22 Jun 2018
Don’t Drive at Night
Parked up at services in the Free State, a taxi van pulls up beside us, and the driver gets out, letting his passengers stretch their legs. A gun sticks out from the waistband of his trousers, the..... READ
Blog
24 Jun 18 // Q&A
Clove Hitch Issue
Hi Tony Sorry for late reply! I’m not a big fan of clove hitches in any situation where they can take very high forces as they have little capacity to absorb any shock at all, plus they can bind in such a way that it does cause some melting on the sheath (this is cosmetic I think). A bigger problem is that the way the knot works you can end up creating a load point out of line with the spine..... READ
18 May 2018
Life’s Bearing
In a lot of countries, people talk about ‘God botherers’, people who come around unannounced and talk at you, very often not about God, but about themselves, not about Him, but Them. In Ireland,..... READ
16 Feb 2018
Pounds and Pence and Pages
My new book Unknown Pleasures comes out this week, published by multi-awarding winning Sheffield publisher Vertebrate. When this news appeared on UKC, I noticed this comment: “AK is a great..... READ
25 Jan 2018
Extreme DIY Balaclava
I was asked the other day about the one piece of gear that I used that’s most heavily modified, the conversation one on perfect gear. I thought about it for a minute, thought about all the kit I..... READ
18 Jan 2018
Not bloody snowshoes
“Are your skis like snowshoes?” asked my mate Barney, as we rode the chair lift up from Les Houches, nodding at my short fat skis, 60cm shorter than his 190s. “No - they’re real..... READ
28 Dec 2017
Goggles Question
Hi Goggles are a tricky but if you stick to a few simple rules they can work pretty well, but they take work. Here’s a list of random thoughts. Buy good quality goggles that fit your face and fit..... READ
17 Dec 2017
Flesh Turns Black
I've not been able to write much creativity while finishing Higher Education, and so have been using Instagram as a substitute - the 2000 letter limit a good way not to get sidetracked. Most things I..... READ
09 Dec 2017
Belay Jackets Revisited
The two questions I get asked most regularly via this blog involve either cordelettes or belay jackets - the cord ones about ‘how thick’, ‘how long’ and ‘how best to use’, which is funny..... READ
25 Nov 2017
Finding Partners
Hi John People often ask me why I used to solo so much, Alex Huber (no mean soloist himself), even going so far to suggest it was some form of self-sabotage (two solo attempts on the Harlin must mean..... READ
14 Nov 2017
“Bring More Beaks”
I got into a minor scuffle the other day on Facebook over the fact both I an Vanessa had placed some bird beaks on Mescalito last month, probably about ten in total. This was the around the same time..... READ
13 Nov 2017
Walk on by
A great climber once told me the story of how the first time he came to Yosemite, full of youthful wall dreaming, he’d sought out wall climbers for knowledge there being no technique books or..... READ
31 Aug 2017
perfect universe in order
As I crept through the dark forest that ringed the lake, my flip flop feet weary of sharp sticks and stones, I caught sight of something small and white laying amongst the pine cones. Although only..... READ
29 Aug 2017
Life at retail
“I’m going to leave a nut” I said, crouched down, tugging at the rotten rap slings jammed beneath a couch sized boulder, “I don’t trust these slings”. “What! We’ve already lost two..... READ
07 Aug 2017
Cams - Field repairs
The following is an extract from my up and coming book Higher Education, the most exhaustive big wall climbing book yet written. On hard, intensive walls, where cams are being placed and..... READ
