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View from the summit of Mt Blanc 14th August 2009
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Mountain Matters
Greetings!
Welcome to an occasional newsletter from West Coast Mountain Guides, highlighting news, views and opportunities for mountain adventures. This newsletter is being sent to anyone who has contacted me asking for advise on courses. mountain guiding or mountain matters over recent years. Please feel free to unsubscribe if you wish and the link for that can be found at the foot of this newsletter. However, I do hope that the content will prove interesting and encourage you to continue to look out for the West Coast Mountain Guides news. As a keen photographer I hope to inspire you with some good images. Many more photos and stories can be found at the West Coast Mountain Guides Blog
Should you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch via email and I will include your queries and hopefully some sensible answers in future newsletters.
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Foot Comfort = Happy Mountain Days
No matter what your outdoor activity involves, from the South Downs to Mt Everest, foot comfort is key to enjoyment. A poor fitting pair of boots will be agony, so take your time in choosing. Good outdoor retailers will assess your foot shape and link your activity to the correct footwear. That is the first important stage and followed by good supportive footbeds and good socks is cash well spent.
I'd like to thank Rob and Angela owners of Mountain Spirit in Aviemore for the explanation of footbed photos below. Also Steve and Kathryn Barker - Barkers of Ringwood for introducing me to AKU Boots
The models below show clearly one foot that is in perfect alignment
and the other that is completely elongated, good footbeds hope to bring the foot
back to the neutral alignment.
Weighted foot below shows a half size of elongation. Not the most beautuiful feet in the world, I'm afraid. Forty years of mountain climbing and inherited bunions have seen to that!
This picture below shows the foot in an un-weighted position.
In this picture below you can clearly see my foot is flat when
weighted, this is known as a pronated foot the foot beds will reduce this by up
to 90%, thus making for a much more efficient walking technique, and
drastically reducing stress to the knee and hip.
The compressor tube is put in place and the foot is ready for
the foot bed.
My foot is un-weighted and therefore in it's optimal
alignment otherwise know as neutral alignment. The bag is placed over the
footbeds and the air is then sucked out of the bag creating compression and in
turn moulding the footbeds.
Once again my foot is in good alignment, and this can
been seen through the definition of the arch.
The foot bed has been trimmed and is ready for placement into
the walking boot. Ensure that you remove any existing foot bed from the boot, and
when exchanging the footbeds from boot to boot make sure that you roll your
fingers underneath the footbeds before pulling them out or else the plastic
heel block could come away from the top of the foot bed.
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Useful Footbed links
Superfeet
Sole
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Planning for Winter
Now is the time to consider planning ahead for a winter visit to the mountains. All levels are catered for. Ben Nevis and Glen Coe are the most popular locations in the UK for winter activities. Have a think about it, plan ahead and check out Winter Programme
Winter Climbing on Aonach Mor
Winter Climbing on Ben Nevis - Point Five Gully
Winter Ridge Climbing on Ledge Route - Ben Nevis
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Alpine Trips - Intro and Mt Blanc
The Alpine Introductory Courses, followed up by an ascent of Mt Blanc for those interested have now finished. Recently I was on Mt Blanc in prefect conditions as shown on My Blog for 12th September. This is possibly the most popular Alpine course we run and will definitely appear on the programme for next year.
No
previous experience of snow and ice is required, as this can be taught
on the course. Just make sure you are fit and enthusiastic enough to
handle six days of high alpine activity. If you wish to attempt Mt Blanc, add another two days.
Booking early for all alpine courses is recommended.
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Accommodation in Fort William
Check out our accommodation web site if you are looking for somewhere to stay. We specialise in looking after outdoor folk and have good self-catering facilities, plus efficient drying rooms on site. We also have a bouldering wall with over sixty problems of all grades and guests receive a discount on the wall.
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New Web site
A new West Coast Mountain Guides web site is due for launch in the next month. Bigger photos and easier to read, with the usual mix of courses and content. Watch this space:)
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Winter Gear
Watch out for the next newsletter which will contain plenty of tips on choosing gear for the coming winter season. Which axe and how long it should be? Crampons for climbing or walking? Boots to suit your winter activity. And lots more ideas.
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FAQ
Brief details of frequently asked questions can be found at FAQ
Sponsors - Helpful Retailers - Good Gear
An important area of an outdoor instructor/guides work is keeping up to date with equipment in order to be able to answer a wide range of questions about mountaineering kit. In the ever changing world of equipment this is difficult and that is where some good outdoor manufacturers and retailers come in. There are many and varied outdoor shops and I cannot hope to know all of them. However a few come to mind as being very helpful to our mountain visitors over the years. Some clients have driven many miles of a weekend to get good sound advice and here is a small selection.
Paramo Manufacturers of the best shell clothing I have ever used in 40 years of mountaineering.
Barkers of Ringwood For anyone living in southern England Steve Barker will give them good sound advice, especially on footwear
Ardblair Mountain Sports In particular for AKU footwear which were recommended to me by Steve Barker. If any of you have seen my awkward feet you will know that to find a comfortable pair of boots is not easy for me. The AKU Spider and Spider Lights are very light, warm and comfortable. The Spider is very good for the Alps in my opinion.
Any good pair of boots will be enhanced by proper insoles and I'm convinced that Superfeet Footbeds really help. Go for the custom fit insoles. They may be expensive, but are a good investment towards comfort and stabilisation of the whole body frame.
Needlesports will be well known to anyone visiting the Lake District. Once again sound advice from passionate outdoor folk.
914 Outdoor is worth a visit for anyone on their way to the Isle of Skye, especially as the view towards Eilean Donan Castle in one direction and the Black Cuillin to the west is stunning. Friendly advice and a chance to pick up some last minute kit.
Cioch-Direct on the Isle of Skye made to measure Paramo outdoor clothing is very close to where Norman Collie and John Mackenzie are laid to rest. There is also a good spot over the road for tea and scones.
Mac Mountaineering If you land up in Inverness and prefer an old style independent shop instead of the larger apartment store layout.
Mountain Spirit A very good place for getting your Superfeet, custom-fit insoles sorted by Rob, the very knowledgeable and friendly owner, in the heart of the Cairngorm National Park
Freetime for online or when passing through Carlisle.
Aiguille Equipment are my first choice for rucsacs. No fancy straps. Just simple, comfortable and hard-wearing. Currently I'm using the Zenith for both Scotland and the Alps.
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    Alan Kimber, Director of West Coast Mountain Guides is a member of these associations and licenced to offer mountain activities with AALA. Forty years of mountain experience backs up these qualifications. |
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