FANTASTIC Fontainebleau WINTER skills HOT ROCKS Majorca

Issue #13 - Winter 2002 Editorial Hi! Well hasn’t time gone by? Summer, although brilliant and full of loads of , was Front Cover: Leah Crane at 95.2, Fontainebleau 95.2, Fontainebleau at Crane bouldering Leah Front Cover: nowhere near long enough! I can’t believe we’ve already prepared our Pumpkins, Halloween CYBER-STUDENT NOSE SPEED Record Smashed costumes and our Christmas Jemma Powell October 17 2001 stockings, maybe even our Britain’s junior climbing Tim O’Neil and have training strategies for comp champion Jemma just broken the speed record for Birmingham’s round of the EYC and Powell has signed a deal with The Nose on , Yosemite. the annual BICC’S! It seems only Planet Climbing’s trainer in Taking 23 minutes off the seconds ago that we were floating residence, Neil Gresham for a previous record of 4 hours and 22 in the sea in some far away sun training programme… minutes held for almost ten years drenched island, but now it’s back by and . to school and back to the adrena- When asked how she was getting line of competition climbing. along with the structured The new record is a mere 3 hours program, Jemma had this to say: 59 minutes, for a route that Although competitions at the regularly takes three days, and “The program is really great. moment seem nothing compared to only last week saw an ‘in a day’ My fitness level is definitely the buzz of outdoors, traditional attempt by Brits Ian Parnell and improving already. My shoulders and sport climbs.The classics Airlie Anderson end unsuccess- feel stronger for longer on my C sadly are going to bed until the fully just long of the golden 24 circuit and on the competition © Tom Briggs, Adventureworks summer next year, unless we hours, which rather puts it into routes I climbed in Italy (where I stumble across a dry weekend! context. Internationally we have had a was placed 7th). superb summer, with another “So far the program appears to podium placement, this time be working brilliantly and it’s an coming from Adam Dewhurst who awesome idea for climbers successfully achieved a third looking to improve their place in the Arco round of the climbing skills, endurance, EYC! stamina, etc. Well, hoping as always that you “I am also feeling more confident are happily cranking on the crags, in my climbing which is really and cruising on the walls. good.” Next Issue… Jemma Courtesy of UIAA Youth Commission President Anne Arran experiences youth climbing in Russia. See next issue for training – Please send suggestions for Eastern European style. All Change content for the BMC website to [email protected] Landscape painting by a young C At the BMC we’re having a major Russian climber Anne Arran overhaul – we’re re-organising the entire office. One of the watch out for… things we’re changing is our phone number. If you want to call Anne Arran’s profile our office after January you’ll of the Iranian Girls’ need to call: 0870 0104878 Competition Climbing Team - Next Issue…

C Raheleh Alhoee

Design by Vertebrate Graphics www.v-graphics.co.uk 2 BEST Contents ROUTEs of the 2-3 News SUMMER PASTURES NEW… 3 Best Routes of the Summer Roger Payne [right] the BMC’s Gripsters recall their best Barbarian E1, Tremadog General Secretary is leaving the climbs of the year BMC to become the first ever This top route was the first E1 Barbarian development officer for the 4-5 Hot Rockzzz that I ever led. UIAA. Best wishes and good luck Out and About in Majorca is a 2 climb the first from all at the BMC. pitch being short and easy and Fantastic Fontainebleau the second pitch being long and 6-8 The BMC Extreme Bloc Top hard. There are loads of Performers’ Youth Meet different climbing styles on it 9-11 Five Go Mad in France ’cause it has a slab section, - the Kent-Pearsons overhangs and a thin crack line.

on holiday Rosie Payne Terracotta HVS, Anglezark 12-13When Thoughts Turn This route is mostly in balance to Winter part of it being quite delicate Winter skills advice finishing with an overhang at the end. The gear is really good 14 Access News (but being in a quarry the rock Join our competition to is quite likely to peel off!) – celebrate the launch of the it’s just such a good route. Access and Conservation Incursion HVS, Stanage Rosie Payne Roger enjoying the alps C Anne Arran Trust - WIN GREAT GOODIES! This is a really delicate slab climb and being on Stanage it Risk and Responsibility just has to be a top route. The Parents and young participants lack of gear adds interest. :) should be aware that climbing, hill Cheat E3 5b, Wilton walking and are Rosie Payne activities with a danger of personal Excellent route with an injury or death. Parents and partic- awkward move at the start if ipants in these activities should be you are small. The top wall is aware of and accept these risks and easier than it looks with nice be responsible for their own actions deep flat holds. and involvement. The BMC publishes a wide range of publicity and good Chequers Crack HVS 5b, Froggatt Ian Hollows practice advice and provides training opportunities for members. A brilliant route that looks Additional advice and events are like it has got to be done. It available to young members and has an unusually awkward start their parents. Details about the even though it looks easy; the BMC’s training and youth programmes top isn’t hard if you can jam. are available from the BMC website Horror Arête 6b, Bridestones LAKES YOUTH MEET and office. Ian Hollows A Roaring Success I did it in the rain with wet Once again we’d like to thank holds… Paul Smitton the Fell & Rock Club for yet Virgin F8a+, Majorca another exceptional youth HEY! meet. Ground-up on the fourth We want your news, views and attempt. Paul Smitton For a full report – check out photos for the next issue. Orphée au Nez Gros the next issue. Please sent articles on disk F7c, Ceou, France Nathan Reece C Ron Kenyon or by E-mail to: I did this onsight, placing the [email protected] clips, massive, overhanging pitch in a huge cave called the 3 Cathedrale. Paul Smitton • Banish the winter blues and • Climb, walk and swim

[by Paul Smitton]

We were off to Majorca with a flying start. We had booked our holiday at exactly the right time as the outbreak of foot and mouth would have prevented us from climbing in England. My family and I were going to have a fortnight of climbing and swimming in the sun.

We were getting closer and closer to the runway at down and saw that it wasn’t even done up! My Palma airport and the cliffs looked amazing. The brother had to solo up to me, clip me into a and sheer cliffs hung over the sea and looked soooo then I had to do up my buckle and carry on climbing. extreme and fantastic. There was a brilliant bouldering crag called My Dad had arranged for us to rent a car. We got a Porto Pi. The climbing was fab until we found out it Fiat Punto. You should have seen my Dad, speeding was a nudist hangout. When we were walking down to round the mountain bends at top speed. He surely the crag, a strange old man popped up. I could only can’t have thought he was on the Fiat advert being see from his head to his hips and was expecting chased by a runaway lava flow, could he ? something on his bottom half but I’d forgotten that this was a NUDIST beach ! It was so funny, I couldn’t The crags were a lot better than I had thought. carry on walking as I was laughing so much. They had great, massive tufas and fantastic caves. On the very first day of climbing we went to a crag On one day we decided to go on a gorge walk. We had above the sea called Santanyi. Paul and my Dad did to walk down into a gorge which took a good few some routes but me and my mum found it too diffi- hours and then had to walk along the bottom to get cult so we didn’t go back. Our three main crags were to our car. The walk took around 7 hours. When we called Alaro, Port de Soller and Cala Magraner. Alaro were walking along the bottom, we barely walked, we was above a very long path and took forever to get bouldered. The size of the boulders was amazing. If to the crag. It was based just below the ruins of an you fell off some you could have died, they were so old castle. My mum and I walked up to the castle and high. You wouldn’t have been able to do it if you found the smallest village I had ever seen – it only weren’t a climber ! Whilst we were walking along the had one house, one church, a pub and two overnight bottom, we came across a party of Spaniards who stay rooms. Port de Soller was our favourite crag. were going up a very narrow side gorge. Suddenly, It was just above the sea and had two awesome one of them dropped his rucksack and he tried to caves. I led a really nice 6a there. My brother led a catch it but he lost his footing on the smooth great route in an immense tufa cave. It was called rocks and slithered and crashed down into a deep, The Virgin and was graded 8a+. It went up and out of dark chasm. We thought he was dead but after a the cave. Our next favourite was the crag, Cala horrible silence, he shouted he was OK, his friends Magraner. It was by the beach and the ground was pulled him out and we carried on our way. covered in weird fluffy brown balls that looked I can tell you a lot more. We went to loads of crags identical to kiwi fruits. We never found out what loads of walks, swimming and beaches – it is a bril- they were. I had a scare at Cala Magraner one day as liant island and I would recommend it to anyone on I was up a route when my Mum shouted up to me “I the look out for a great climbing holiday. didn’t check your harness, is it alright ?” I looked

Did you know… ? 1. Majorca is the biggest of the Balearic islands - the other islands are Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera 2. Although part of Spain - the main language in the Balearics is not Spanish but Catalan 3. Majorca and Mallorca are different words for the same place! Both are pronounced ‘ma-yor-ka’ 4 dream of sun-drenched islands in this limestone heaven

out & about in Majorca

France Marseille Local accommodation Getting there Perpignan s Climbers often find unbelievably s There are a great number of flights Andorra cheap package deals, search and you to Palma airport, especially from the may be lucky – so long as you don't UK. Budget airlines such as EasyJet Spain Barcelona mind the risk of staying in tourist offer a 'no frills' low cost service. hot spot Magaluf... s Once in Majorca, you will need a car Majorca Guidebooks as the crags are spread evenly Menorca s around the island, and you might find RockFax Costa Blanca, Mallorca, El Valencia Palma s yourself staying a reasonable drive nd Chorro. This excellent guide has sla Ibiza ric I away from any of them. Balea been republished (August 2001). Formentera Mediterranean s Rock Climbs in Mallorca by Chris Alicante Craggs, published by Cicerone. A Travel information, courtesy of Sea comprehensive guide which also covers the Canary Isles, and Ibiza. Al-Jaza’ir 5 Algeria Photo: Climbing hard on Sastre don Boret 6c+, Valdemossa C Smitton Collection Many people think the forest of Fontainebleau in France is the best bouldering area in the world. We have two special articles about climbing in this amazing place…

6 BMC Extreme Bloc [by Hazel Duff] Top Performers’ Youth Meet supported by:

On the 26th October a group of twelve kids and five adults set out to Fontainebleau in France. This was the 2001 BMC Extreme Bloc ‘Top Performers’ Youth Meet and would involve four days climbing and two travelling. Fontainebleau is a well-known bouldering area to many climbers and is often mentioned in magazines for its problems on all shapes and sizes of boulders.

Seven girls and six boys were the lucky lot We woke in the morning and after chosen to go and we were all excited, as many breakfast we began the journey of us had never been there before. We set off to a place called 95.2. It was early on the Friday in two separate groups. In foggy and everything was damp the minibus were Leah Crane, Hazel Findley, when we got there but after Rosie Shaw, Lucy Griffiths, Jacob Cook, Richard exploring we found several over- Winters, Richard Sharpe, Cal Reedie and Jamie hanging problems which had Cassidy, they were being driven by two of the escaped the damp so we started adults Tom Briggs and Roger Barton. Their trip on them. After an hour or two was crowded from the overflowing boulder mats everything had dried off and we and luggage in the minibus. In the car were had loads to chose from. Our Jemma’s parents driving Katie Hill, Jemma first day bouldering was great Powell and I. Tom Bolger and his dad were to fun as we tried many problems and meet us at the place where we were staying. I began to get to grips with It was a long and tedious drive though we moving boulder mats and did have some laughs as we tried to stand people. still and not be sick on the very rocky The next day we set out again Hovercraft. At about 10.00pm we finally this time to a place called Isatis. arrived at the gîte. This was a It was sunny and we were all converted barn with two floors – the looking forward to climbing. When ground floor, which consisted of we got there a few of us went for tables, chairs, toilets and a a run led by Roger who got us a kitchen and the upstairs - four bit lost in the undergrowth but bedrooms each full of beds and we found the others after some equipped with a shower and searching. Now that we had expe- toilet. The girls had one room rienced outdoor bouldering we and the boys another while were much more prepared and got the adults spread straight to searching some good themselves between the problems. There was one route on other two. a slab with crimps so small you After grabbing a bed seemed to hold them by your and trying to unpack finger nails but after a few goes we settled down and we got to he top. The older boys eventually fell started to try running up to asleep eager for rocks and jumping for jugs at the the next day to top. We had a good laugh when come. Rosie attempted but forgot s

7 Everyone on The Elephant C Jemma Powell BMC Extreme Bloc Top Performers’ Youth Meet

to jump and splatted into the Bas Cuvier, which was boulder. But she didn’t give up yet another great and managed it – to her surprise! place. It had lots of Often, once you had completed a slabs and Lucy managed problem, you had to work out how to get up most of them to get down without falling. To my really easily to my envy embarrassment, I once slid down a while Katie and Hazel F. whole rock on my bum. Other more climbed another slab adventurous people jumped down where the holds were onto bouldering mats. microscopic to me. Jamie tried a problem he In the afternoon we went to had done before called another place known as Cuisiniere. Helicopter this is This had some nice traverse because the last move problems which we we did while is a dyno to a sloper. If the older boys attempted a slopey you don’t get it you fall problem that looked pretty spinning like a nasty. We climbed until we could helicopter. After a few no longer see the holds and then attempts he managed to headed back. do it gripping tight to The third day consisted of a the hold. Everyone got really long car journey to a place involved in a tricky called L’Elephant. It is called traverse found by some this because there is a huge of the girls. Only Rosie boulder the shape of an elephant and Richard S. managed with an enormous trunk. We had to complete this, as it was been told that this was one of really reachy. After loads of the best places in Fontainebleau tries we gave up, as we knew we and it was true. We quickly spread could get no further and found out in groups and began climbing another problem to try. easy juggy problems and then At the end of the day we went going onto more tricky stuff. to a restaurant for our last After lunch a group photo was supper together. After a very taken of us all on the elephant sleepless night we travelled boulder. It took ages for us to back to England. We all wished get organised but once it was we were still in Fontainebleau done we set off again. We did and not in the car or minibus. problems that just involved one We all really enjoyed the trip big rockover and others that and it was a great experience. were so high up (to us anyway) that we needed two spotters and I would like to thank all the a sea of bouldering mats before adults that came with us for all we would try them. Once again we their support and hard work it kept climbing until it got dark was very much appreciated. And and we were all really tired. I also want to thank all those who helped organise it, it was a Tuesday was our last climbing day real success and I would go and, even though we were stiff anytime it was ever offered to and had sore fingers, we still me again. wanted to climb. We went to

8 5 go MAD in France[by Neil Pearsons] the Kent-Pearsons in Fontainebleau

“Fall off, fall off, fall off? hurray!” I put my arm around Josh’s mum’s shoulders as she recovers from another heavy fall from, ooh, about two foot up: “Kids can be so cruel,” I sympathise. On cue, Josh’s face lights up: ”We can? Fatty fatty fat fat” and “you’re going bald, big ears.”

It’s just another typical day Gill lived the life of a full time at the crag for the Kent- climber with her then partner, Pearsons family - Josh is rock-god Ron Fawcett. Together burning his mum off, they travelled the world, climbing Simpsons quotes are flying everywhere and everything, all day thick and fast and Josh’s and every day. Even if Ron did the sister Bethan is shouting lion’s share of the leading, it still “Shape yourself, Neil!” meant that Gill was getting a lot of everytime I touch rock in a mileage in, and often lead up to E5 gleeful bid to put me off. herself. Her best achievement was Sadly it usually works. redpointing Indecent at Raven Tor, becoming the first The venue is Fontainebleau, British woman to climb E6 (F7b+). possibly the best family So Josh’s mum was certainly no friendly quality climbing slouch and she’s still crafty, in a spot in the world - it’s like “Josh, come and try this one… Oh, being at the beach but it’s got a long reach, ah that’s a without the sea - beautiful shame, keep trying” kind of way. soft sand to keep younger brothers and sisters happy Josh’s dad is a talented climber and cushion the blows of too, and on their weekends past-their-prime mum’s fail- together when they go climbing ures and encourage the it’s usually in the company of some increasingly highball antics top climbers like his dad’s friends of the Josh and his sister. Andy Cave and Simon Nadin. So Josh has climbing in his blood, but he Josh is 12 now and he’s been also gets lots of opportunity to coming to Fontainebleau improve on nature. Virtually every virtually every year since he family holiday is spent in a was two. It was here that he first burned his somewhere. We go to mum off, doing an Orange problem at the area Fontainebleau at least once a called 91.1 that she couldn’t do. That was a year, sometimes more, which suits few years ago now and it’s such a regular Josh as bouldering is his favourite occurrance that it hardly warrants type of climbing. And there are mentioning, apart from the immediate jeering. miles of lovely tracks through the It’s his mum I feel sorry for, it’s not as if magical forest, mainly flat or she’s one of those mums who has a go because gently undulating, so we have a her kids are into climbing. Josh’s mum is laugh cycling in the dappled Gill Kent, one of the best women climbers in sunlight to the crag. And there’s the country in her day, unfortunately today an outdoor swimming pool nearby isn’t her day, her week, her month or even with enormous diving boards to her year (yes, we even quote Friends in this jump off, perfect apres-crag fun family, we’re not proud). in the summer. Josh is even in s

Top Left – Leah Crane C Jemma Powell Top Right – Neil Pearsons spotting Josh at Fontainebleau C Gill Kent 9 Left – Climbing at Fontainebleau C Jemma Powell 5 go MAD in France the Kent-Pearsons in Fontainebleau one of the guidebook photos, After about three seconds tearing up one of the childrens' warming up excitement got the circuits better of me, I soloed the arête and flew back to the house in time Last year we went to the States to take Josh to the skate park for six weeks, initially inspired for his morning appointment of by the bouldering video woodie thrashing. Rampage. Josh’s idea and mine was to retrace Chris Sharma’s In California we hit the X-Games in bouldering road trip but this San Francisco for a couple of days, was subverted into a house watching young men and women do swap in Oregon with an old ex- completely impossible, (but only pat pal of Gill’s, but we still got just) things on Skateboards, a bit of climbing in. There motor bikes and BMX bikes. Then happened to be a hillside of we hired a huge RV, a house on granite boulders above Ashland, wheels basically, and headed for the ‘Home of Shakespeare’ (that’s what the Valley. Yosemite is a climbing they call it, and you thought it was mecca, a fascinating, terrifying, Stratford Upon Avon!) jaw-droppingly gorgeous place, with more rock than you shake a This turned out to be the scene of my stick at. We hired bikes and cycled first ever ‘headpoint’, (36 years round for a bit, swam in the river ancient and I’m still having new climbing Merced to cool off and then went experiences - either I’ve lead a bouldering. sheltered life or this is the best sport in the world). We strolled up the path, is home to the most famous Josh, Bethan and I throwing my climbing boulder problem in the world - shoes to each other, American football Midnight Lightning. I had a brief style, with many a forage into the go one afternoon but we soon bushes for their retrieval. I top-roped bailed and went swimming in the a stunning arête whilst Josh, Bethan and Yosemite Lodge outdoor pool, Jack shouted encouragement, advice and where you can float around abuse in equal measure, the latter being staring up at the huge walls more equal than the others. After hours towering around you, thinking of and hours of patient attention (or was the epics they’ve seen or dreaming it five minutes of barely suppressed of the epics you’ll have. The next boredom) they demanded ice cream so we day Josh and I returned and spent ran down the hill like lunatics - only a very pleasant morning warming up Stawberry Smoothies could save us now. on the innumerable brilliant boul- Top – Jack ‘flashes’ ders before trying the big one. Midnight Lighting, I got up obscenely early the next morning to beat the Yosemite Sadly it wasn’t to be and we left Above – Josh climbing heat, cycling through wonderfully stereotypical in Fontainebleau unsuccessful (well I did). Never C American cityscape - sprinklers irrigating immaculate All photos, Neil mind, Josh has his whole life ahead Pearsons & Gill Kent lawns, mile wide roads with inch slow speed limits, bright of him, and when he returns to red fire hydrants, The Fonz on his motorbike? singing Yosemite (as I’m sure he will) I “It’s a Family Affair.” 10 don’t doubt he’ll climb it with ease. His Soon my humiliation was being little brother did it though, well, the light- broadcast in stereo to a wider ning bit anyway (see photo). audience. Fortunately the immediate population only spoke This Easter we went to the Ardeche, French. I managed it straight in the south of France. The Ardeche after but that cut no ice, I had is a beautiful river running through been burnt off and was not allowed a steep sided gorge, with crags to forget it for the rest of the everywhere and easy rapids to holiday. Three feet high and rising, paddle and cool bouldering in the how long will it be before Jack trees. It was here that Josh burnt me The swimming delivers the same blow? I take pool at off for the first time, years ahead of solace in Bethan, thank god she’s Fontainebleau schedule, when I was still complacently more into football than climbing. willing him to succeed on a beautiful Back home Josh is embroiled in sunny morning on a splendid green school work again and the build up circuit of rounded limestone in a to his favourite part of climbing - corner of some foreign boulder field. I the BRYCS. Although at the moment had a couple of goes at this problem, a he enjoys climbing indoors more bit much footwork and not enough than outdoors, I don’t doubt these pulling on big holds for my liking. Josh early experiences of climbing in came along and seemed to climb it by some of the most beautiful parts of intuition, using his feet in ways not the world will stay with him and will invented when I were a lad. inspire him to revisit them, and over the top, his flashed ascent was others, under his own steam. announced loudly and proudly and found an echo in his sister. [Neil Pearsons and Gill Kent are editors of On The Edge magazine]

• Coaching • Climbing • Expeditions • Team building for young people BMC/Adventureworks BMC/Adventureworks Extreme Bloc Meet From Fontainebleau

Katie Hill on L’Ectoplasme, Trois Katie Pignons, Hill Trois Fontainebleau on L’Ectoplasme, to the Himalaya, Adventureworks Tel: 0845 345 8850 improving skills and performance

For further information, contact Adventureworks, The Foundry Studios, 45 Mowbray Street, Sheffield S3 8EN Fax: 0114 276 3344 e-mail: [email protected]

11 [Winter Skills advice from Pete Hill MIC]

There can be little doubt that winter climbing or desperate buttress route may seem like the meaty mountaineering is one of the toughest disciplines part of the day, a route that takes four hours to around, relying as it does on all of your skills from complete may have taken a couple of hours to navigation through to a working knowledge of approach and longer to get back from, so a number weather systems. Although stretching it out on a of other factors must be taken into consideration.

Navigation is a prime example of a Feet need protecting and warm have a headtorch and spare skill that often does not figure socks inside plastic or substan- battery with them, but they will too highly in summer climbing – tially soled and stiff leather use it for the walk-in. To start Malham, for example, does not boots will be needed. The boot in the dark is far preferable to hold many navigational nightmares sole is important and, as a guide- finishing in it, and in the months on its approach – so if you come line, if you can bend the sole of of December and January a dingy from a purely cragging the boot easily by hand, then it start is almost obligatory should background, consider getting is too soft for winter use. Also, you wish to get a full day in on a some pretty radical practice in the cut-away heels so in vogue a mountain crag. navigation across featureless few years ago should be avoided Food is also obviously important. territory with a good deal of like the plague, as they can Some of us tend to trough all accuracy. Finding yourself on the contribute to a slip when walking day, summer or winter, but Cairngorm plateau in the grip of a on snowy or icy ground. others eat little during the blizzard is no place to realise A major difference for a lot of summer months on the crag. that you have forgotten how to people (although it shouldn’t be) However, climbing in cold weather walk on a bearing! is that a helmet becomes essen- is hard work, and the body burns Equipment needs to be a little tial when moving on steep winter up a lot of fuel. A good different to that used on the terrain. While some may choose to breakfast, with the ability to crags. Clothing can often be climb in summer without one, in munch a slow release, high energy adapted, with the addition of a winter the chance of head injury food at frequent intervals number of extra items. These will is many times higher. To during the day is important. be things such as fleeces, paraphrase an old saying, “A fool Liquid, too, is vital. We tend to salopettes, hats and gloves with and their head are soon parted”. carry a good deal more equipment spares, etc. There is a lot Get a good quality helmet, and in the winter, with heavier ruck- written about clothing, so I’ll get it on! sacks and more clothing, thus we leave you to find out a bit more not only sweat more than normal, Leaving aside any technical about this for yourself. One but we also lose a lot of moisture discussion about axes, golden rule though is that cotton from breathing hard. This mounts etc, what other differences will is to be avoided at all costs as it up to a huge quantity of liquid, there be in winter? Well, the days gets wet quickly, retains mois- and it is important to not only are often remarkably short, and ture and is thermally very slow the pace so that we are not the well prepared will not only inefficient. losing so much, but also to make

12 Llyn Llydaw, Snowdonia C BMC collection

Parents’ Bit sure that we take on board For those whose younger family There are a number of exceptions enough water, juice or whatever members may be venturing out to this rule, such as when those to replace that which has been next season in the company of a taking part are accompanied by lost. Dehydration is surprisingly qualified instructor, there are a their parents, but it is worth common in winter, with the couple of factors that are checking. AALA can be contacted muscles being one of the first important to consider. Firstly, on 029 20755715 for further areas of the body to feel the make sure that the person doing details about how the regulations effect. the teaching is qualified. This work. may seem obvious, but there is no Finally, carrying some form of Pete Hill is a fully qualified legal requirement for people who shelter is essential. Although a Mountain Instructor, running call themselves ‘instructors’ or large bright orange poly bag is courses in the Cairngorm ‘guides’ to hold any formal quali- better than nothing, a purpose Mountains, and is currently the fication at all. Those that do will designed “group shelter” is Chairman of the Association of usually be displaying the AMI invaluable, not only to make wet Mountaineering Instructors. He (Association of Mountaineering and windy lunch breaks more is also co-author of the Mountain Instructors) logo or the BMG pleasant, but also as an Skills Training Handbook, which is (British ) logo. emergency shelter. It should be receiving rave reviews in the Ask about their qualifications, remembered that younger folk are press. Copies of the book are and pass on anyone who is not particularly susceptible to the available to Gripped? readers keen to supply you with proof. cold, and in an emergency direct from Pete at a special (including times of low morale), Secondly, it is now a criminal price of £15.00 (rrp £18.99) plus all measures should be taken to offence to supply a range of £2.50 recorded postage. Full ensure that the effects of cold, outdoor activities to the under details of the book and courses and in particular the wind, are 18s without being in possession can be found at www.highlander- removed as far as possible. of an AALA (Adventure Activities mountaineering.co.uk Licensing Authority) license.

13 Access News

The BMC and the Mountaineering Councils of Scotland and Ireland are launching a new Access and Conservation Trust – ACT. The purpose of ACT is to provide a focus for access with out damage to cliffs, mountains and open countryside.

ACT will be bigger than previous The work that you send into the Rules of Entry mountain access funds, it will office will be entered into the 1. Entry is open to all members of the BMC, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland cover England, Wales, Scotland ACT Art and Photography and the Mountaineering Council of and Ireland and have charitable Competition, with gear and cash Ireland. Only one entry to each category status – enabling it to receive to be won, can you afford not to of the competition per member. An entry to a category comprises of one photo- more money. The money raised will enter? graph or piece of art, art can be up to A2 be spent in the areas that are in size, photographs can be slides, To enter the Junior competition most in need, making it easier to prints, or digital images, but digital you must be 16 or under on the images must be entered on CD and accom- protect the environment and our closing date 10 February 2002. panied by a print out. freedom to enjoy it. 2. Entries must be posted to The BMC, Art The best of your work will and Photography Competition, 177-179 ACT was launched at the BMC and feature in a special ACT and Burton Road, Manchester, M20 2BB – no E- mail entries accepted. Entreprises Festival of Climbing United Nations International Year 3. Only entries with a stamp addressed in December and will focuses on a of the Mountains 2002 book envelope will be returned. All entries celebration of the natural envi- ‘Freedom Tomorrow’. (including slides) must be marked with your name and postcode. ronment. ‘Freedom Tomorrow’ will highlight 4. The BMC and ACT reserve the right to use entries in publications and on the www. Celebrate the mountain environ- the importance of protecting Entrants to the junior competition must ment - enter the ACT Art and and enjoying the mountain be 16 or under on the last day of entry. 5. Every care will be taken with entries, Photography Competition environment. but the BMC and ACT cannot accept liability for any loss or damage to If you didn’t make it to the entries. Festival of Climbing send in your 6. Any entries received after the closing art work, photographs and date will not be accepted. 7. The prizes are as stated and no cash or comments on how you see the alternative prizes can be offered. environment of England, Wales, 8. The editor’s decision is final Scotland and Ireland and the and no correspondence will be entered into. enjoyment you get from it.

C © BMC collection 14 Greatbe Gear won! to BMC Youth Membership

• Discounts on BMC Publications What you get… Discounts on BMC publications visit our new online shop at www.thebmc.co.uk • gripped? magazine All the news, • Discounts on BMC Events information and gossip from the world of Including competitions like the 2002 URBAN young climbers including up and coming ROCK British Regional Youth Competition Climbing competitions, approximately 4 times per Series and festivals. year. gripped? magazine is supported by adventure works and • Insurance - Up to £10,000 personal accident Jagged globe, HB climbing equipment and and up to £3,000,000 personal liability www.planetfear.com insurance.

• Exclusive gripped? members’ events - • Access to BMC information service and specialist travel insurance cover. The most Last year saw gripped? members explore comprehensive travel and activity insurance Snowdonia, Fontainebleau, the Lakes and around - at the lowest prices. Check out the Peak District on youth meets. In 2002 UN Web site on www.thebmc.co.uk Useful International Year of the Mountains (IYM) we information on places for young people to will be running a series of BMC youth meets climb around the country, advice on training, in the UK and also an expedition further buying climbing equipment and climbing afield. outside can all be found here. Plas y Brenin and the Mountain Training Trust will be involved in hosting a series of BMC gripped? short drop-in skills and • BMC Summit magazine Summit contains multi-activity sessions on a variety of comprehensive quarterly coverage of climbing climbing and mountaineering related topics. and mountain activities issues. The Andy Fanshaw Memorial Trust are supporting some of these events. All for only £9.75 !!!

How to Join… To become a member of gripped? you should be under 18 and have a keen British Mountaineering Council interest in climbing, mountaineering or hillwalking. Just fill in the slip below and 177-179 Burton Road, send a cheque, payable to British Mountaineering Council to this address s Manchester M20 2BB

About you Parent/Guardian’s Permission Name ...... I confirm that I am the parent/guardian of the named person and consent for them to become a junior Address ...... member of the British Mountaineering Council...... I also confirm that I am aware that climbing and ...... mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death...... Post Code ...... Signature: ...... Telephone (...... ) ...... Name: ...... E-mail ......

Date of Birth ...... / ...... / ...... Date of Birth ...... / ...... / ...... 15 ADRENALIN TESTED

THE SPIRIT OF CLIMBING

HB CLIMBING EQUIPMENT BANGOR GWYNEDD WALES LL57 4YH TELEPHONE 01248 370813 FAX 01248 371150 E-MAIL: [email protected] INTERNET: http://www.hb.wales.com