Individual and Team Training

The Everest 4 Heroes team will take every opportunity to train as both  individuals and as a
team between now and 2013.  All of the team members are keen athletes and all participate
regularly in their chosen sports. 

Base Camp Manager - Ann McCollum trekking in the Colorado Rockies Summer 2011

 



6-7th Aug 2011  - Damon, Phil and Beth lead 21 clients of Imp Adventures around the National 3 Peaks in under 24hrs in far from ideal conditions! 

 Beth, Damon, Ian (3 Peaks Driver) and Phil post 3 Peaks challenge 

 Snowdon Summit 0500hrs Sun 7th Aug 2011


27-31 July 2011 - Damon leads 8 clients on a superb crossing of Hadrian's Wall over 4 sunny days

9th July 2011 - Damon, Howard Floyd and Nigel Woodhead from Imp Adventures successfully
guide 12 clients around the Yorkshire 3 peaks in under 11 hrs.

Dr Beth recently led a group of young explorers from the British Schools Exploration Society
on a scientific research expedition to Svalbard an archipelago in the Artic, constituting
the northernmost part of Norway.

                         

Base Camp Manager - Ann McCollum has been keeping herself active and fit by completing in the
Tour de Acoma cycle sportive in New Mexico, and also trekking in the Colorado Rockies

                   

On Sat July 02nd 2011 Damon and Kathryn took advantage of the fine weather to cycle 120km from 
Lincoln - Boston and back along the scenic 'Water Rail' cycle trail.

 

June 24/25th saw Damon and Phil running the logistics for a large London-Paris 24hr charity cycle
ride 

June 18-19 saw Damon and Phil lead yet another group of amazing trekkers around the National 3 
Peaks in under 24hrs. A fantastic achievement seeing 24 people join that elite group of people who
have climbed the highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales in under 24hrs.

June 10-12 saw Damon and Phil lead a group of 21 German Bank Staff around the National 3 Peaks
in a scorching time of 23 and a half hours.

May 7th was the annual Lincoln Grand Prix cycle sportive and saw Damon and Kathryn enjoy 94km's
of glorious cycling through the Lincolnshire Wolds, with a fantastic finish up the notorious 1 in 6
steep hill of Michaelgate leading to a momentous finish outside Lincoln Cathedral

April 23rd 2011 saw Damon, Kathryn and Murphy lead a fantastic team of 7 Kilimanjaro vets complete
the notoriously difficult Yorkshire 3 Peaks in a cracking time of 11hrs 20 minutes on a brilliant sunny day.

April 9/10 2011 - Damon enjoyed a wonderful weekend guiding clients over the interesting and
undulating central section of Hadrian's Wall.

     

Damon at Sycamore Gap (Robin Hood tree)                    The Wall near Cawthorne Crags

Dr Beth Hall Thompson recently returned from a 6 month operational tour of duty in the hospital
of Camp Bastion in Afghanistan where she worked as a Doctor providing front line care and support 
to the multitude of coalition and native casualties on a daily basis

                
                      Dr Beth does the rounds                        Beth enjoys the chit chat with Prince Andrew


March 2011 - Everest team climbing on Pinnacle Ridge (grade 3) St Sunday Crag Cumbria

Beth Damon Chris & Phil Pinnacle Ridge
 

Phil, Beth, Chris, Chris Rhodes, Murphy, Laura, Kathryn and Damon 

March 2011 - Damon, Beth, Darby and chris enjoy the thrills and spills of Gisburn Mountain
bike route

In Jan and Feb 2011 Damon and Phill successfully led 2 x trips to the summit of Aconcagua 6962m
in Argentina, placing 13 climbers on the highest summit outside of Asia and the second highest of
the fabled 'Seven Summits'. 


Aconcagua Summit 21 Jan 2011 6962m - British Army Team


Phill Allen and Damon Blackband at 5000m Camp Canada Aconcagua
 

Damon recently led 43 Trekkers to the top of Kilimanjaro with an 0630 summit success on
New Years Day 2011 (Damon and his wife Kathryn pictured)


In Nov 2010 Damon led a group of 60 cyclists on a 5-day 411km cycle from Nairobi to Kisumu in Kenya
in aid of the 'Kenyan Orphan Project' charity.




In Sept/Oct 2010 Following on from his 3 x Kilimanjaro climbs Damon led a Cycle Safari Tanzania group through the Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Parks



In Sept 2010 Damon successfully led 3 x summit climbs (back to back) up Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free standing mountain in the world, and successfully achieved 82 out of 84 clients reaching Uhuru Peak 5895m


In Aug 2010, Damon, Phil, Beth, Chris and Howard along with their partners and supporters travelled to the French Alps and conducted 10 days of Alpine Mountaineering, Gear Testing and training.



     
Damon, Darby & Beth            Damon & his wife Kathryn       Darby and Beth celebrate success    
lead a Nat 3 Peaks challenge   on her 2nd N3P's success                on the National 3 Peaks                 

                                 










       
    


 Damon Kathryn celebrate finishing                    Damon and Beth enjoy success after leading an                         Woodhall Spa Triathlon                         Hadrians Wall Coast to Coast cycle challenge

European Alps - Alpine Training Expedition - Aug/Sep 2010

The Alps are a mountain system located in south-central Europe, to the immediate north of the Mediterranean Sea. They extend for almost 700 miles in a crescent shape from the coastline of southern France (near Monaco) into Switzerland, then through northern Italy and into Austria, and down through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro - then ending in Albania on the rugged coastline of the Adriatic Sea. 
 
The highest point is Mont Blanc at 15,771 ft. (4,807m)

The team aim to spend 10 days climbing and training in the French and Swiss Alps during the Alpine season of 2010. The aim of this training expedition is for the team to conduct a progression of technical training whilst climbing some of the classic Alpine routes in both France and Switzerland.  Intended routes and peaks are as follows:

Tour Ronde 3792m

The Tour Ronde has a fantastic situation on the southern edge of the Vallée Blanche. The views from the summit of the massive and complex Brenva face on Mont Blanc, of the steep south face of Mont Maudit, and of the granite towers of the Grand Capucin are impressively close.
 
One can also see down into the Val Veni in Italy, over to the Dent du Géant, the huge face of the Grandes Jorasses, and beyond to the Aiguille Verte, and the Aiguille d'Argentière.

The Southeast Arête of the Tour Ronde is an excellent moderate mixed climb, with airy sections on the granite crest, over and around numerous towers, finishing with easy snow and a last bit of scrambling along the crest to the spectacular summit block.

Rochefort Arete / Aiguille de Rochefort 4001m

Running along the Franco-Italian border is a very high ridge with two well-known summits on either end, the Dent du Géant at the west end and the Grandes Jorasses to the east.

Joining these summits is the famous Rochefort Arête, arguably the most beautiful snow arête in the Alps, a narrow and outrageously exposed "trail" which follows the narrow crest, winding among giant cornices and wild snow features.

Cosmiques Arete 3770m

The Arête des Cosmiques is one of the most popular routes in the Mont Blanc Massif, and deserviedly so. It is not too difficult, though has a few challenging sections, it is outrageously exposed with incredible views, it is varied, with both rock and ice climbing

Mont Blanc 4807m (including a planned bivouc)

At 4,807 metres (15,771 feet), Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in western Europe, and is an irresistible magnet for climbers of widely differing abilities. Its location at the western end of the main Alpine chain means that it catches the prevailing weather, and is prone to sudden and violent storms, even in summer.

The mountain's combination of accessibility and unpredictability has, sadly, led to its reputation as one of the most dangerous in the Alps.

While it is true that in a typical season up to 100 climbers may be reported as having died on Mont Blanc, the figures quoted often refer to the massif as a whole, and this should also be seen in the context of literally thousands of attempted ascents each season.

Nevertheless, Mont Blanc is indeed a killer, and deserves the full respect of the mountaineer, as well as appropriate training, acclimatization and fitness, if a safe and enjoyable tour is to be achieved. The Everest 4 Heroes team will spend an overnight bivouc on the route as part of their ongoing training.

Matterhorn 4478m

The Matterhorn is one of the most impressive and famous peaks in Switzerland and the Alps. It has increasingly become a fashionable climb in the past few years, but it must be firmly stated that climbing the Matterhorn still has to be taken seriously.

To attempt climbing the Matterhorn you need to be in top physical condition, to have rock climbing experience and to be profficient at climbing in crampons.

Mt Pumori - Altitude Training Expedition - Oct 2011 (7161m / 23,494ft)

This distinctively shaped mountain lies 8 km to the west of Mount Everest and offers spectacular views of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse; and from on high you can look into the Western Cwm, part of the Everest north ridge route.

At 7161m (23, 495ft) we aim to use it as a test of both team and individual management of the physical demands of long days of exposure and risk in the high altitude realm.

The South East Ridge provides a technically challenging snow and ice climb with some risk of avalanche on higher ground due to sheer weight of snow.
 

Itinerary

Day 01 :
Arrival in Kathmandu
and hotel transfer
Day 02-03 :
Offical formalities in Kathmandu.
Day 04 :
Fly to Lukla.
Trek to Phakding.
Day 05 : Trek to Namche.
Day 06 : Rest at Namche.
Day 07 : trek to Tengboche.
Day 08 : Trek to Pheriche.
Day 09 : Trek to Lobuche.
Day 10 : Trek to Pumori base camp.
Day 11-28 : Climbing period.
Day 29: Retrace to Lobuche
Day 30: Trek to Pangboche
Day 31: Trek to Namche
Day 32: Trek to Lukla
Day 33: Fly to Kathmandu
Day 34: Free day in Kathmandu
Day 35: Airport transfer for return flight.