Our big adventure was due to start in the Dolomites, but just before we left Rome, we had one final opportunity to sneak up Corno Piccolo, the last major peak in the Gran Sasso range to elude us.
Read moreUnfinished business on Corno Piccolo
Month: July 2017
The long road to Chimborazo on legs and wheels
By the time you read this I will have embarked on the first stage of a two-month adventure that will take me from the mountains of Italy to the coast of Scotland and — if all goes to plan — the highest point on the planet in a way that’s never been done before.
Read moreThe Corno Grande and Corno Piccolo traverse
The Corno Piccolo and Corno Grande traverse is a classic day hike and scramble that is not for novices. It’s a must for any fit and experienced hill walker who visits the Apennines. Here it is, described in English for the very first time (I think).
Read moreMonte Acquaviva: the Maiella massif from both sides
I wanted to climb Monte Acquaviva, the second highest peak in Maiella, from the east. I believed it would be a more unusual and quieter route, but it was a 2,300m ascent. Neither of us had climbed that amount in a single day before. Was it possible, or should we climb it by another route?
Read moreThe mystery of Ueli Steck’s last climb
When I first heard about the death of Ueli Steck on Everest’s west peak, Nuptse, I was shocked, but not mystified. It sounded like a simple climbing accident, and nothing more. But an enlightening interview with the Nepalese climbing guide who found his body raised many new questions.
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