Records Broken on The Haute Route

Within the space of a week, both the solo and team speed records on the famous Haute Route, which links Chamonix and Zermatt, have been broken.

On 5 April, British climber and IFMGA Mountain Guide Calum Musklett completed the route solo and unsupported in a time of 24 hours and 30 minutes. His time shaved several hours of the previous record set by Aaron Rolfe in 2021.

The achievement is made all the more remarkable by the fact that Muskett hadn't intended to tackle the route on his own. Writing on his Instagram after completing the route, he explained: "I hadn't intended to go solo and unsupported, in fact, I'd rather have shared the experience with somebody else, but my days off, good weather and snow conditions, didn't overlap with the two other people who were keen for an attempt. Knowing that I might not have the fitness, conditions and time off again for quite some time, I decided to go solo. My main aim was to complete the trip rather than target a time..."

Five days after Muskett's crossing, the route was again completed in record-setting time, on this occasion by ski mountaineer Samuel Équy and alpinist Benjamin Védrines. Starting from the Chamonix church at 12:43AM on Monday 10 April, the pair arrived in Zermatt less than 15 hours later, (15 hours, 54 minutes and 54 seconds to be exact), breaking the previous record of 16 hours and 35 minutes set by Bastien Fleury and Olivier Meynet in March 2016.

Tom Livingstone and Symon Welfringer Establish a New Route on the Aiguille des Pèlerins

AC member Tom Livingstone and French alpinist Symon Welfringer have climbed a new line on the north face of the Aiguille des Pèlerins. Over two days, the pair established 'La Croisade', continuing directly through a steep, overhung roof from the line of 'Flammes de l’enfer' with the use of aid both in the roof and for one section above it.

They have named the route 'La Croisade' and have suggested a grade of M7+/A2/5+, with Welfringer commenting that freeing the route will be "quite a cool challenge for the next ones..."

You can read Symon's full report on the route via his Instagram.

VACANCY: BMC International Committee Chair

The British Mountaineering Council are currently seeking a Chair for their International Committee.

The International Committee was founded in 1973 and has responsibility for the awarding of expedition grants, oversees international meets, lobbying foreign governments and advising all arms of the BMC on mountaineering-related matters.

The ideal candidate will have a good working knowledge of international mountaineering, experience of partnership-building and excellent communication skills. The position is voluntary with renumeration provided for travel and accommodation expenses. The successful candidate will be expected to commit roughly 10 days a year to the role for an initial term of three years.

Further details on the Committee and the role of Chair, including how to apply, are available here.

RGS Events to Mark 70 Years Since the Ascent of Everest

The Himalayan Trust (UK) and the Mount Everest Foundation have organised a day of talks at the Royal Geographical Society, London on 13 June 2023 to mark 70 years since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s ascent of Mount Everest.

Split into two sessions, an afternoon and an evening, the events will feature contributions from Peter Hillary and Jamling Tenzing; AC members Leo Houlding, Kenton Cool, Melanie Windridge and Stephen Venables; as well as Adriana Brownlee, Hari Budha Magar and Ray Mears.

The afternoon session is aimed at a younger audience and is centered around the theme of inspiration. Speakers Peter Hillary, Jamling Tenzing, Ray Mears, Leo Houlding, Adriana Brownlee and Melanie Windridge will speak about the inspiration they have all taken from the 1953 ascent. There will also be contributions from Duke of Edinburgh Young Ambassadors reading from the letters of expedition leader John Hunt. The talk is well-suited to school and youth group bookings. Further details are available via Eventbrite.

The evening session will include contributions from Peter Hillary, Jamling Tenzing, Kenton Cool, Hari Budha Magar and Stephen Venables who, in 1988, became the first Briton to climb Everest without the use of supplemental Oxygen when he made the first ascent of the mountain’s Kangshung face. The session is titled ‘Collaboration in Exploration’ and will look at how relationships have shaped the lives and ascents of all of the speakers as well as their relationships with Everest ‘53. Further details are available via Eventbrite.

All proceeds from the events will be split equally between the Himalayan Trust (UK) and the Mount Everest Foundation, two charitable organisations which were founded as a direct result of the 1953 expedition.

The evening is part of a worldwide programme of celebrations highlighting the continuing legacy of the Everest ’53 expedition. You can find out more at Everest70.com