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.

On the way as usual we were chatting away and missed the turning and did a big circle, this happens all the time, O well. Eventually got to Brean and it is full of people on the few sports climbs, a right circus. The trad climbing at Brean looks fun if not a little scary. We decided that we could make up a couple of good long traverses pumpy pumpy. This was followed by some other good boulder problems we made up. It would not be a trip out with Stu if I didn’t try and hit him with some bits of rock, got to love a bit of loose bouldering. As the tide came in we quickly packed up and went home.
By Dale

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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

Click here to view our meets card in pdf format

Its here, the 2012 meets card is now online and you can download our meets card in pdf. We also have a calendar which can be viewed on our meets page or on google.

You can also add the calendar to outlook, iCal, possibly your phone or any other program which supports the .ics file type. Click the link below to down load the file or copy and paste the link into your favourite program

http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/43l50sj1ugub639lhg9bhm38r0@group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics

Local area
Sunday 11/12/11
Andy Clarke and Tim Larrad spend a couple of hours at Wolves climbing wall preparing for their big plans in 2012

The Yorkshire Dales

Saturday 17/12/11
Graham Nevett and Pete drive to Settle from where they cycle to and around Malham area.
Dave, Julie, Bruce and Richard enjoy easy day walking across to Austwick but are delayed inevitably at the Gamecock Inn finally returning to Clapham via Thackerwaite Lane.

Sunday 18/12/11
Eddie and Bruce have afternoon at their dig (cave exploration) on the way up to Ingleborough and manage to extend the deepest section by a few more feet and provisionally make the newly found area safe.
A little later Dave, Julie and Richard stop by the dig after Trow Gill and try to make contact with the diggers who are around seventy feet below ground. They wisely don’t attempt entry without protective clothing so carry on via Gaping Gill to Ingleborough summit.
John and Sandra do a wide circumnavigation over Cromedale and head towards the ‘Erratics’, large boulders left when the Glaciers finally receded from this area, not too far from Austwick.
All staying in the Dales say how bitterly cold it is high up and together with the wind removes any pleasantness usually found here. Temps well below zero.

Local area

Sunday 18/12/11
Nick Rowe vectored on his bike a route from W-ton to Newport criss-crossing the A41 so as to keep to tracks and old railway routes. A hard day with a puncture for lunch!

Buxton

Sunday 18/12/11
Dave Wilkinson started from Flash which, at 1518 feet above sea level, is the highest village in the country and after passing children tobogganing on the lower slopes, found all ways on are not obvious. No paths to and along various ridges/summits are shown on map and Dave found it most convenient to make use of the many old miners routes;  tracks available in vaguely the right direction giving easier walking than the uneven cloddy grass. It is possible along Axe Ridge and around the four peaks to make good use of these. Stepping on snow patches disclosed a sharp surprises in the form of wet puddles beneath and as this occurred more than once in one particular area Dave complained the rest of the day about ‘squishy’ feet! Good job he was alone.
In the past the locale has been famous for prize fights, fugitives hiding from the law on the moors and the village was gave the name ‘flashmoney’ since the area known for forging.

Let either myself or Eddie know what you have been up to.

It just remains to say Happy New year to all and we look forward to seeing you in 2012.

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.