Why xenon and the noble gases have a noble mountaineering pedigree

February 12, 2025 History acclimatisation, albert mummery, alexander kellas, cuillin ridge, everest, furtenbach adventures, himalayas, inaccessible pinnacle, isle of skye, john mackenzie, nanga parbat, norman collie, scotland, sgurr alasdair, sgurr nan gillean 0 Comment

Why xenon and the noble gases have a noble mountaineering pedigree

There’s been some controversy in mountaineering circles about the noble gas xenon after mountaineering operator Furtenbach Adventures announced that they’ll be offering it to their Everest clients. It’s entirely appropriate that somebody has got around to using a noble gas to aid in mountaineering, for reasons I will explain.

Essential Skye reading: The Black Ridge by Simon Ingram

July 12, 2023 Reviews and tributes alexander nicolson, britain, cuillin ridge, history of mountaineering, isle of skye, john mackenzie, mountain literature, norman collie, scotland, simon ingram 6 Comments

Essential Skye reading: The Black Ridge by Simon Ingram

I’m only just starting to delve into the literature of the Black Cuillin, but I’ll be surprised if I come across a better book than this one. Erudite and poetic, yet marvellously accessible in places, this is simply a great book by a great writer.