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In our 4th year of partnership with the Outward Bound Trust, we sent Equip volunteer ambassadors along with students from the David Nieper Academy as they embarked on a transformative adventure in the Ogwen Valley. These students pushed their limits through challenging outdoor activities and discovered the connection, challenge, and room for reflection that being outdoors offers.

Join our eclectic team of Rab athletes as they journey through the West Highlands of Scotland in search of foraged finds, remote bothies and unforgiving gravel tracks.  

Scotland is renowned for its dramatic mountain landscapes and without a doubt Skye stands out, its serrated skyline easily recognisable when viewed from distant hills.

Learn how Rab Athlete Krister Kopala balances his dangerous job as a lineman with his passion for winter sports.

Climb Kilimanjaro with confidence with this comprehensive guide. Learn everything you need to know about planning, packing, and hiking Africa's highest mountain.

Escape the beaten track with Rab's bikepacking guide. Discover how to plan the perfect route and find the right gear. Our guide also covers bikepacking events, communities, and tips to help you make the most of your journey. Get ready to take on the great outdoors with our expert guide to bikepacking. 

Rab Athlete Gail Brown takes on the challenging ultra-endurance Atlas Mountain race and shares the epiphanies and lessons learned in Morocco's unrelenting mountainous deserts.

At Rab we cherish and celebrate our partnerships with individuals and organisations who share our values. Glenmore Lodge is no exception, and we are delighted to tell the story of this state of the art outdoor training centre, run by dedicated mountain people.  

Learn from Zeb Blais, IFMGA Mountain Guide and Owner of Blackbird Mountain Guides, as he shares his expert knowledge on best practices for avoiding avalanche risks. Discover a comprehensive checklist of essential tips and advice to stay safe while enjoying the backcountry.

Get ready for your next bikepacking adventure with these 4 frame setups. Whether you prefer a minimalist approach or need to carry all your gear, find the perfect solution to attach your frame bags and hit the road.

Boris Langenstein travels to Nepal, with his climbing partner Thiphaine to ski a 300m line sweeping down from the summit of Dhaulagiri II. Read their story of trials and challenges as they attempt to reach the summit of this impressive 7000m peak.

I could not help the feeling that something was missing. I had jumped off big cliffs, been chased by scary avalanches, tomahawked down faces, and ridden as fast as I could down narrow couloirs. In the back of my mind however, I had always been drawn towards Jiehkkevarri.   

Explore the thrill of combining winter climbing and paragliding in the Snowdonia region of Wales with these favourite "climb and fly" circuits. From the Central Gully on Ysgolion Duon to the Glyderau Ridge and beyond, experience the beauty and excitement of soaring over the mountain peaks. 

Our guide seeks to answer questions and provide advice aimed at day hikers, rather than multi-day hikers, or thru-hikers. The barrier to entry is lower, and with the right kit, you can enjoy impressive days out in the hills and mountains hill bagging and seeing the landscape from a whole new perspective.

Launching yourself away from the start, with a rig loaded with gear, and a smile on your face as you head into the unknown is an incredible feeling. Getting to camp and realising you left your gas canister at home is less of an incredible feeling. Those ramen noodles may need an hour to soak before you can chew through them, and you’re already hungry. Our gear guide aims to cover the basics of what to take, and to leave you with a kit list for your reference.

You never quite know what to expect, that’s part of the fun! We spent the better part of a year planning and preparing for the big trip to Greenland. Jacob researched the ares extensively and compiled a PDF guide book of every route established (which was not many!) that he could find. 

Rab Athlete Lindsey Hamm travels to Charakusa Valley, Pakistan to explore the big walls in the region. "Life first, Mountains second," said Ilays, our tour guide with North Pakistan Adventure (Trekking, Tours, and Expeditions)

Julia fulfils a lifelong dream of capturing an ascent of Dawn Wall, a 3,000 foot face in the Yosemite National Park, California. She shares her experience of documenting the trip through the lense, from its beginnings in Torredembarra Spain.

Inspired to take action on climate change after an awakening at Everest, Rab athlete Roeland van Oss sets himself the challenge of climbing all 4000m peaks in the Alps, while connecting the climbs by bicycle.

The best way to tick off 8000m peaks? Do two in a row. After a successful attempt on Kanchenjunga, mountain guide Jon Gupta set his sights on an alpine style ascent of the mountain fortress of Makalu. 

Shortly after moving to Washington in 2015, I began scouring the guidebooks for aid lines to free. There’s not many left, and I would later discover that this is not always the best way to find great new free lines. However, the aid line "Midnight Ride" (5.9 A4 600ft) on South Early Winter Spire (SEWS) jumped out. The route climbs a steep and clean face on SEWS just left of the classic route "The Passenger" in the Washington Pass area. For years I had been thinking about checking that face out, but never did until the summer of 2021. 

I’ve spent years climbing and hiking in the Atlas Mountains and walking by the north face on Tazarhart (3450 m). Its hulking face adorned with sharp rocks, thin ice, with five sharp couloirs reaching up to the ridge, running to 550m. The face fascinated me, and my curiosity piqued. Yet I knew this is beyond my level. Feeling I needed to keep my climbing ambition realistic, I tried to forget about this climb.

Leading a team to an 8000m summit demands impeccable organisation, unwavering commitment, and an affinity for the otherworldly landscapes of the loftiest mountains. Jon Gupta shares his guiding experience on the world’s third highest peak. 

Chris Fisher is no stranger to hard, back-breaking endurance events on foot. After quitting during ‘Hell Week’, an infamous final component of Navy Seals training, Chris was left with regret.  Shorty after an early attempt on the Mosquito-Tenmile traverse in Frisco, CO., Chris set his sights on his next big send in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. 

In the spring of 2022, we began our search for a talented artist to design this year's artwork for the Banff Mountain Festival. We had hundreds of incredible submissions from talented artists across the globe. It was a huge challenge to pick an artist whose work would be featured. It was Jack Spowart, and his intricate illustrations, combining pen, ink and a subtle use of colour that really stood out.  

I can’t tell you how many times local climbers have twisted their faces at me, wondering how it is that I’ve ended up in the UK. So, what in the world is this California girl doing here, of all places? 

Angus Kille, Calum Muskett and Jon Gupta set off on an esoteric Matterhorn route , with all the ingredients of the proper adventure; fatigue, doubt, risk, mistakes and of course Jon’s self-proclaimed good looks and banter.

Rab Athlete Tor Berge recently journeyed to Jotunheimen for a few days of peak bagging, with his climbing partner Bjørn.

In December 2021, Canadian climbers Bronwyn Hodgins and Kelsey Watts made the first female ascent of El Gavilan (300m, 13a) in Mexico. This was the final step in Bronwyn’s multi-season effort to re-bolt the original 1990s Jeff Jackson line, making the route safe and accessible for future climbers.

The piece of advice that’s stuck with me since I took my first avalanche course is the importance of mentorship. But mentorship has been hard to come by. Later, I learned that mentors are more likely to take on mentees who remind them of themselves. In an industry where men far outnumber women, could this have something to do with my struggle to find mentors in the industry?  

Carved by ice, wind, and waves, the Summer Isles are a small archipelago off the northwest Scottish coast. For kayak leader Will Copestake, they offer solo adventure and solace during a busy summer season.

On a wild and wet quest across a lesser known Cuillin ridge, Sarah Leighton goes in hunt of Rum’s fabled trolls only to encounter some demons of her own.

After 10 years of pushing his climbing limits while testing gear for us, Kev Shields reflects on the evolution of his mindset during a life on the rock and what being bold means to him.

Climbing as many vertical feet as one can throughout a single month is not a normal challenge. I went out during the Cirque Series Max Vert October with the intention of climbing over 400,000 ft and breaking a world record.

Searching for something that would push his climbing, Angus Kille found Esclatamasters. A 9a in the Catalan Pyrenees. All consuming, he learnt what it means to be a climber.

Being bold is about putting yourself out there, challenging your beliefs, and working through the problem. After the competition season ended early, Jenya takes a trip to Fontainbleu to find her next challenge.

Guy Robertson and Adam Russell have repeated The Wailing Wall (IX 9) on An Teallach, a route established by the late Martin Moran.

The All In Ice Fest has brought to the surface, many discussions regarding diversity, equity, and representation specifically for Ice Climbing. David Lee reflects on the first All In Ice Festival.

Cris, Gaizka, and Philipp head to Tredós for a weekend ski-touring getaway. Hoping the early season pow will live up to their expectations, they’ve got a couloir and the North face in their sights.

Ryan Vachon shares his thoughts from the 2022 Ouray Ice Festival.

Tamar and Tjeerd decide to take on an insane project, walking 1000km across Iceland, just as the season is coming to an end. Will they make it?

Tamar and Tjeerd decide to take on an insane project, walking 1000km across Iceland, just as the season is coming to an end. Will they make it?

Looking for a unique adventure, Robert, Sebastian, and Anders head to a secret hut in Romsdal. Will they find a sanctuary or a shack?

Christine and Sam take on the Mount Rundle Traverse. But have they bitten off more than they can chew?

Big dreams tend to mean big adventures. Krister and Thea take on Store Jægervasstind, with an aim to ski a new couloir. But how long will the weather window hold out?

Mountains can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Marta talks about how she's become a multi-sport athlete.

Jeff stumbles across a hidden cave on social media, and seeks it out. He finds a cave of dreams.

Bas and Danny are alone on the west pillar of the Scheidegg Wetterhorn. How will they fare on Berner Oberland's wild route?

Tyler takes a trip home, to where is all began, the New River Gorge.

It was a usual winters night in the van. I struggled to sleep with the anticipation of the early alarm weighing heavy on my mind and the stormy weather pounding the skylight just a couple of feet above my face.

Four friends climbed a 7-kilometer trail leading to the remote Plummer Canyon Yurt. They quickly realized they were venturing into one of the continent's most stunning backcountry ski destinations.

After returning from Pakistan, Juho seeks the comfort of the Lofoten Islands and saught to put up a new line.

Juho travelled to Pakistan in search of an unclimbed peak and some high alpine fun. Join his journey through flight delays, crumbly rock, and hot weather.

Angela, Bronywn and Sav head to Zion, the place where Angela had spent so much time with her partner. What would she find there, in between all those ponderosa pines? Would the beauty she’d experienced all those years ago still be there?

As the world's leaders gather to assess and decide the next actions for a global push to limit climate change, we asked Science Presenter, adventurer and Rab ambassador, Huw James, for his take on where we are right now and what he thinks comes next.

Join Tyler Allen in his Alpine Playground on Mount Washington.

Rab athlete, Amy David, is a big mountain skier. But that doesn’t come without an extensive understanding of snow and avalanches. An ongoing pursuit, that takes a lifetime to grasp… Maybe two lifetimes.

The pace of backpacking is slow, but the simplicity of it is unbeatable. Wouldn't you agree?

Boris and friends go on a trip to Pakistan to explore some high alpine skiing. This adventure entails pleasure, stress, and set backs.

Boris and friends go on a trip to Pakistan to explore some high alpine skiing. This adventure entails pleasure, stress, and set backs.

Decision-making in the mountains is difficult. Do we continue? Do we go back down? When faced with illness, high winds, and doubt, what would you do if the summit was in reach?

Benny, Alex, and Austin explored the Alaskan Hayes Range in autumn to see what they would find. Turns out, they found some seriously good climbing.

Benny, Alex, and Austin explored the Alaskan Hayes Range in autumn to see what they would find. Turns out, they found some seriously good climbing.

Preview the new artwork for the 2021 Banff Mountain Film Festival. Artist, Bryn Merrell, has painted a beautiful piece capturing the essence of Banff. Check it out here.

Find out about 2021's Kendal Mountain Festival and our £10,000 Film Grant.

Canadian climber Bronwyn Hodgins became the third woman to free Golden Gate in Yosemite, California. Read part two, here.

In May 2021, Canadian Rab athlete Bronwyn Hodgins became the third woman to free Golden Gate in Yosemite, California. Read her story here.

Jacob Cook and Drew Marshall put up The Drop Bear, on the Prow Wall of the Stawamus Chief, on July 23rd 2021. This is their story.

Rab athlete Natt Williams competed in his first adventure race, the Hope 1000. We caught up with him to see how it went. Read it here.

Plastic is a valuable resource. It’s still the most effective and lightest packaging solution for us to store and transport our high-value products, from factory through to customer. It protects garments from being damaged by moisture, dust and dirt.

You won’t find mountain adventures on a training board that has short and accessible as its design principles. But after months of substituting rock for plywood, I’m surprised at what I did find.

When you think of vacations in Norway, you think fjords, mountains, and sea. Well, Tor and Ine found just this. Read about the awesome Norwegian destination they found, here.

It is not about the distance of the race; it is about the journey within. The Cirque Series captures this essence. This inspirational race series started at Brighton Resort, Utah. One of 6 races that tests both the mental and physical strengths of 500 racers.

Coming out of a long winter of lockdown restrictions in Wales, it seemed apt that our project for this trip was called ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’, an E8 on the remote cliff of Càrn Mòr in the north-west Highlands.

We caught up with Juho, a dedicated Finnish climber, Juho as he heads of to the Karakorum for some new routing.

I'm slipping... There’s a thin layer of dirt that covers everything: the climb, the gear, my whole body. My throat is dry, and my chest is heaving.

It’s 6am when the alarm starts to ring in the van. It’s still dark outside. The crisp, fresh air starkly contrasting the comfort inside our warm sleeping bags. Cristina reaches for her phone and turns the alarm off, wishing she had had a few more hours to sleep.

Fair Wear awarded us the “Good” status after only 12 months of membership. We’re aiming for better though.

Jacob Cook and Bronwyn Hodgins went on an epic 40-day trip to Baffin Island. Their tale is one of adventure, new routing, and pink flamingos...

“I just looked at your MRI… and I had to triple-check I had the correct patient. The ankle on there looked like it belonged to a 70-year old” the doctor told me as he walked into the exam room. I’d been limping for nearly 6 months, since a bad sprain the previous summer, and had finally given in the wise counsel of my girlfriend and come to see a specialist.

Three hundred feet up the wall I weighted my toes on dime-sized sandstone edges. I was reminded of my ballet days on pointe -- the pain was torturous. 

On May 9th, Hayden Jamieson and Aaron Livingston free climbed El Cap’s Freerider in under 22 hours. This had been a long term goal for Rab athlete Hayden. It is a benchmark in big wall free climbing. And their decision to both free climb the route makes it all the more impressive.

It was the start of January 2019. The world had no idea what was about to hit it. It was only weeks later that the World Health Organization would declare the outbreak as a global health emergency, and a few months later that the virus would hit the Americas. All eight of us sat on the big bed, gossiping about boys, relationships, menstrual cycles, tinder dates… the whole deal. We took turns sharing stories while the rest listened curiously, giggling like little girls at a sleepover. This was nothing like any climbing trip I’d ever been on.

You probably have one: a sleeping bag, down jacket, maybe your duvet or pillow is down filled. If not, you've certainly come across a down filled item. Down has been used as an insulation filling for generations. It's kept people warm at night, and explorers alive in the coldest conditions. But what happens to it all once you're done? Where does it go?

Rab Athlete Sylvain Thiabaud opens Montecristo N°4, a new mixed route in Maurienne’s secret valley.

In October of 2020, my friends and I were looking for new places to visit to celebrate that we could travel again after the first COVID-19 lockdown in Spain. We had been climbing a lot around Barcelona but we felt like it was time to organize a bigger trip.

I don't remember if I read it in a book or saw it in a movie, but it has always fascinated me that a trip doesn't start when you get your packs ready, but when you dream it for the first time. In my case, the trip to Madagascar began in 2007 after the radical opening of the route “Hijos de la Pedri” in Tsaranoro valley by my inspiring friends Talo and Palan Martin.

It all started exactly 27 years ago, when – during his first adventures in this North face – Manu Pellissier began to dream of a mixed line through this huge limestone face. Luc Mongellaz had also visited this face already, attempting the first winter ascent of the North West pillar in 2017, which was stopped just below the summit after a fall of his partner.  

Follow Rab athlete Greg Boswell and Marz McInnes (plus Floki and Kida) as they chase a spell of unusually good weather around the Highlands, and experience everything that Scotland has to offer.

The Arctic is not for everyone. The terrain is often barren, with few places to hide from the elements. The cold bites and can be at times quite overwhelming. Storms, white-outs, avalanches, crevasses. With -26°C as our warmest night, a group of four arctic explorers and me set out to train for the worst.

Patience is a virtue, or so I’m told. In the high mountains I’m normally on the move constantly and it seems unusual to be stood still, waiting for the perfect moment. The fabric on my paraglider is still rustling as a katabatic wind blows gently down the glacier trying to dislodge the light fabric from its delicate perch on the frozen snow slope.

In February 2017, Bronwyn and I packed our lives into our red van and drove 4000km across the Canadian winter-scape to Squamish, BC. We’d never even visited the town but decided it would be our new home - granite pilgrims from the East.

An entire winter in Swedish Lapland? Why not? Me and my expedition partner Gerard had been ice-skating and winter camping for weeks above the Arctic Circle, but still it felt like I only just got a small taste of what this remote part of Europe has to offer.

From our birthplace in the Scottish Highlands to our playground in the mountains of the world, we thrive in the worst that mother nature can dish out. With our Khroma collection, we’ve taken our years of experience, skill and knowledge in making mountain clothing that performs in all conditions and applied that to ski mountaineering apparel.

Lake District rock climbing offers something for everyone. From beginner trad climbs through to some of the hardest routes in the country, there is both easily accessible, roadside cragging and long days on the mountain crags. The bouldering also gives a wide variety of rock types, grades, and locations, and there is quality sport climbing in the South Lakes too. 

“How do we put the skis on Pal?” I wonder aloud as I look over the muscular dun colored gelding who will be our packhorse. Pal huffs quietly and gives me a patient look that says, “Take as long as you want, I’m in no rush to get up that mountain.”

In January 2020, ambassador Anna Blackwell travelled to Arctic Sweden. Once there, despite very little experience on skis, she found herself skiing into the backcountry for a multi-day camping trip with a friend.

Autumn in Sápmi – better known as Lapland – can be quite spectacular. A vivid spectrum of oranges, reds and yellows breaks through the snow that is covering the surface only so slightly. Snow is falling late this year, giving us time to test our expedition kit on the frozen lakes of northern Sweden.

We are extremely thrilled to have won The Great Outdoors Magazine’s Best Brand Reader Awards for the fourth year running!

It’s surely every climber’s dream when facing parenthood – now I’ll be able to take my kids climbing (or sometimes – now I’m going to have to if I ever want to get on the rock again!) When and how can be fraught with options and the risk of putting them off for life! Every child is different, and how and at what stage you introduce your kids to climbing will depend on your own experience and confidence. Here are some thoughts and top tips from my own experience with my daughters and working with client families.

The Bianco Ridge on Piz Bernina (4.048m) is a dream route for many climbers. Just like the photogenic west-east traverse of Piz Palü (3.905m). Even better would be to link up both ridge routes and combine them into one long tour. In spite of a somewhat unstable weather forecast the young Dutch Expedition Academy team gave it a try. It all turned out a little different than expected, but was an unforgettable day.

We started our trip to Iceland in Munich in March 2020. During the approach to Reykjavik, our noses were sticking to the window of the airplane. The view over the first snow-covered hills reaching all the way down to the shore was incredibly impressive. I could already imagine the first turns in the untouched snow.

To celebrate five years of Women’s Trad Festival, Rab commissioned the film ‘Over the Edge’ to tell the story of the women behind the sell-out festival.

At Rab and Lowe Alpine we’re delighted to continue our partnership with Kendal Mountain Festival, which is fully digital this year. 

Most of the fun in any expedition is in the preparation. This isn’t just my opinion, it’s been proven scientifically. With this in mind, I try to extend the preparation process for our Lake Baikal (RU) traverse as much as possible. It’s too much fun!

Adventure film season is upon us and the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival has gone digital this year. With so many inspiring stories being told, we’re delighted to share the trailers of Rab supported athletes whose adventure films have been accepted into the festival. 

It all started with a plan. A plan to get out again and finally touch some rock.

When I arrived in Alaska for the first time four years ago, my mother and I flew through the mountains. I remember how good they looked, but I wasn’t ready for an Alaskan-level mountain. They all looked so big, steep, and gnarly, even the small ones. I was an amateur at the time, but was so enthralled by what I saw that yet again, as I have done before, I pushed everything in my life away and decided to move to Alaska the next spring. I wanted an authentic relationship with the land and for the last four summers I’ve grown just that.

To celebrate National #GetOutsideDay from Ordnance Survey on 27th September, we’re giving you the chance to win a brand new Microlight jacket and an Edge backpack.

As title sponsor of the Banff Film Festival, Rab has worked closely with John Fellows for the past three years to create bespoke designs for the official festival t-shirts. We wanted to find an artist who would capture the same feeling and connection to the outdoors we all share while experiencing the stories that are told during the festival.

Years of experience go into the design, creation and realisation of all of our products. Behind this stands a deep respect and love for the mountains we play, explore and adventure in. Inspired by this, our AW20 collection is devoted to everything we’re passionate about – performance, technology and the environment.

Honza Navratil fell in love with Aiguille Dibona after receiving a message from his friend. In August, he spent a week exploring the Ecrins National Park in the French Alps where he ascended the needle of Aiguille Dibona.

“Have you always progressed in your climbing?” I was asked by my friend, Louis, at our local climbing wall. As we were talking about grades, it would have been easy to answer that my progression had been steady up to a point.

Just after the global lockdown was implemented, we launched our #RabAtHome competition. We wanted to do something that everyone could get involved in, to keep spirits high and find adventure at home during an uncertain time. We asked our community to post a flat lay photo using inspiration from their Rab clothing, outdoor kit and indoor space for the chance to win a kitbag full of Rab gear. 

In the first of our series of Local Climbs, Angus Kille tackles the iconic Quarryman for a big-wall training challenge just five miles from home.

My home is Bergen, Norway – otherwise known as the city between the seven mountains. It is here that I grew up with a family who took me to the mountains or the cabin every weekend and every holiday. With that, I was trained from a very early age to take active breaks from a busy everyday life.

This winter season was about guiding people in the mountains all around the world. I am a full-time mountain guide and had a lot of exciting plans. Until a few weeks ago I enjoyed every second of my profession but due to the coronavirus and the measures that were taken, I was forced to cancel my plans and stay at my current home in Austria. So how does that work for someone like me, who is used to spend his time in the biggest office possible almost 24/7?

I’m not a big fan of waking up early, yet I seem to have chosen a lifestyle and career where my phone alarm has seven different wake-up calls set between midnight and 6am. It’s the hours of darkness that are the worst bit, trudging across glaciers when it’s cold, but still warm enough for you to work up a sweat that mingles with your sun cream.

In self-isolation for over two weeks now, it is strange to remember what I was doing exactly one month ago. Monday morning, 5 A.M. We had just woken up from a cold night in the winter hut of the Refuge d’Alpe de Villar d’Arène in the French Alps. A last cup of tea, a final glance at our map, I quickly stuffed some remaining gear in my pack.

Crack climbing, for me, has been all about performance for a really long time. I’ve been on that incessant drive to push my own standards, establish things that are at the limit of the genre and in the process of that, do quite a few first ascents! 

Since getting out to the crag or your local climbing wall isn’t possible at the moment, we’ve compiled some of the great climbing training videos produced by our friends at Lattice Training which cover a series of exercises you can do at home.

One of the things I love about climbing is that it takes you to some amazing locations. I’ve been lucky enough to climb throughout Europe as well as in Australia and the United States.Cheap flights and a wealth of information online means that few climbing destinations are secret these days and many places now have a truly international feel with climbers coming from all over the globe in search of good rock.

Why do you run? Four words that for me would be the start of a river of reasons that could eventually flood into a book. This is probably the same for you too. On one level it may be simple, to move and stay fit. It may be to socialise. To get some headspace after a long day at work. It may be all three and then three hundred more.

On Monday 9th September 2019 I set out to achieve what most people thought would be impossible: swim 34km across the English Channel, cycle 900km across France to the foot of Mont Blanc and then climb to the summit of the tallest mountain in Western Europe – all in just 5 days. If I’m honest, it still sounds completely crazy,

Suddenly our lives are turned upside down. The more events accelerate around the globe with the spread of COVID-19, the more our everyday life is slowed down. Our range of motion, leisure activities and personal encounters are minimized. Of course, this also determines my climbing, my everyday life and my family routine. 

At the end of January, Jeff Mercier and I met up in the north of Norway for two weeks of hunting winter climbs above the Arctic Circle. Two seasons ago we did a similar trip to Senja Island, where we managed to climb a bunch of outstanding new routes and witnessed some amazing views and landscapes.

Our journey starts in the village Byblos/Jubail, an old port on the Mediterranean Sea just north of Beirut. In 2850 b.c. Byblos was a colony of Egypt and an important trading place. Soon we realize that this will not be an ordinary tourist trip but also a journey through the history of a country of which we only know little.

Writing a review about my 2019 climbing season sounded pretty simple to me at first. What could be easier than talking about what you have experienced yourself during a year of climbing? But this task turned out to be more tricky than expected

The Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival is North America’s largest mountain festival. Taking place between October 26th and November 3rd, the festival promises nine epic days filled with stories of remote journeys, ground-breaking expeditions, and cutting-edge adventures told through the eyes of adventurers, authors, photographers and filmmakers from around the globe

We charge downstream in our little red packraft. The water is churning, pumping! I’m in the stern; Jacob kneels in my bow. It’s tough to see the line as we race along, dodging rocks and waves. Focus.

When I topped off the gas tank and sped out of New Hampshire on April 2nd, I tightly gripped the wheel, smiling ear to ear and with a 5,500 mile gaze - at the end of my longing stare was the vision of returning to the Last Frontier.

This summer Jacob, Thor, Zack and myself spent six weeks on Baffin Island, in the far northeast corner of Canada and about 200 miles across the Bay from Greenland. While out there we managed to climb some big mountain faces - some new lines and some old - and accessed these mountains by paddling the ocean fjord and glacier-fed river in packrafts. How do I sum up six weeks of adventure in an article? I’ve put together a series of moments to share:

Last November Joe Doherty became the first Scout in the world to ski to the South Pole and kite ski back. The journey began from the Messner Start (80o 67’ S 65o 00’ W) where he man hauled his 100kg Pulk 912km to the South Pole over 45 days. Upon reaching the Pole he headed for Union Glacier which took him 16 days and he covered 2045km in total.  (80o 05’ S 78o 30’ W)

In our 70s, pink candy-coloured Land Cruiser, it looks more like heading out from a summer camp. Our driver, as comfortable behind the wheel as he is on the turntables, happily shares with us his local playlist. In the back seat, smiling, Nuawas, Muaz and Nazir enthusiastically accompany the words (they take care of our logistics and, in particular, our kitchen at base camp).  Rocked by the road and the landscapes that pass by, I watch the scene just happy to be back in Pakistan.

“I started hallucinating from what was a 22 hour day hearing noises, seeing figures and abandoned kit but Paul assured me they were just rocks. When we got to the bottom, we were dead and couldn’t believe that it was all over, it was so surreal. It felt like a weird dream.”

It is mid-February. I am lying in a hammock in France. To be precise, I am in ‘Le Lot’, a rural area in central France and my hammock is strung between two trees at the base of a crag called Milhac.

This year has been one of the hardest but also one of the most interesting of my last 10 years as a professional athlete. As many of you who are reading this piece right now, know me as a climber, you’re probably wondering why I put in the title that it’s about being a “pro” in two sports. Well, let me take you on a little journey of the last nine months!

“This isn't the forest or even the snow, there are no rocks, no trails or footprints, no plants or flowers- this is ice. And guess what: it changes every single day.”

‘Wow, I feel great, they must have given me some awesome painkillers’ The nurse is calling my name ‘Andrea, Andrea.’ My eyes start to open and I look around, there is something not quite right, I am still in the pre-op room.

“As we made fresh tracks up the glacier in the pitch dark of 3am and finally as we reached the summit the sun crested up over the picturesque mountains to fill us with the days first light. A surreal feeling it was to be at the top of a peak in time for sunrise and the most amazing photos.”

This winter I wanted to climb, to climb rock only! I spent a lot of time in the mountains the past seasons working as a mountain guide and this fall I wanted to train a lot and push my rock climbing level. But it’s rare for a plan to run without a hitch. Winter is here, lots of ice, no snow, many friends wanting to climb steep ice… as we say in Pyrenees “Porque no” - Why not!

One of the amazing things about being a young alpinist from a country with a strong climbing tradition is that with an average internet connection, a computer capable of running Google Earth, and the skills to weave together a compelling grant application, you can find yourself able to attempt exploratory climbing in some of the greatest mountain ranges on Earth. 

On November 8th 2018, I stood on the summit of El Capitan in Yosemite, California, after free climbing the route Freerider over 5 days. With Jacob supporting me, I led the crux pitches and weighted the rope only three times over the 3000ft of climbing, lowering down and sending each pitch after. It almost felt easy! But really it wasn’t easy. It was a battle, a 4-year epic battle…

The 13th annual Climbing Works International Festival recently took place in the city of Sheffield, home to the UK’s largest population of climbers and the birthplace of Rab.

It’s 11pm in the central Argentinean Andes. I’m seated cross legged at 4000m attempting to construct an Avro Lancastrian model aeroplane by the light of my headtorch.

The Cuillin Ridge on the Isle of Skye strikes fear into the hearts of many would-be Munroists, and I was certainly amongst them. The infamous Inaccessible Pinnacle (the ‘Inn Pin’) is the only Munro which requires the use of a rope and, although not a particularly challenging rock climb per se, it is certainly outside the comfort zone of ma

There is an old Chinese proverb which says that a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. This became something that I thought about many times over the summer as I undertook Project 282: almost four months spent climbing all of Scotland’s Munros, in one go; unsupported and self-propelled.

Greg Boswell and Jeff Mercier may have set a record for the speed at which they established new winter routes when they visited the Island of Senja off Norway’s North West coast in February 2018. 

The Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival is North America’s largest mountain festival. Taking place between October 27th and November 4th, the festival promises nine epic days filled with stories of remote journeys, ground-breaking expeditions, and cutting-edge adventures told through the eyes of adventurers, authors, photographers and filmmakers from around the globe.

The Totem Pole defies superlatives as much as it defies the elements. If there were ever to be a feature that shouldn’t exist: it is this. Standing 60m tall and - most remarkable of all - a mere 4m wide, this great monolith stands defiant of the raging seas that surround it. However, stand it does; proud, tall, and implausible, representing a challenge to any adventurous rock climber that has a pulse.

At 5,263m Illiniza Sur is Ecuador’s 6th highest mountain, and is considered one of the country’s more technically challenging peaks. Often overlooked in exchange for more popular volcanoes such as Chimborazo (Ecuador’s highest peak at 6,310m) and Cayambe (5,790m).

At the end of August, Rab athlete Nasim Eshqi and Cristina Pogacean headed to the Zanskar region of Jammu and Kashmir in India to attempt to climb H17, a virgin peak situated at the confluence between the Haptal Tokpo and Chhogo Tokpo rivers.

For anyone unfamiliar with the region, New Zealand is probably best known in recent times as Middle Earth. An association created when these dramatic islands famously became the cinematic depiction of Tolkien’s epic.

‘The Place of the Gaels’ explores both the community and culture of winter mountaineering and climbing in the Highlands, introducing our American athletes to the notorious Scottish winter.