Live updates from Matt Helliker and Jon Bracey from their Ruth Gorges base camp in Alaska.
It's funny how we now almost take it for granted that top sponsored mountaineers are able to blog and even post video from pretty much anywhere in the world - we're almost surprised when they don't - and the latest example of the live climbing blog genre comes from British mountaineers Matt Helliker and Jon Bracey who are in the Ruth Gorge area of Alaska with a view to putting up some hard, new routes.
The pair are keeping in touch with the world using a satellite phone, while they check out lines, drink coffee and endure weather that's not dissimilar to the current rubbish we have over here... If the names are familiar, it may be because Osprey-sponsored Helliker and Bracery were the subject of the Moonflower film which was released last year.
We like this post from Bracey:
'Helliker has lost it. Too much coffee and too much time sat on his ass. He is singing Mano Chau at the top of his voice and between laughing til tears steam down our face the rest of us are wondering what our chances are if we escape this blond polar bear and walk out to Talkeetna and take our chances with the Grizzlies in the tundra...
The weather isnt really bad - if this was the 'gorms" we'd be out there aving it. But it isn't. It's the Ruth Gorge and even the lightest snowfall transforms the surrounding towers of granite into cascades of powder charging down the gullies and drifting in waves down the steep slabs. It was truely awesome sight this morning with the powder plastered mountains looming malevolently above our base camp.'
Good stuff. Eventually there'll be a film as well - the Hot Aches team are out there with cameras - but for now, you can keep up to date with the guys at www.thegreatgorge.blogspot.co.uk.
