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Alpine Club Scottish Winter Climbing Meet Report 2017

The annual AC Scottish winter climbing meet returned to the Corran Bunkhouse for the weekend of 25^th/26^th February 2017.

UK Alpine Introductory Meet

2^nd – 4^th June 2017

George Starkey Hut, Patterdale, NE Lakes

Main Road (A592), Patterdale Village, Cumbria.  Nearest Postcode: CA11 0NN

Grid Ref – NY 396162 (OS Outdoor Leisure Map No 5)

Meet Details:

The AC are planning a training focused meet based in Patterdale (Lake District).  The focus will be on transferring skills to Aspirant Members and those who wish to improve their Alpine skills.

Informal training and guidance will be provided from more experienced members within the club (IFMGA guides and qualified instructors).

Topics will range from what to put into your rucksack to some basic Alpine mountaineering skills.

The Journeyman Alpine Club Meet 2017

Synopsis

The Alpine Club Journeyman Meet is aimed at Aspirant Members who have already climbed at least 7 to 10 PD routes in the Alps, and may have already participated in the Saas Fe Aspirant Meet in previous years.

The participants’ will be aiming to complete the 20 PD routes needed to become Full Members of the Alpine Club, and looking for sufficient climbing partners to make this happen

Location

The Journeyman will be held in Argentiere just outside of Chamonix with access to routes such as the Cosmiques Arete, Aiguille Rochefort and of course Mont Blanc. The meet will be held over two weeks in a self catering chalet with shared rooms in the village. A nearby campground offers an alternative to the chalet.

Programme

After a mandatory induction day with a local mountain guide covering safety and route finding, the participants will be encouraged to explore the mountains surrounding Chamonix with their climbing partners. During the first evening a member of the Chamonix Gendarmerie will also provide an overview of specific dangers of the region. The meet also aims to host a special guest to share in their experiences in expedition planning and route choice.

Dates

The meet will be held from 2nd September to 16th September after the main summer season to take advantage of quieter huts and mountains. It also gives members of the Saas Fe Aspirant Meet the opportunity to extend their stay in the Alps by one week.

AC Expedition to the Bolivian Apolobamba 2017

Unfortunately as an insufficient number of people have applied for this expedition to make the trip viable we have reluctantly cancelled it.

3 June – 2 July

After a very successful expedition to Cordillera Real in 2015 the AC is planning to return to Bolivia in 2017, this time to the less well-known Apolobamba range. A four week expedition is proposed from Saturday 3 June to Sunday 2 July 2017 with a possible option for those short of time to return one week early. The plan is to split the expedition into two parts after a short period of acclimatisation near Lake Titicaca. The first and major part will be to visit the range north of Peluchuco, with options to climb a variety of peaks including Chaupi Orco (6,044m), the highest in the range. In the final week we shall travel south of Peluchuco, with Cololo (5,915m) as a primary objective. Because of the remoteness of this area we shall have limited support, although four porters will be available to help carry to the first base camp and a camp guard with knowledge of the area will remain at both base camps. There are no reliable maps or guides to the Apolobamba so what we actually do will be highly dependent on the prevailing conditions. The number of participants will be limited to 12, with the cost estimated to be ca £1,100 for all in-country expenses (accommodation, transport and assistance), plus flights to and from La Paz (ca £700). In addition, we will need to source all mountain food from the UK and pay for meals for the six nights while hostel/hotel based. If you are interested please contact Derek Buckle (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) as soon as possible.