Hinkes Officially Launches Spring Expedition

Illness prevented us from reaching the wide-open spaces of the NEC's Outdoor Show last Friday, but one man who's very definitely heading for the great outdoors this spring is Berghaus-sponsored climber Alan Hinkes.

Alan used the show to officially launch his potentially record-breaking expedition to Kangchenjunga this spring. If he successfully climbs the world's thrid highest peak, he'll become the first Briton to manage all 14 of the 8,000-metre mountains.

It's no forgone conclusion though. Alan's twice missed the summit in the last five years and was lucky to escape without more serious injury after falling into crevasse when a snow bridge collapsed during his descent in 2000. Then in 2002 a virus prevented him from climbing.

Hinkes is due to leave the UK tomorrow, Tuesday 22 March. It will take approximately two weeks of trekking to reach the mountain's remote base camp. Then after three to four weeks of acclimatisation on the peak, conditions allowing, Alan will attempt the summit.

Here's wishing Alan all the best for his final 8,000-er and hoping that in around six weeks time he'll be displaying the photo of his daughter and grandson for the summit photo before descending safely to base camp and a plate of egg and chips. It would be a fitting culmination to 15 years of hard graft that's included some very high highs and some very low lows.

As an aside, this year is the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of the mountain by a team consisting of Britons Joe Brown, George Band and Tony Streather with New Zealander Norman Hardy. Wouldn't it be great if it was also the year a Brit' managed to complete the 8,000ers. Here's hoping.