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Mountaineering calendar: when to climb the world’s great peaks

Since I first started climbing, I must have spent hours typing “when is the best time to climb…” into search engines and then crawling through websites to find the key piece of information I needed. Only when I have a date in mind can I start to think about the practicalities of actually trying to climb a mountain (i.e. booking time off work, flights, budget, gear etc). To solve this problem once and for all, Atlas & Boots has put together a mountaineering calendar of the world’s greatest mountains and the optimal time of year at which to climb them. Drawing on Adventure Consultants’ expedition calendar, we list the world’s major mountains and ranges month by month. The list is not entirely inclusive as it would take too long to list every mountain on the planet. Likewise, to avoid re...

Everest base camp kit list: all you need for this classic trek | Atlas & Boots

My comprehensive Everest base camp kit list includes everything you’ll need to complete the trek to the foot of the highest mountain in the world. Having just returned from trekking to Everest base camp with G Adventures, I thought it would be useful to share my entire Everest base camp kit list as a point of reference for future trekkers. I joined a G Adventures 15-day to trek Everest base camp, which includes 12 days of trekking: eight to ascend to base camp and four to descend back to Lukla. The post Everest base camp kit list: all you need for this classic trek appeared first on Atlas & Boots.

Aconcagua gear list: all you need for summit success | Atlas & Boots

Our complete Aconcagua gear list includes everything you’ll need to summit the highest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemispheres Aconcagua in Argentina, at 6,961m (22,837ft), is South America’s highest mountain and one of the seven summits: the seven peaks that make up the highest point on every continent. I recently returned from climbing Aconcagua with Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions. A good trekking company will issue you with a detailed kit list, but I always like to see what other people have used. The post Aconcagua gear list: all you need for summit success appeared first on Atlas & Boots.

21 interesting facts about Denali | Atlas & Boots

I was planning my climb of Denali, in Alaska, USA, for over 18 months. Between training sessions, I spent swathes of time pouring over maps of the route and reading reports on previous expeditions, all in an attempt to absorb as much information about the mountain as I could. The post 21 interesting facts about Denali appeared first on Atlas & Boots.

How to climb Denali: all your questions answered | Atlas & Boots

Whenever I get back from a big climb, I invariably receive an array of questions about the expedition via email and social media. As usual, I’ve collated them all below in a detailed Q&A that includes all my tips on how to climb Denali. If I've missed anything, please do get in touch. The post How to climb Denali: all your questions answered appeared first on Atlas & Boots.

Denali gear list: the kit that got me to the top | Atlas & Boots

Denali in Alaska, USA, at 6,190m (20,310ft), is North America’s highest mountain and one of the seven summits (the seven peaks that make up the highest point on every continent).  I recently returned from climbing Denali with American Alpine Institute (AAI). Any good guiding company will issue you a detailed kit list, but I always like to see what others have used. As such, I thought it would be helpful to share my complete Denali gear list for future climbers to reference. The post Denali gear list: the kit that got me to the top appeared first on Atlas & Boots.

Steep dreams: my tried and tested sleeping system for Denali | Atlas & Boots

The coldest I have ever been in my life was while climbing Denali – hardly surprising considering it's one of the coldest and windiest places in the USA. During the expedition, there were several times when I felt the cold intensely, so much so that I even suffered some mild frostbite on my fingers after we were delayed on the fixed ropes for several hours. That said, I was never cold when safely cocooned in my sleeping bag. The post Steep dreams: my tried and tested sleeping system for Denali appeared first on Atlas & Boots.

Climbing Denali: a dream almost slips through my fingers | Atlas & Boots

At around 6.30pm local time on Tuesday 28 May 2024, six grown men stood on the summit of Denali, the highest peak in North America, crying their eyes out. Among us was a triathlon athlete, a veteran of the Marathon des Sables and an Everest summiteer who was returning to Denali for his second attempt. One of our group, a Californian who regularly climbed in the Sierras, was on his knees sobbing over his ice axe. The post Climbing Denali: a dream almost slips through my fingers appeared first on Atlas & Boots.

Which is the best Kilimanjaro climbing route? | Atlas & Boots

The 'roof of Africa' was the first high-altitude mountain I climbed. At 5,895m (19,340ft), Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, is Africa’s highest peak and while I had some hillwalking behind me, I had no prior experience of high-altitude trekking. I opted for the cheapest and quickest route to the summit via the Marangu AKA the 'Coca-Cola' route. The post Which is the best Kilimanjaro climbing route? appeared first on Atlas & Boots.

How to train for mountaineering: a seven-step plan

I climbed my first high-altitude mountain back in 2010. At 5,895m (19,340ft), Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest peak, and, while I had some hillwalking behind me, I had no prior experience of trekking at altitude, wasn’t fit enough and didn’t have the right gear. In hindsight, I was fortunate to make the summit considering I was so underprepared. The post How to train for mountaineering: a seven-step plan appeared first on Atlas & Boots.

Non-technical mountain climbs: 13 trekking peaks

There are no ‘death zones’ on these non-technical mountain climbs but they offer plenty of challenges for mere mortals like me As a climber, I have completed several indoor climbing and winter mountaineering courses but my technical climbing skills still leave a lot to be desired. I have mastered basic rope, ice axe and crampon skills but don’t practise them as often as I’d like. All too often I only find time for some wilderness backpacking in Europe or low-altitude scrambling in the UK. Regardless, I still have high hopes of climbing the seven summits (three down, four to go). I’m aware that I’ll never be a Reinhold Messner or Chris Bonington (I’ll settle for reading their books instead) but I still long to pitch myself against tall mountains with imposing names....

Training for Kilimanjaro: 7 tips for a successful summit

Completing some basic training for Kilimanjaro will make your climb easier, safer and ultimately more enjoyable I climbed Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, back in 2010. At 5,895m (19,340ft), it was my first high-altitude trek and even though I had some hillwalking behind me, I had no experience of trekking at altitude, wasn’t fit enough and didn’t have the right gear. In hindsight, I was fortunate to make the summit considering I was so underprepared. Fast forward 12 years and I’ve climbed four of the seven summits including Elbrus and Aconcagua, and completed several high-altitude treks including Everest base camp and K2 base camp. I have backpacks full of outdoor gear and am fitter now at 38 years old than I ever was in my twenties. Atlas & Boots Peter on the summit of Kilimanjaro...

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