Piolets d'or: vertical sailing in Greenland!

An expedition of Belgian climbers in Greenland has been awarded the 2011 Piolets d'or, a prestigious prize for climbers succeeding in opening geographically remote and otherwise unknown climbing routes. 

Beyond their climbing skills, the  the recipients of the prize attract the attention as their expedition used a sailing boat as a base camp in Greenland.

In addition, the climbers carry musical instruments in their backpacks. According to them, music is very helpful to cope with such psychological challenges in climbing as forced bivacs on a mountain wall due to bad weather conditions.

Will the 2012 edition of the Piolets d'or perhaps focus its attention on horizonal climbing!?

3 sisters adventure trekking in Nepal

3 sisters in Nepal have set up a tourist business offering hiking and climbing tours to mountaineers worldwide, thanks to word-of-mouth and to their website.

The initial reaction by the local community in the city where the business has its office, Pokhara, was a mix of surprise and criticism for such a business idea, as well as for their community programs to train women in Nepal as mountain guides. Putting some some of the most valuable and durable assets in the country at work: its beautiful mountains, in an environmentally conscious and sustainable way, is a smart idea. Are men in the community perhaps envious!?

What if the mountain guides that the school trains turn out to be more careful, precise and overall competent than their male colleagues!?

Spread the word and/or head yourself for a walk on an Annapurna peak!