Alpine – Digital Steak

Finding my flow

Charley Radcliffe — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 06:54:17 +0000

As I was cruising up yet another stunning crack splitting a 300m granite face up high off the Aiguille du Midi, I felt truly in my element. Recent life events have really knocked my mental strength and the first thing to suffer is my ability to climb, or at least feel comfortable climbing. My recent...

.. and then I get spanked – climbing the Supercouloir

Charley Radcliffe — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 15:03:25 +0000

Yep, after going on about feeling stronger and the benefits to being stronger in the mountains, I headed out and got firmly put back in my place. And it’s not a bad thing at all. I headed up to climb a stunning but very challenging route here in Chamonix, the Supercouloir, with Graeme – mentally,...

Strength training for the mountains feels like cheating..

Charley Radcliffe — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 13:03:31 +0000

As I sit on a lift going back up for another ski run, tie onto the rope for another lap, or catch my breath before running up another hill I can’t help feeling like I’m cheating, that I’ve given myself an advantage over myself in previous years. Strength has given me a capacity to do...

Ski Touring 2.0 – skiing the Pigne d’Arolla

Charley Radcliffe — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 12:03:32 +0000

“I can’t work out if this was a good idea or a bad one..” said Matt. Tomorrow the Cabane des Dix, high in the mountains above Arolla would have a full staff, prepared food, and be a hive of activity as a key stop on the Haute Route, a classic alpine ski tour. Tonight, however,...

Climbing Tre Cime di Lavaredo – my first Great North Face

Charley Radcliffe — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 10:33:30 +0000

Fear. The persistent feeling that I’ve not been able to shake for the last week but we’re here now and there is no way out. It’s the night before we set off to climb the Comici on Cima Grande, one of the classic Great North Face routes but it isn’t the route I’m scared of,...

Climbing the Frendo Spur – A very civilised affair

Charley Radcliffe — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 06:13:25 +0000

Climbing the Frendo Spur is high up on many alpinists dreams when they arrive in Chamonix. A striking line that towers over town, rising right underneath the Aiguille du Midi telepherique in full view of all the camera happy tourists. Described as a mid-grade classic, I’ve had my eye on this route for several years...

3 Lessons from climbing in an electrical storm

Charley Radcliffe — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 10:39:26 +0000

The weather in Chamonix is typical early summer weather – amazing sunny mornings then, between 1pm and 2pm, the clouds come in and shortly after a storm kicks off. It is pretty much like clockwork. Jesse and I set off on a rock climb up high that would easily get us back to safety in time....

Training in London for the mountains

Charley Radcliffe — Fri, 29 May 2015 06:49:37 +0000

I have been so excited about coming back to London to study and hopefully qualify as a personal trainer – it is the culmination of several years hard work, life changing decisions, and listening to that little voice deep inside me. As exciting as that is, I knew I was going to be missing Chamonix,...

My Top 5 Running Moments

Charley Radcliffe — Sat, 23 May 2015 09:36:59 +0000

Recently my blogging buddy and running inspiration, Runner Beans, wrote a great piece about her Top 5 Running Moments – she is a prolific marathon runner and her list included the London Marathon twice, Berlin Marathon, New York Marathon, and a beautiful sounding Valentine’s day run with her other half. Inspired by this, Stuart Storr...

Embracing change

Charley Radcliffe — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 13:49:20 +0000

I have experienced a lot of change over the last 12 months. In fact, looking back on where I was last March to today, it is hard to recognise the life I had as my own. For all the change I have embraced, it has not got any easier nor any less scary. I have...