Rob Pitt

Oops

2010-01-15T10:42:00.003Z

My alpine trip has been cut short after a silly accident on an easy piste. I cut my leg with a ski edge and chopped my medial ligament in half so it'll be a month or two before I'm back in action by the looks of it...

Valley Blanche

2010-01-06T10:26:00.000Z

We skied the Valley Blanche today by the Envers Route. The route was untracked and we were the first down, there was good cover and crevasses seemed reasonably well filled in. The fixed line was minimal on the arete so care and crampons needed. We skied all the way to Chamonix but the bottom of the glacier was very rocky, probably best to get the bubble up to the Montenvers. Spectacular Day.

Winter Season in the Alps

2009-12-29T10:19:00.000Z

I've decided to take some time out to get some more Alpine experience, so I'm heading to Chamonix today to spend the winter season skiing, ski touring and climbing. I'll be back to the UK for a week or two here and there but essentially until late May the focus is very much on the Alps. Fingers crossed I should have some good photos to put up soon.

Welsh Winter Climbing

2009-12-24T21:37:00.001Z

Chrismas Eve - I went to Crib Goch today with Jon Ratcliffe. We climbed Reade's Route V/6. This is a fantastic mixed route which brings you out on the pinnacles of Crib Goch with excelent sustained climbing and great protection all the way.

Scottish Winter Climbing

2009-12-19T21:37:00.004Z

I managed to nab a quick day out in Stob Coire nan Lochan in Glencoe with Steve on Friday. We climbed Scabbard Chimney V/6.

Recent Facilitation Work

2009-12-01T17:31:00.002Z

In October and November I did lots of freelance facilitation for a number of different training companies and consultancies. In early October I coordinated the logistics for and co-facilitated a big team build for 80 students on a well respected full time MBA course. Then I was lucky enough to work with one of the UK's premium whisky brands on a brand awareness workshop (some tasting involved). I really like working with clients on a long term basis and being able to see the impact of the work I do, so in November it was great to follow up on a strategy development workshop that I ran earlier in the year for a management team in a leading British food company by running a management team development workshop for them.

Team Development Facilitation

2009-09-23T09:05:00.004+01:00

I've just finished two days co-facilitating a team development workshop for a senior team from a government security agency. We used experiential activity to raise awareness of current team behaviours, generate discussion and focus the team on their performance. Some challenging facilitation enabled tough but much needed conversations to take place to resolve relationship issues present in the team.

North Wales Rock Climbing

2009-07-11T13:33:00.000+01:00

Nick and I had a day at Dinas Cromlech. Nick had fun on Resurrection E4 6a, testing out both finishes. I then did most of Right Wall E5 6a before falling off just above the crux in order to test Nick's belaying skills. Thanks to Ralph from Klettern Magazine for this pic.

North Wales Rock Climbing

2009-07-08T13:11:00.001+01:00

Went to the Lleyn with Nick. He led Cripple Creek E3 5b and I did Byzantium E4 6a which Pete Leeming took this fantastic photo of. Check out Pete's website - Peter Leeming Photography - for some brilliant mountain and sea cliff landscape photography.

North Wales Rock Climbing

2009-07-03T10:18:00.003+01:00

True Grip E5 6a

Helen on Cemetery Gates E1 5b

Went to the Cromlech with Helen on Tuesday and somehow missed the showers. Helen climbed Cemetery Gates E1 5b, a long term target for her! I did True Grip E5 6a. Corking.

North Wales Rock Climbing

2009-06-18T11:00:00.009+01:00

Llanberis Sunset
The amazing top pitch of Lubyanka

Helen on Main Wall

Nick and Philippa were in North Wales, we had stunning weather and a week off, it doesn't get much better than that! Highlights of the week included Mrs Pitt's graduation to E1 leader and Philippa leading VS again for the first time since her accident 2 years ago. We climbed on several of the less busy Llanberis crags, Esgair Maen Gwyn (Scimitar Ridge), Clogwyn Gafr and Cwm Glas Bach. Top routes of the week included Pulsar E3 6a, Sacred Idol E3 6a, on Clogwyn Gafr, Weasels Rip My Flesh E4 6a on Craig Cwm Glas Bach and El Guide Direct E3 5c on Hidden Wall. The high point was a day on Cyrn Las where the girls did the ultra classic Main Wall HS whilst Nick and I were next door on Lubyanka E3 5c.

North Wales Rock Climbing

2009-06-08T12:20:00.001+01:00

The Mermaid Who Shed Her Glove
Steve Franklin and I climbed at Craig Doris on the Lleyn on Monday. Steve did the whacky Cripple Creek E3 5b and I did The Mermaid Who Shed Her Glove E4/5 6a.

Ski Touring in the Bernese Oberland

2009-05-06T18:38:00.003+01:00

Challenging conditions on the Fiesherhorn

We've just spent a week ski touring in the Bernese Oberland. The weather made things a challenge and there was high avalanche risk due to a 1m dump of snow the day we got out there. Despite this we had a great tour staying at the to the Konkordia and Finsteraarhorn huts doing some great journeying and knocking off a couple of peaks, including the 4025m Hinter Fiescherhorn in pretty horrible conditions.

Norway Ice Climbing

2009-02-13T11:34:00.004Z

Just had a couple of days climbing in Rjukan with Nick , Graham and Paul. Great ice and lots of it. Routes included Tipp (WI 5) and Frystikka (WI 5) at Krokan. Vermorkbrufoss Vest (WI 5) and Ost (WI 4) at Vermork Bridge and the outstanding Sabatorfossen (WI 5) in the upper gorge.

Norway Dog Sledding

2009-02-13T11:25:00.003Z

I led a dog sled trip for Across the Divide from 2-8 Feb. The team from Battersea Dogs and Cats home did amazingly well, especially as their introduction to dog sledding took the form of a night sled finishing at midnight on the first day due to snow delayed flights! Well done guys and thanks Per Thore.

Chamonix Skiing

2009-01-30T16:53:00.002Z

Some pics of the Valée Blanche. World famous off piste run descending for 22km from the summit of the Aiguille du Midi to Chamonix through some fantastic high mountain terrain. Great fun, though you should only do this if you have the knowledge and kit to deal with glaciated terrain, crevasse rescue, navigation etc. (Alternatively hire a guide).

Barcelona Conference

2009-01-16T16:56:00.002Z

I've been in Barcelona for the past week, facilitating a conference for Sykes Fairbairn.

North Wales Ice Climbing

2009-01-06T20:09:00.008Z

Helen and I went into Idwal today and found some good ice. We climbed The Devil's Cellar (picture above) and our mates - Chris and Jo - did The Screen. There are good up to date conditions reports and grading info on Baggy Richards' blog.

Winter Conditions in Snowdonia

2008-12-12T15:55:00.005Z

Helen and I headed into Cwm Cneifion yesterday and found Y Gully Left Hand on Clogwyn Ddu in great shape. There were teams all over the Cwm doing everything from the nice snow gullies through to ninja mixed horror shows, (complete with large whippers).

Nepal 2008 for Across the Divide

2008-12-12T15:42:00.009Z

At the end of November I led a trek to Pike Peak in Nepal for Across the Divide . This is a fantastic trek with views of Everest, Kanchenjunga and Guarishankar from the summit. The team from Concern were awesome - thanks guys for a great couple of weeks.
Full photo album here

Costa Blanca Rock Climbing

2008-11-09T10:03:00.004Z

I've just been on a week's rock climbing trip to the Costa Blanca in Spain with Helen, Nick and Philippa. This is a fantastic area to catch some winter sun and with all sorts of climbing from single pitch easy access crags to huge multi-pitch trad routes. We stayed in the Casa Mariposa, a great little villa in an ideal spot (details on the Rockfax website - http://www.rockfax.com/publications/books/item.php?id=86).

The Penon de Ifach, Calpe, has some awesome multi-pitch trad and sport routes.

Nick at the top of the aid pitch on the Via Gomez-Cano. This is an awesome 9 pitch E3 (6b French) with the top two pitches being the crux. There are new double bolt belays and some bolts for protection but as you get higher it gets more and more "trad". One of the best routes I've done.

Pa in flight on a steep 6a at Montesa!

Snowdonia Rock Climbing October

2008-10-23T10:43:00.004+01:00

This pic was taken at the end of a great day in the slate. Hail falling, clouds building and a beautiful sunset.

Steve Franklin on Silly Arete E3 5c Tremadog.

Rock Climbing at Swanage and Pembroke

2008-09-20T11:23:00.006+01:00

Here are some pics from a recent trip to Swanage and Pembroke. At Swanage we did a bunch of classics including Finale Groove (HVS), Buccaneer (E2), Astrid (HVS), and Mars (E2) (completely whacky route!). And several other good routes. In Pembroke the best of the bunch included the awesome Rock Idol (E1) (every hold is a jug & every runner is bomber), and Stargate (E3) (every hold is a jug and every runner is bomber... but it's a bit steep!). Both in Mother Carey's Kitchen. At St Govans, The Arrow (E1) is a fantastic route dispite being a little polished.

Rock Idol (E1), Mother Carey's Kitchen. This is probably the most fun route on the planet!

Stargate (E3), Mother Carey's Kitchen, Pembroke... just before my arms filled with concrete.

Helen finishing Mars (E2), Black Zawn, Swanage.

North Wales Rock Climbing 10 Sept 08

2008-09-11T10:49:00.005+01:00

Face Race 7a+ on Lower Pen Trwyn.

North Wales Rock Climbing 31 Aug

2008-08-31T11:28:00.002+01:00

The weather has been lending itsself to sport climbing on the Little Orme lately so that's where most of our action has been over the last week or so. I took a trip over to Craig Arthur near Llangollen with Kenny, this is a great crag with some fantastic climbing and lots of 2 and 3 star routes. We climbed The Fall & Decline E3 5c, Manikins of Horror E3 6a and Digitron E2 5c - all excellent.