British Mountain Guides - 3pm Saturday 2nd November

British Mountain Guides
Passion & Professionalism on the Peaks
Followed by 'This is My Winter'

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Becoming a British Mountain Guide takes many years' training and assessment and exceptional skills to achieve.� We're proud to present a panel of four BMG members - all internationally qualified and experienced professionals who lead parties of explorers, skiers and climbers in the world's most challenging mountain environment.

Mark Walker: Mixing and Matching - A Season Ski Touring Across the European Alps

Jon Morgan: Chamonix Zermatt Haute Route on Skis: A Purist's Version

Al Powell: Ski Mountaineering in Greenland - Exploring the Arctic Wilderness on Dogsleds & Skis

Mark, Jon and Al will each give a 20 minute talk, compered by fellow guide James Thacker who will then give an overview of the work of the BMG followed by an audience Q&A.

Mark Walker - 'Mixing and Matching: A season ski touring across the European Alps'

Getting the best conditions is a tricky business when ski touring. The quest for inspirational and stunning journeys into remote areas and cracking powder descents is the name of the game.

Mark takes us through his last season mixing and matching mountain areas and conditions, getting the best possible for his folk on the hill.

Mark is a British Mountain Guide (IFMGA), Mountain Instructor (MIC) and inspirational coach specialising in adventurous rock climbing in Snowdonia, exhilarating alpine adventures and remote ski touring.� He's supported by Thule and DMM.

Check out www.markwalkermountaineering.co.uk or Mark Walker Mountaineering on Facebook.

Jon Morgan - 'Chamonix Zermatt Haute Route on Skis - a purists version'

Ski-racer Jon will talk about skiing the 180km ski touring High Route between Chamonix in France and Zermatt in Switzerland following his simple, self-imposed rules - no road transport, no ski lifts, no sleep!

Jon was inspired to get into ski racing by Roger Payne who put an advert in Summit Magazine in 2003 saying "Wanted- Ski Mountaineers to represent GB in the World Championships". I was one of only 2 to respond! 10 years and 5 World Championships later I've learnt a lot.

From a passionate amateur climbing and skiing background, picking up a medical degree and Guides qualification on the way, Jon also won the Runfurther UK Ultrarunning Championships in 2010 and became British Ski Mountaineering Champion in 2013. With the snowiest winter in recent years he applies his race technique and optimal fitness to increasingly challenging days out on skis.� Jon is sponsored by Derbyshire based Rab.

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Al Powell - 'Ski Mountaineering in Greenland - exploring the arctic wilderness on dogsleds and skis'.

Al's talk will describe a series of ski expeditions exploring the remote East Coast of Greenland, using dogsleds to access this beautiful arctic wilderness.

During the winter months, Al works as a specialist ski mountaineering guide for the company Alpine Guides Ltd - working mostly in Europe, but also in other far flung parts of the world.�

He has raced for the British Ski Mountaineering Team at two World Championships and has a strong background in both expedition climbing and mountain running, having won the elite course on both the LAMM and the OMM mountain marathons and completed the Tour du Mont Blanc (102 miles, 9000m ascent) in under 24hrs.� Most recently he's taken up mountain bike orienteering, racing for the British Masters team at last years World Championships.�� Al is sponsored by Arc'teryx, Smart Wool and 5.10.

James Thacker - Panel Chair

James Thacker started climbing in the Derbyshire Peak District before deciding to study at Sheffield University - an easy decision with the proximity of 'gods own rock' THE GRIT.

Exploring the gritstone edges soon esculated to adventurous climbing in the UK particularly in the Scottish Winter and the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Alpine climbing and ascents of the classic North Faces of the Alps were a logical progression as well as alpine style climbing in the Himalaya.

James now splits his time between Chamonix and Sheffield working as an IFMGA Mountain Guide on rock, classic alpinism and on ski. The opportunity to enjoy routes, exploratory or not remains a big passion of James' and he can be contacted via http://www.jamesthacker-mountaineering.co.uk.� James is sponsored by Haglofs and Edlerid.

The panel will be followed by a screening of 'This is my Winter'

Film

This Is My Winter

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The tiny speck is Xavier!

Snowboarding with ice axes and ropes

Big mountain snowboard legend Xavier de la Rue is stuck.� Hanging 4,391m up on a ridge having dropped one of his pair of ice axes, he's trapped on a sheet of blue ice.� Radio-ing down to the film crew he explains, 'I don't think you understand.� With only one ice axe there's no way I can get out of here'.

Follow Xavier through a whole season - includes a hair-raising four hour descent down one of the most mythical ski descents in Chamonix, the 3,700m Aiguille de Plan.

Skier and freelance filmmaker Daniel Haberson Butcher says, "You know that when someone is boarding for almost the entire film with an ice axe in each hand that something is a bit different?. And anyone who actually WANTS to go down a near vertical 50 metre couloir of frozen water has some serious skills. To do it twice takes major balls and you?ll soon appreciate why."� Read the rest of Dan's review.

Watch the trailer...

Swiss / French, 2011 (28mins)
Directed By: Guido Perrini, Produced By: Matthieu Giraud, Timeline.

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