http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/RSSfeed.aspxA summary of the latest news from the Stuart Macdonald - Mountain Guide Website. Click on the links to read the full article.(c) 2010, DDS. All rights reserved.5http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/images/topbanner.jpghttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/RSSfeed.aspxhttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=157After almost drought-like conditions in Chamonix the snow is finally here. See this photo from the Midi this morning. http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=157Sat, 3 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=156I'm finally back in Chamonix after a month long trip to Australia. At the end of October a small team left UK, all clutching our invitations to a friend's wedding in Melbourne, and with large bags full of cragging gear. Meeting up with fellow British Guides Pete Rowlands and Martin Doyle, and father of the groom Andy Boorman we enjoyed a couple of days local climbing around Melbourne before driving a few hours to Mount Arapiles.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=156Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=155Since finishing work in late September the weather has been great. As a result I've been getting out rock climbing as much as possible, in preparation for a trip to Australia starting next week. The photo shows Tamsin Gay cranking hard on the badly named overhanging line of "Walk" at Donnas in the Val D'Aosta The almost constant sunshine has extended the cragging season this year, and even now, if you can find a crag in the sun you'll still be climbing in the sun.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=155Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=154The Peuterey Integral is possibly the longest climb in the Alps. The ridge starts above Courmayeur and continues all the way to the summit of Mt Blanc. Due to the peaks along the ridge the route has over 4500m of vertical height gain and is a serious undertaking for even the most experienced alpinists.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=154Mon, 3 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=153Well that's it - my Summer season is officially over. Despite the blue skies over Chamonix at the moment I've decided that I've done enough Alpine Guiding for one season and it's definitely time to play. The last three days I've been guiding Chloe Chick on Mt Blanc. She was in India last week and wanted to capitalise on her acclimatisation with a quick hit to Chamonix.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=153Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=152I've been flat out recently guiding, so apologies for not updating the blog for a while. Since I last updated I've had two Mt Blanc packages and a week climbing around Zermatt. All of the weeks were great fun, with lots of summit success. Unfortunately the first Mt Blanc package was not successful, with a huge electrical storm putting paid to our summit bid.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=152Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=151The past few days I've been climbing with Ed Knight from London. Ed wanted to climb the Eiger on a quick hit, so we had no time to lose. The first day was an opportunity for Ed to blow the cobwebs off his crampons and get some altitude above Chamonix. He did so in fine style, and by the end of the day we'd traversed Point Lachenal, the Arete Laurent, and the Arete Cosmiques back to the Aiguille du Midi cable car.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=151Sun, 21 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=150This past week I've been looking after my youngest ever alpinists - Lucy and Molly Doyle are just 9 and 11 respectively ! They came with their parents John and Sue for a family alpine experience, and what a great experience it was. We started the week with a via ferrata in Sixt Fer a Cheval. The overhanging crux of the route is a challenge for many adults, but with a little encouragement from Dad the girls got stuck in and gave a fine performance.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=150Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=149Apologies for not updating my blog earlier, but I've been flat out for the past six weeks. I had three fantastic weeks on Mont Blanc, summitting every week, and I've just returned from two weeks in Switzerland working for the British Forces. So, how did it all go ? Fantasticly ! The first three weeks on Mt Blanc were challenging not just because it's the highest mountain in Western Europe.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=149Sat, 30 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=148I've just finished three great days with Martin and Nathan Howard in Chamonix. They wanted to try some technical ground, and learn some skills so they could undertake alpine routes themselves. We headed up the Aiguille du Midi on the first day, and blew off the cobwebs on the Arete Laurent, finishing at the Refuge Cosmiques.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=148Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=147Now that the recent rain has finally finished I've been enjoying some great rock climbing in Chamonix and the surrounding areas. Over the past few days I've been climbing in the Chamonix Valley, Val D'Aosta in Italy and Canton Vaude in Switzerland. The photo shows me climbing at Gare Est in Italy on Friday.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=147Sun, 12 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=146I'm writing this in North Wales watching the rain lash down outside. But despite the weather I'm a very happy man. A month ago in Chamonix myself and Miles Bright were trying to decide where to go for our Spring climbing trip, when Miles came up with a great idea - why not go back to the UK and have fun ticking off some classic climbs.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=146Thu, 26 May 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=145Last week I was guiding Tricia Donald and Tommy Neil in Switzerland and Chamonix. Their ambition was to climb and ski Mt Blanc. After a highly successful trip to Switzerland to acclimatise (see previous News Item) we took a rest day in Chamonix and then headed up to the Refuge Grand Mulet at 3050m on the Bossons Glacier.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=145Tue, 10 May 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=144At the start of this week I headed over to Switzerland with 'Tricia Donald and Tommy Neil for some high level ski touring. We wanted to get acclimatised for an attempt on Mt Blanc, and so headed to the high SaasTal for a healthy dose of altitude and snow. We arrived in Saas on the last day of the ski season and were dumbfounded to find deep powder, perfect pistes, and the resort deserted ! We made the most of it, pulling laps off the funicular train, skiining from 3500m down to 2500m all day.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=144Sun, 8 May 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=143Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks ? I was joined last week by a group of Ex Forces friends - Billy, Daryl, George, Gus, Bill, and Jimmy. The group had been skiing together for years but this year wanted to have a go at touring. After a warm up day at Grand Montet we set off for Switzerland where we skinned up to the Col de Barrasson before skiing to the Hospice de Grand St Bernard.http://www.stuartmacdonald.org/LatestNews.aspx?ItemID=143Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT