Brian Hall and Helen Mort Win 2022 Boardman Tasker Prize

On the evening of Friday 18 November, the jury of the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature announced Alpine Club member Brian Hall and poet Helen Mort as joint winners of the 2022 competition. Brian was awarded for his autobiographical work 'High Risk' and Helen for her exploration of motherhood and the mountains 'A Line Above the Sky'. 

Also among the shortlisted nominees were Keiran Cunningham for 'Climbing the Walls', Anna Fleming for 'Time on Rock', Robert Charles Lee for 'Through Dangerous Doors' and AC member Paul Pritchard for 'The Mountain Path'.

'A Line Above the Sky' was reviewed by Terry Gifford in the 2022 Alpine Journal and is available to read here.

Applications for Young Alpinist Group Open

The 2023-2025 Programme of the Young Alpinist Group opened to applications on 01 November 2022 and will close on 30 November.

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The group, set up by AC member Tom Livingstone, has a mission "“to improve the safety and knowledge of young alpine climbers, giving them the skills to climb - in alpine-style - in the Greater Ranges" and aims "to advance the next generation of world-leading young UK alpinists via a three-year, elite-level programme featuring courses, trips, expeditions and mentorship.”

Applications are open to all climbers, regardless of background, who meet the below criteria:

• Between 19 and 30 years old
• UK based or UK/Irish nationality
• Plenty of UK trad and winter experience
• Alpine experience in both summer and winter, in a variety of countries/areas/ranges, climbing technical routes
• Able to travel through the mountains on skis, or at least able to ski by the time of any winter YAG meets (such as potentially March 2023).

10 places are available.

It is important for applicants to note that The YAG is not an instructional or guided programme, and is specifically targeted at those who already have alpine experience.

Further details and a link to the application form can be found via the YAG Website.

AC Members Climb New Route on Barnaj II East (6303m)

Callum Johnson and Matt Glenn (both AC members) alongside Tom Seccombe have successfully climbed a new line on Barnaj II East (6303m) in the Indian Himalaya. The team's original objective for the expedition was Barnaj II North, a summit that still remains unclimbed.

Further details are unavailable at present, but Matt has indicated in a post on Instagram that he will have more to say once he has completed the expedition report.

The expedition was supported by The BMC, The Mount Everest Foundation and the Alpine Club.

Leo Houlding to Receive Mountaineering Ireland's Lynam Award

AC member Leo Houlding has been announced as the 2022 recipient of the Lynam Award. The award is presented annually by Mountaineering Ireland in memory of renowned Irish mountaineer Joss Lynam. Recipients are those who are considered to have a record of outstanding achievement and contributions to mountaineering.

Leo will officially receive the award and present the annual Lynam Lecture in a special event at the Chartered Accountants Ireland Lecture Hall, Dublin on 08 December. Further details on the event are available here. 

Leo's first book 'Closer to the Edge', an autobiography of his life as a climber, mountaineer and explorer, has recently been released and is already enjoying its second print run.