Chamonix ridges-

Nice day acclimatising with Rick with an overnight stay at The Refuge des Cosmiques, (3613m).

Rick sitting around.

views through the mist

Quite atmospheric up on the Vallee Blanche this early morning. 

Rock Climbing -Aiguilles Rouge, Chamonix Mont Blanc

Super ice day with my friend Paul, we climbed Madagaskara  TD- 6a

Introductory rock climbing course

A nice day here with good dry rock to climb upon.  Martin and his grandson J drove up from Wishaw and we went through lots of rock climbing skills and got some nice climbs done in the process. So a great day and if you are looking for introductory climbing course or perhaps transferring your skills from indoors bolt climbing to trad please give us a call..

Getting out of the Covid-19 lock down

Here in Scotland we can travel further afield now so we are now taking bookings for Scottish and Alpine private guiding, Rock climbing, transition courses from indoor to trad climbing,  hill walking, ridge scrambles, munro bagging, technical alpine climbing and 4000 meter peaks and European Rock climbs. Today we were down by the sea on the Moray coast, it was a bit blustery but in the man the rain stayed away and the rock was dry!

Taking bookings now for a fun packed summer!

As the Covid-19 restrictions ease we will be back running our exciting rock climbing, hill walking and alpine mountaineering adventures. You can check these out on www.teamascent.co.uk or by contacting us directly at info@teamascent.co.uk

Covid-19 TEAM ASCENT LTD-Update about our mountain guiding service

An update from Sandy Allan BMG/IFMGA guide trading as Team Ascent Ltd: 

In the last few days the French government introduced a 2 week quarantine period for all UK arrivals into the country. This now matches the UK's position, naturally causing complications with our Alpine trips based from Chamoix, France. Although Spain and Greece are lowering their quarantine time as I write this update the Austrian mountains are opening up. Chamonix cable cars and mountain railways are opening at weekends. So its safe to say that in general the situation is quite fluid and our freedom to travel and mountaineer may return soon. We may not be able to take larger groups but as you will already know we tend to run private courses with low guide to client ratios and assuming the "R number" remains low we can assume that we will be able to enjoy our Scottish outdoor environment soon enough.

I remain optimistic that these measures while necessary and sensible right now could well change at quite short notice and we will have freedom to travel. England is opening up and Scotland seems to be only a few days behind.

While we know our mountains aren't going anywhere, it's disappointing to put dreams, challenges and adventures on hold for the time being and I fully appreciate the inconvenience and disappointment this may cause but its important we all stay safe and behave responsibly.

I will be guiding in Scotland, UK as soon as we can and we will be offering summer hill walking, general mountaineering, rock climbing including transferring skills for gyms and bolt climbing to traditional climbing. We will also  run our normal skills courses such as navigation, rope work, and so on. Please phone or email Sandy if you wish further information: info@teamascent.co.uk mobile 07760320069

Thanks for reading and we hope we can continue our outdoor activities soon. 

28 May 2020.

Alpine Club cast of the Mazino Ride of Nanga Parbat

My climbing friends Rick Allan and Cathy O'Dowd spoke about our first ascent of The Mazino ridge of Nanga Parbat last week via a zoom meeting to the Alpine Club. Unfortunately I could not make it as due to the Covid-19 lock down I am assisting a local farmer with his lambing and other farm work an I was out in the fields lambing sheep as the talk took place. One could easily assume that there is no connection to our friends in the the high mountain areas of Pakistan to a remote farm near my home village of Newtonmore, Scotland where fine quality mutton/lamb and beef products are born and raised. We use Himalayan Salt (from Pakistan) as mineral for our cattle and sheep.
The photos below illustrate this. Also you can find a link to the AC Cast - Mazino Ridge, Nanga Parbat presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPa8HP0j8m8

There is link to my book, In Some Lost Place- the first ascent of the Mazino Ridge here at my publishers. If you wish to book me for  lecture or buy one of the few remaining hard back copies, signed copy one can contact me at: info@teamascent.co.uk

Salt Lick for the cattle, are the way from Pakistan

Galloway cows survive outside through out the winter.

Back Face rams.

General view around Laggan, by Newtonmore.