Tag: training

JAPAN'S BEST ALPINE TRIPS BEGIN HERE

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THE DNA OF JAPANESE ALPINISM; PACHINKO & THE NORTHERN ALPS TRAVERSE

SO ANYBODY FAMILIAR WITH THE HIMALAYAS OR ALASKA KNOWS THE JAPANESE HAVE MADE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO WORLD CLIMBING – ON PAR WITH THE POLISH, SLOVENIANS, AMERICANS, RUSSIANS. SHRUGGING OFF A MID-HISTORY OF SIEGING MOUNTAINS WITH THOUSANDS OF METERS OF FIXED LINE, EMERGING CLIMBERS BECAME KNOWN FOR DARING ROUTES ON MINIMAL FOOD AND GEAR, OFTEN PLAYING…
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MICRO EXPEDITIONS AS PREPARATION

every year we get requesting to join expeditions to tibet, china, turkistan, iran etc. most requests begin with something similar along the lines of the grades they climb and some names of routes, peaks and locations. climbers a bit more switched on then say how many days out a year climbing they do. yes these…
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Fuji has first ‘official’ snow cap

Fuji has its first official snow cap. They generally don’t count light dustings.   https://youtu.be/oQIk8kOeOl8 A little later than last year, but good to see snow coming in.  

Weather Update – ICJ Change

Looks like there has been some snow and temps to minus 2 at 2200m. I’ve also been watching Ice Candy being built. Looking at this seasons wall; there’s a lot of lower angle stuff in there… Perhaps to be more beginner friendly? Some Seminars? Might be worth going during the week to avoid crowds. Also…
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YATSUGATAKE: THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

daytime temperatures are hovering around 12c at 2200m and hitting 0c on the 3000m peaks, so with the shortest day soon things will get cold fast. being in the cold sink between peaks and in the shade, as usual the ice forms fast, with the first alpine routes doable in about 4 weeks and Ice…
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WINTER 2016 / 17: Mt FUJI

every winter ascents of Fuji get more in demand, but the mountain doesnt get any easier. to keep it safe and doable, we limit the number of trips we run up there, and focus on genuine big mountain-style ascents, treating the peak like we would any other big alpine objective. this means; trips are often…
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EAST FACE OF MAEHOTAKADAKE: BUGS, HEAT & SUMMER ICE

you dont hear much about the east face of Maehotakadake (3090M). the north ridge is a classic alpine techy scramble, and a panoramic trail crests its top, but the big, jagged, looming east face is usually little much more than an ominous view as people go past it on the way to other things. with…
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6 ‘DEEP’ EXERCISES FOR EXPEDITION CLIMBING

expedition climbing differs from alpine climbing by how much the day to day stresses effect the outcome. on an expedition youre as likely to get hurt or run down by the loads, the approach and the way you sleep as you are by the actual climbing. you need to be fit and resilient to pull…
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TIBET 2016 FURTHER, BIGGER, WILDER: NEW POSITIONS AVAILABLE

plans for Tibet have solidified. new areas are being scheduled, permits are being shuffled and the climbing being analyzed. with 6 months to go it’s time to set a course with training, gearing up and getting your head in the game. this all means new positions have opened up for some objectives – all of…
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WHAT MAKES THE EXPEDITION CLIMBER ?

contrary to what the climbing media will show you, expedition climbers are not usually the coiffed, logo-laden, high tech, well spoken ambassadors they are made out to be. after 20 years going on prolonged trips to places barely on the map, weve come across enough of the real thing to recognize it when we see…
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