A Gastronomic Tour of the Écrins

The Écrins, or Dauphiné, are the wild and unspoilt southern French Alps. They offer big alpine routes on remote mountains and valley cragging in beautiful settings. But never mind all that – what we go for is the food and wine. So reserve a table Chez André for a mouth-watering journey around this spectacular region.

On the menu from 8.30 pm Tuesday 24^th January in the Wheatsheaf Restaurant…

Hors D’Oeuvre

Ailefroide 2001: A nostalgic look back at the first WMC Alpine meet of the ‘modern era.’ Can you recognise these fresh-faced versions of the now grizzled, injury-scarred and weather-beaten elders? Featuring ascents of the classic Barre des Écrins, Montagne des Agneaux and L’Ailefroide.

Entrée

La Bérarde 2003: More nostalgia: probably the only club alpine meet where the phrase ‘grand beaux temps’ actually appeared in the metéo. Bask in the sunlight on more classic peaks: Le Rateau, La Meije and the Aiguille Dibona.

Plat Principal

Join an elite group of WMC gourmets as they eat their way up and down the sport climbing paradise of the Durance Valley. Discover the secrets of gastro-escalade and meet the real Naked Chef. To work up an appetite we visit the crags of Les Ayes, Rocher Baron and Le Ponteil.

Dessert

Andy and Dale gibber their way up the mighty limestone face of Montbrison (before being overcome by the fear and running away).

Your wine waiter for the evening: Andy Clarke.

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For your entertainment, Wolverhampton Mountaineering Club brings you the opening slide show of their 2012 programme:

Roses, Battles and Mountains.

presented by Dave Wilkinson.

Accounts of two expeditions to unclimbed 7000 metre peaks in the Eastern Karakoram; Location: Northern Ladhak, the northern-most bit of India.

See the world’s only venue for high-altitude mountaineering in a war zone;

The world’s biggest glacier outside the polar regions;

An approach journey involving the crossing of six high passes;

A region so sparsely populated, it was hard to find anyone to employ as porters;

When is a yurt not a yurt?

What has the Dam-busters got to do with this remote asiatic region?

Why is the region’s biggest river called the “River of Death”?

See a hill speckled with bird-poo;

And an elephant on top of a high mountain.

For all these exotic sights, and many more, come along to the Wheatsheaf,8.30 pm, Tuesday Jan 10th.

Note: We will be continuing with the raffles in aid of Mountain Rescue at each of the slide shows, if anyone can help by donating a prize it would be much appreciated

Well its take a while but we have finally bitten the bullet and forked out for a complete set of new mattresses at the club hut in Wales. All the bunks now have brand new, custom made, mattress provided by Safe Foam (www.safefoam.co.uk) with not a lumpy spring in sight.

Pete’s published book is now available as a PDF for £3.50, £1 of which will go to UK Mountain Rescue organisations.

Once you have completed your purchase a link will be emailed to you to download the file. Please allow up to 3 working days for this, although we aim to get it to you much sooner.

The book is a recollection of an old man’s trip to the Khumbu Valley and Everest Base Camp. The trip was organised by Andrew Tomlinson (Tommo) and Andy Clarke for the spring of 2006, with young Richard Wilkes and the author making up the rest of the team. It goes on to describe the classic trek from the infamous Lukla airstrip, past traditional Sherpa villages and monasteries and cumulating at the incredible viewpoint of Kala Patar above Base Camp. On the way, sometimes camping, sometimes staying in primitive lodges or teahouses, they spend time in the amazing town of Namche Bazaar, well worth a visit in its own right. They encounter problems with Yaks and their crossing of the 5330 metre high Cho La Pass is thwarted by the worst snow storm at that time of year, throughout the last forty years.

Throughout the trip they are cared for by the poor and impoverished but always friendly and happy people of the Khumbu Valley.

The book is an almost day to day account of the trip and should be read by anyone contemplating a visit to that fantastic valley.

A tale of a classic trek told with feeling and well worth a read.