 – Feb 4
Why choose AC for Kilimanjaro? Our groups are small at 5 to 12 people, we utilise the best quality local services and your western guide makes all the difference between a borderline haphazard trip and safe, well run expeditions making for an enjoyable experience. Check out our Kilimanjaro page for more details.
Alpamayo and Huascarán 2010
Mark Sedon, AC Operations Manager and senior expedition guide, is leading a custom 26 day expedition to climb Alpamayo and Huascarán in Peru during September 2010. Regular AC climbers Louis Kosztelny and Rob Rich have signed up and there are two spaces available on the 26 day programme, starting in Lima on September 3rd, finishing there on the 28th. Alpamayo is one of the most famous mountains in the world and involves some steep ice climbing at almost 6000m, while Huascarán is the highest peak in Peru at 6,768 metres (22,205 ft). The expedition is operating in the shoulder season to avoid the crowds and take advantage of the recent trend of fine autumn weather. The cost for the two open positions is US$7,500 each, and the team will be four climbers maximum with two guides for a 1:2 ratio. Contact us soon for the itinerary and to sign up.
Climb Alpamayo in July 2010
Our scheduled Alpamayo climb is also open for booking, dates are July 7 – 24, US$5,700 pp ex Lima, Peru and 1:2 guide ratio.
There's lots more as well...
European Courses : Lots of new information online about our new 6 day / 7 night Mont Blanc Course & Ascent
Denali – spaces go fast for the May - June season so act now! Call today and speak to Steve or Caroline.
Trip #1; July 13 - 26, start St Petersburg, finish Moscow
Trip #2; July 28 to Aug 13 shorter trip, Moscow to Moscow
Carstensz - our expeditions trek in and out from Carstensz Basecamp through the jungle and heath like landscapes. This is currently the only proven way to access Basecamp and climb the mountain. Helicopter access has been used in the past on our expeditions but is not reliable at present, we are constantly on the watch for viable options to utilise heli access but for now our expeditions remain trek in / trek out for the approach and egress as this ensures that you do actually get to the climb the mountain rather than waiting for weeks on end in coastal villages, as has happened with many other operators' trips recently.
Lightweight gear ideas
The optimum layering system? Guy Cotter gives us his thoughts on the matter;
Climbers all have different views on what is the best clothing system for mountaineering. Seemingly compatible climbing partners can fall into vigorous debate when the conversation comes up as each adamantly supports their own preferences over those of others. This goes well beyond individuals beating up over it, even different nations have completely different philosophies about clothing systems that seem at complete odds to each other. Most climbers will vehemently oppose the concept that we may have preference towards what the equipment manufacturers and retailers in their own country are touting especially when they’ve seen their local climbing heroes wearing the stuff. This may or may not be true, but if you want to raise the guile of a climber and see them go red in the face in less time than it takes Ed Viesturs to change labels then you should suggest that their decision is based on fashion and marketing rather than reason.
After the fun is over we can get to it and try to work out what is the best system for us. Everyone is different and so there is no ‘optimum’ clothing system for everybody. Some people are hot blooded and hardly wear a thing while others need a lot more to stay warm. Some people get cold feet while others suffer in their hands. It’s actually something you have to work out for yourself but it helps to have a little guidance about the concepts before you go and stretch the plastic on stuff that may well sit in your cupboard after you’ve discovered its foibles on the first trip out. A well intentioned salesperson may well be inclined to push you to upgrade to a better and warmer option when a lighter one would have been much more appropriate for the activities you will actually be using it for.
The most important factor to consider in your clothing system is not whether the garment will make you warmer or cooler; it is that you manage your thermal regulation so that at all times you are not too hot or too cold. Coupled with that the need to carry the kit around with you - and the equation gets a whole lot more difficult.
The reality is that you are going to heat up and cool down as you exercise and slow down or stop. Heavy garments that are designed for the coldest part of the day are going to be useless when you get started and get a sweat on. You want to build up a ‘layering system’ that allows you to be comfortable all day and night. (comfort is relative, if you want complete comfort at all times your wardrobe will be too big, sorry, but you’re going to have to suffer sometimes) You find with experience that you (mostly) need a lot less gear than you think you do and the acid test is that when it’s at it’s coldest, you should have ALL you kit on and be just warm enough. If you’ve got any remaining clothing in your pack you’ve got too much. Same applies at night. If your sleeping bag is too warm you’ll have to take all your clothes off to sleep whereas the best weight bag is the one you are comfortable when wearing the bulk of your clothing (ok, we’ll let you off from having to wear your shell clothing and boots in the bag!)
So, now we have established the baseline, what layers do you wear? Read more...
Training
In a recent Climb magazine article (Feb issue 10) hardcore climber Stevie Haston was quoted as saying ‘It’s almost criminal to be an under-achiever’. At 52 years old and climbing like a possessed person (he climbs 9a/5.14c) he’s got the credentials to stand behind these words. He also makes the point that the end-goal may be a long way off, so far that we can give up on it and not even try, but the best approach is to just go to the first level above where you are now. Then aim for a slightly better level as your next goal. Even two hours a week of training will make a difference, more is better. It’s simple but true. Known in other vernacular as ‘bite sized chunks’, it’s a matter of not giving up and admitting that it’s just too hard or you don’t have time..
Adventure News May 2002
