Top Powder conditions found in Itally

Every so often we like to get into the mountains and check on our Pro Athletes to ensure they are staying out of trouble. Marcus Ehlig from Marmot’s German HQ has been doing just this during a recent Telemark festival in Sulden, Itally.

Marcus hookd up with Marmot’s very own Pro Skier ’Marc Künkele’ for some top Telemark tips during the weekends festival.

Marc and Marcus reported superb powder conditions during the whole weekend and many of the off piste lines completley untracked.

New Marmot Athletes for 2009

Yes that's right, Marmot has some new Alpine climbers on the team and these guys really know how to push the envelope of hard alpine climbing. Chamonix based locals Will Sim and Gavin Pike are the newest addition to the Marmot UK team for 2009. The guys will be putting some of Marmot's top Alpine clothing and equipment through its paces on the tough alpine faces of the Mont Blanc region and beyond.

Will and Gavin have only been officially been signed up on the team for 23 days now but have already climbed a hard mixed line called 'Non-stop' on Mont Blanc du Tacul. The image above shows Will making a trouser filling, 15 meter run out on super steep thin ice found on the route. The guys had to link a lot of the route using very steep and thin ice smears to enable the route to be completed in one go. An excellent knowledge of how to stay warm was also required due to temperatures dropping as low as -30C during a long and arduous abseil descent off the route.
Stay in touch for further information about what the guys have been getting up to during 2009 here on the Marmot UK blog. In addition to this the guys will also be talking about what clothing and equipment they have been using and how the products have performing on the high alpine faces.

Welcome to the team guys!

Winter climbing action all round

Everybody seems to have been getting in some winter climbing action this week. With good snow and ice conditions throughout the UK there was no excuse to stay in bed.

Scotland:

The ever active Phil and Pauline Anderson from Glenmore Lodge have been taking full advantage of the fanatsic winter conditions found in the Scotland. The pair made there way into Glencoe and climbed the mixed line of Scabbard Chimney V,6 on Stob Coire Nan Lochan. Pauline can be seen above entering the steep steep chimney section of the route. We dig chicks with picks!

Lake District:

Marmot’s very own office crew has also been climbing some of the many well formed ice routes currently found in the Lake District. Steph Jones made a very impressive early start on Saturday and climbed a number of excellent grade III and IV ice lines on Scrubby Crag in Patterdale. Martin Panton was less keen for an early start and instead took good advantage of the many roadside ice routes found at the top of the Kirkstone pass.

Martin is seen here climbing the popular short ice route Kirkstone Corner III.



Ireland:

Ricky Bell has also been making good use of the wintery conditions in Ireland of all places. Ricky informs us that he talked into seconding a hard mixed route called Great Corner VIII,8 somewhere in the Mounre Mountains. current information on the ascent is sketchy ricky informs us the ascent included a seriously chilly 3 hour long belay whilst the crux pitch was ascended. Brrrrrrrrrr !!!

Dig for Victory at Glenmore Lodge

News Just in…

We have just heard a rumor that Glenmore Lodges very own marketing manager Pauline Anderson (featured here wearing Blue) has single handily cleared snow off the mile long approach road to the Lodge. This brave effort allowed many students attending the lodge’s winter skills courses to reach their end objective after a long drive.

You have to really admire Pauline’s commitment to ensure students arrive safely at Glenmore Lodge during this snowy weather.

Unfortunately Glenmore Lodge instructors have confirmed that Pauline was in fact found building a snow man at the time and requested a tractor be was used to clear the approach road instead.

If building snow men is your thing or alternatively if you want to brush up on your winter skills then Glenmore Lodge is certainly the place to be.

Further details on winter skills courses available through Glenmore Lodge can be found by clicking on: www.glenmorelodge.org.uk

Neil Mawson: Climbing paparazzi mixed in with a pinch of big sloper action.

Neil Mawson has been keeping himself out of trouble lately by working closely with Marmot’s chief photographer Tim Glasby. Tim's currently working on a future piece of work for ‘Climber Magazine’ which will feature some of the UK’s best looking rock routes.

Neil is seen here posing on Elder Crack (E2 5b) at Curbar Edge. Elder Crack is going to be one of the featured routes for the magazine which will be featuring Neil. Check out the April issue of Climber Magazine for more details.

In addition to posing for magazine photo shoots, Neil has also been working on ticking some sick hard Peak District bouldering problems. Below is an image of Neil pulling hard on Spring Voyage which weighs in at a teeth grinding Font 7c.

.....Crank it baby!

Katy Whittaker climbs Braille Trail E7 6c

Katy Whittaker has been busy over the weekend working out the sequences of Johnny Dawes classic line Braille Trail (E7 6c) at Burbage Edge.

Katy had practiced the line prior to leading the route which included working out what kind of gear would fit the obscure pockets found on the wall. Bizarrely it appears the best gear for the job includes a door handle, a metal rod and a micro cam for good measure.

Neil Mawson Marmot UK Pro Athlete

Neil Mawson

Traditional climber and boulderer

Aged 14, Neil was introduced to climbing by his farther. Over the years that followed, he seconded many of Britain’s trad routes up to E4. Mainly with his Dad, Neil travelled all over the country; from the Peak District to Pembroke, Yorkshire to The Lakes.

It was not until University that Neil started to lead routes. Within the year he was on-sighting E5 and whilst Neil says that this was only possible because of his long apprenticeship on second, it was evident that this boy had talent.

In 2003, Neil moved to Sheffield and soon on-sighted E6 on Grit including Linden at Curbar. He also head-pointed Masters Edge E7 6c, Beau Geste E7 6c and Gaia E8 6c.
In 2005, on Limestone this time, Neil on-sighted a few E6's including Caveman at Berry Head and flashed an E7, Death Wish at Blue scar.

Neil has also flashed F8a and red-pointed F8a+ but if you ask him what he thinks is his best achievement to date then it will be when he made a visit to Huntsman’s Leap in Pembroke. It was here that he became only the second climber to repeat both Monks Satanic Verses E8 6c and Chupracabra. Chupracabra was origonally given E9 6c (including some French 8a sport climbing and a potential 60ft fall from the crux) though Neil later down graded the route to E8 6c

Katy Whittaker Marmot UK Pro Athlete

Katy Whittaker



Sports and traditional climber

Taken from interview with Katy in The Times Newspaper, Feb 3, 2006

…born in 1991, keen and so talented; we are proud to help support Katy. Katy lives in Sheffield, the perfect base for someone passionate about climbing. She has been climbing since 1997 and is one of the shinning stars of the British Junior climbing Team. Katy has also been invited to join the Senior Difficulty and Bouldering teams.

Ricky Bell Marmot UK Pro Athlete

Ricky Bell

Traditional climber/Boulderer
An extremely talented young chap born and bred in Belfast. Full name Richard Andrew Bell, he was born in 1983 or 1984, we can’t quite remember, and started climbing with his folks in the Mourne Mountains when he was about ten.

He considers himself a trad climber first and foremost, mainly because Ireland is pretty limited in the sport climbing department (there are no sport routes).
Doesn’t matter because Ricky tells us the trad lines are awesome. On sight climbing is definitely his favourite pastime, though recently he’s got into head pointing (probably because he is climbing bloody hard routes).

Lucy creamer Marmot's UK Pro Athlete

Lucy Creamer

All rounder – Traditional, sport, boulder, ice & competition climber.

Lucy Creamer was born on 19th April 1971 in Taunton but now lives in Sheffield, UK. Climbing has been her passion since 1988 and more recently, her profession. With a CV including trad on sight E7 6c, sport onsight F8a, redpoint F8b, UIAA VIII and new routes worldwide, Lucy is probably the UK’s most accomplished and recogniseable female technical climbers.

Lucy is an active participant in other facets of the climbing community; fulfilling such roles as Assistant Manager to the British Climbing Team, climbing instructor and Kendal Film festival judge. She has also held a management committee role within the BMC and has appeared several times on TV & radio to boot.

Lucy Creamer now has her own website; http://www.lucycreamer.com/