Report from Ronan Duddy A little summary of the year. Early March Skiing in Austria for a week with Fiona, and brother (plus partner) and my friend. Sant Anton was the venue. I had not skied before and it was utterly brutal. Snow plow turns felt like turning a container ship. Fell a lot, surprised … Continue reading 2025 for Ronan & Fiona →
A report by Philip Mannus It has been a very busy year. I passed my Winter ML on 5/2/25. I spent two weeks in Aviemore Area doing some grade 1 routes and practising for the assessment. I also passed my Climbing wall development Instructor qualification in May of this year. I soloed Marmolada at 3,343metres, … Continue reading Mont Blanc and More →
A report by Helen Harris Elevation: 5,137 m Duration: 10 days Route: Southern Route from Doğubayazıt Camps: Camp 1 (3,200 m) and Camp 2 (4,200 m) The Mount Ararat expedition began with an acclimatisation climb on Mount Arto (3,560 m) near Lake Van — a windswept volcanic ridge. Mount Arat The team, which also included … Continue reading Mount Ararat Expedition, Turkey June 2025 →
Report by Paddy O’Brien The Belmullet peninsula was the venue for this meet with Scotchport bay as the base. This bay on the NW side of the peninsula makes a great base, quiet, level parking, some camping space and a calm sheltered bay for swimming with ever changing views. The crags are 1km north at … Continue reading Dún na mBó meet 23/24 Aug 25. →
Report: By Nigel Miiler While on a downhill skiing trip in Leogang, Austria, in February 2025, I introduced the guys to ski mountaineering. Once everyone was fitted out with the correct equipment (Helen Fairbairn swapping her snowboard for two planks) we headed to the starting point which conveniently followed a groomed piste for a short … Continue reading Ski Mountaineering in Leogang →
Hi Sir! Came up on my phone. (Must be Finbarr, maybe Sean?) Further investigation revealed the rest of the message. Hi Sir Julley Anal. Julley means welcome in Ladakhi, so “Welcome arsehole”. One has to presume that predictive text was responsible for anal rather than Alan, and so I did, and Paddy and I were … Continue reading High Sir – A trip to Ladakh →
In Sep 2019 myself, PJ, Rab, Nigel (along with Niall Kielt) tried to climb Naranjo de Bulnes (Picu Uriellu). It was a bit of a Hail Mary project, the last possible day of climbing in a squeezed week of overlapping leave. Sadly our route-finding let us down and we ended up on something grade VI … Continue reading Naranjo de Bulnes – 2nd time lucky →
A July summers day, with beer in hand, I sat gazing at Les Drus. Sharp pinnacles looming over the valley in an unusually tempting shade of grey, their jagged edges catching the light of the crisp blue sky. As my comrades Garry & Roger chatted, I had several moments drifting in and out of a … Continue reading Above 4000 – A First Summit Story →
Well done those who got up it, in this year of our lord 2025. It’s not easy, and many have not managed it. I was there 35 years previously in September1990, and we climbed it, but it was touch and go. Our first problem was, the hut from which we had planned to climb it, … Continue reading The Naranjo De Bulnes or Pico Urriellu 1990 →
Crossing to Owey is not as simple as it used to be, with Dan’s retirement. He is unwell at present, and I am sure we all wish our old friend a speedy recovery. There is no obvious replacement, so approach to Owey may have to be by kayak in future. Gola this year then. Sabba … Continue reading Gola Midsummer Weekend 2025 →
