Are we there yet? Naismith re-imagined

No one loved maths at school. I hated it, but then I was rubbish at it. Some will doubtless say they loved it, but I think they mean they could do it well. Loved it? Really? Quite a few years later, I remember hearing the booming voice of an assessor on a Mountain Leader course asking a participant how long the next navigational leg would take based on Naismith timing calculations, and I watched the poor candidate whither before my eyes, willing the ground to eat them up at that very moment. We’ve all been there. “How long until we get to the end / pub / summit / car?”. I know I’m quite guilty of standard responses of “just another 5 minutes”, or “it’ll be about half an hour”. If maths was never fun at school, it’s certainly even less fun up a mountain.

But we can do better then that, and we don’t need to be scared of complex formulas, as smart phones can do all that maths trickery for us these days. Poor old Naismith gets blamed for quite a lot of people being completely turned off from planning routes, especially when a know-it-all chips in with suggestions that you really should be factoring in the Tranter / Aitken / Langmuir / Scarf corrections. Honestly, it would send the best of us to sleep, and I’d be first in the queue.

William W Naismith, is I fear, a very misunderstood guy. His ‘rule’ was made back in the mists of time in 1892, based on a walking trip on the Crianlarich mountains of Ben More, Cruach Ardrain and Stop Binnein. Based on that trip, his formula stated that a walker should allow one hour for every three miles, plus an extra hour for every 2000 feet of ascent. Already we’ve run into a problem here, because we don’t have any modern maps in miles and feet. The UK went metric 55 years ago in 1965.

To convert the original Naismith figures, they roughly equate to 1hr / 5km, plus 1hr / 600m. Conveniently the metric conversion means an extra 10mins per 100m gained. Let’s quickly put that into practise on an example. If you’re planning a 10km walk, with 500m height gain, that would work out as follows;

Distance = 10km. Based on 1hr / 5km, this is 10km / 5, so 2 hours walking
Vertical = 500m. At 10 mins / 100m, this is 500 / 100 = 5. So 5 x 10mins = 50 mins
Total = 2 hours for horizontal, plus 50mins for the vertical, so 2hr 50mins in total.

Without doubt, Naismith sadly gets a poor press. There’s many a keyboard warrior furiously saying how he got it wrong for their walk, but most fail to realise his aim was to estimate time for a whole days walk, not a shorter section of it, let alone a single navigational leg. Other warriors type back things like “I go to the hills for a physical workout, not a mathematical one”. Naismith wasn’t trying to provide an answer for every route, condition, and terrain, but a generic tool to approximately calculate the length of a day out. And, nearly one hundred and thirty years later, it still does a pretty good job, in certain contexts.

Naismith works well on straightforward terrain, such as the Ranger path up Snowdon, yet for the scramble along Crib Goch, it’s necessary to double the timing suggested by the rule. That’s the single biggest limitation of the Naismith rule, in that it applies to hill-walking rather than technical terrain. His rule also assumes that you are reasonably fit, but there are no corrections built into his simple formula for the effects of adverse weather, carrying heavy loads, getting fatigued, complex navigation (night or poor visibility), taking rests, or more tricky ground underfoot such as bogs, steep slopes, screes, or thick vegetation. No one, even Carol Vorderman or Rachel Riley, wants a matrix for all those variables.

The summary is that Naismith timings are generally quite ambitions, and only really apply to good paths on non-technical mountain routes. However the rule still lingers around today, and is actually enshrined in UK statute law, for the definition of trekking in the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations (1996 & 2004). That has led to people using Naismith as a foundation, and making adaptions to it. There are four key ‘corrections’, that are briefly summarised as follows;

1) Tranter – this table allowed corrections to adjust for your fitness level and fatigue, as well as conditions underfoot, adverse weather, and carrying heavy loads (a whopping 20kg). Fitness was judged by the time a walker ascended 1000 feet (300m) over a distance of ó mile (800m). Naysayers criticise this method as it relies on a fitness test that is geared to short distance speed, rather than steady stamina, suggesting it means Usain Bolt is faster than Mo Farrah on a long distance, which is evidently wrong. As one reviewer suggested “One day when I was feeling particularly Aspergic I took to using Tranter’s variations. The feeling went away by lunchtime”. My maths allergic brain is already in meltdown.

2) Aitken (1977) – this method adjusted Naismith for the surface and ascent speed. It assumes 1hr / 3 miles (5km) for easy paths, tracks and roads. For other surfaces this speed is reduced to 1hr / 2.5 miles (4km). On both speeds Aitken added 1hr for every 2000ft (600m) of ascent.

3) Langmuir (1984) – he took a different tack, to adjust the speeds for descent, allowing for people going slightly faster on easy slopes (5-12 degrees), and slower on steeper slopes (>12 degrees). His formula was to subtract 10m / 300m descent on easy slopes, and to add 10m for the same descent on steeper slopes. Langmuir also tweaked Naismith timings for the typical slowest person in a group, to 1hr / 4km, plus 1hr / 450m of ascent.

4) Scarf (2008) – this was a leap forward, in that it allowed calculations for any speed, not just one as in all other ‘corrections’, and for the first time this allowed for mountain runners not just hill walkers. He introduced a Naismith ratio of 7.62 units of distance being equivalent to 1 unit of ascent. The formula produces an equivalent flat distance, which can be divided by the flat speed of that individual. To give a worked example, take a 20km route with 2000m vertical, the equivalent flat distance would be the horizontal 20km, plus vertical distance (2000 vertical metres / 1000 = 2) multiplied by 7.62. So, the equation is 20 + (2 x 7.62) = 35.24 km. Divide this by a flat average moving speed of 5km/h, and this route would take (35.24 / 5) = 7hr 3mins. The huge advantage of the Scarf method is that it can be adjusted for any individuals chosen speed on the flat.

Very much hoping that you’re still awake at this point, and if it didn’t make too much sense so far, don’t worry! Here’s where it gets easier. The long and short of it, is that rather then correct Naismith’s rule, which evidently isn’t working for many people, there was clearly a need for a completely new system of calculation. That system needed to incorporate the range of speeds that was offered in the Scarf system, as well as to allow for different ratios of ascent to descent speed for various mountain user groups. While researching and writing a new guidebook on the Tour du Mont Blanc (Vertebrate Publishing, April 2020), a new innovative system was devised for calculating timings on legs of a mountain journey; the Jones-Ross formula.

Four typical mountain user groups were identified; walkers, trekkers, fastpackers, and mountain runners. It’s up to the user to decide what category they identify with best, but the characteristics are the most important factor. A mountain runner will typically descend twice as fast as they climb, whereas a walker ascends only very slightly slower than they descend. The figures used were based on timing data from various legs, whilst guiding the Tour du Mont Blanc over 50 times. Obviously this is along well established trails, with few difficulties. Timings are as follows;

These figures aren’t set in stone, and as a mountain user, it’s over to you to tweak them to adjust for your speed, and qualities as an ascender and descender. The speed isn’t just a measure of fitness, but also a result of your abilities and qualities of movement over simple mountain terrain. It assumes fairly established trails rather than open mountain terrain, normal conditions without fresh snow or poor visibility, and no degradation in speed due to fatigue. If you find yourself moving slower, it’s easy to tweak the workings to cater for that.

The actual Jones-Ross formula is quite straightforward;

Time = (Distance / Flat Speed) + Adjustment for ascent + Adjustment for descent

This is calculated as follows…

For the complete 169km Tour du Mont Blanc, the Jones-Ross formula equates to totals of Walkers taking 82hr35 (over 10 days), Trekkers 66hr15 (over 8 days), Fastpackers 49hr15 (over 6 days), and Mountain Runners 32hr45 (over 4 days).

It’s not been mentioned before, as hopefully you’ll have realised why it’s so important to have a good calculation method for timing sections of your journey in the mountains. Use it to increase your enjoyment, comfort, and safety; i) The formula allows you to plan realistic length days, and any associated hut or overnight accommodation on multi-day trails. ii) It improves your navigational accuracy, and therefore safety, with less potential for any mountain rescue call outs, due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or being overdue for your return / finish. iii) You develop a customised itinerary for your strengths and weaknesses, instead of being told one single time that applies to all.

So there you have it, a new formula for calculating times of various legs of mountain trails, with the ability to adjust speeds, both ascent and descent capabilities. It’s not for me to dictate what these figures are, but a tool for you to adapt to your / group performance. Over to you!

Kingsley Jones
UIMLA International Mountain Leader

Article notes

• Formula nerds – The formula was devised by Kingsley Jones (@KingsleyJones) and and Stephen Ross (@LakelandMM), so you know where to send hate mail for making you do some maths. Sorry for lying at the start of this article that maths was never fun. Now you know it just could be!
• Buy the book – Tour du Mont Blanc, the first guidebook to be published, with the timings calculated using the Jones-Ross formula, was released in April 2020 by Vertebrate Publishing. You can buy a copy direct from the publishers (link), signed copies from Icicle (link), or from Amazon (link). here’s also an accompanying map for the TMB, printed on a convenient 1:40k scale (link).

With the UK mountain areas starting to open up, after the COVID-19 lockdowns, people are starting to venture back into the hills. Now, more than ever, the mountains are being visited by people whose hill skills probably aren’t quite as sharp as they were before!

If you are planning a day out, remember to ask yourself 3 questions before you set off:

• Do I have the right GEAR?
• Do I know what the WEATHER will be like?
• Am I confident I have the KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS for the day?

These are the key messages from the brilliant Adventure Smart initiative, and you can click on their site for more information, weather forecasts, and skills. To help spread the word, the little legends of MiniMRT, the children of team members of Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team, are helping spread the message, with their films. Eagle eyed previous guests may well recognise a couple of friendly faces!

• Mini MRT safety film about the Adventure Smart questions; watch here.
• Film from Mini MRT about checking weather and adapting; watch here.

Getting out of lockdown is hard, and we’ve also been working hard producing a range of our own skills films, so you can get your mountain skills back that bit quicker. There are two areas that we have focused on;

• Knots and rope work. We’ve produced a fully updated page on this, showing you the key knots, how to tie them, and an explanation of what they are used for. To link to this page, please click here.
• Mountain Navigation. Each week we are publishing a short instructional video on our Facebook page, so you can refresh your skills. To view the most recent, click here. We’ll add the series to our website.

Here is our YouTube film summarising the main rope work skills…

So, it’s time to dust off you mountain boots, and to sharpen your skills, then to get back into the hills. Just remember to choose your objectives carefully, and to gradually build up back to your previous level. There’s no corners to cut, and remember both to #BeAdventureSmart and to safely enjoy your days out in the mountains.

Have a great time, and stay safe!

Re-inventing the wheel can’t be easy, but it’s been done with this new guidebook about the legendary Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), recently released by Vertebrate Publishing. So why is it ground-breaking? It cuts out all the fluff, the extra page fillers, the non-edited text. The result is streamlined to perfection, and it’s clear that it took an expert to know what to cull, and what was key. The author is award-winning outdoor writer Kingsley Jones, who has made over 50 laps of the TMB, both guiding and racing it. This is a pure alpine style of guidebook, pared down to the pure essentials, yet invaluable with the gems of local knowledge it shares.

There’s several USP’s for this book, but the most important is that it’s been designed for all user groups of this epic trail, from steady walkers, to fastpackers, and trail runners. What allows all speed groups to be so catered for, is that an innovative timing method was created for this book, called the Jones-Ross Formula. Don’t worry if you hate maths, as they didn’t, and the result is a personalised timing calculator for each leg of the TMB, for each user group and their specific ascent and descent speeds. This is a far cry from old timing calculation methods, such as Naismith’s rule, and makes this guidebook appeal to everyone who wants to complete the circuit of Mont Blanc.

It’s hard hitting, no nonsense, and filled with information that only a local would know from spending over a year of their life in total, continuously on this trail. There’s some great extra features, such as the best places for wild swimming, information on how to wild camp the route, what local food and drinks to seek out, and characters of the TMB trails. This is more than just a guidebook. It’s a phenomenally well thought out aide to planning and completing the route, and the layout is everything and more than you’d expect from Vertebrate; slick, smart, shiny, and glorious images. Every page lures you in, and you feel like you’re doing the route. It’s a new gold standard of guidebook.

The book also has custom 1:40,000 scale mapping, produced specifically for it, so it’s uncluttered with detail you don’t need, and packed with exactly what you want. The book doesn’t skimp with thin linear maps, but provides you enough detail both of the route, and the areas to the side, to allow you to see escape routes or adapt plans if you needed. The mapping is really clear, and in the increasingly popular 1:40k format, which most people agree is very visual, yet sufficiently detailed for safety and information.

As well as the book, with all the mapping included within it, there’s also a separate map that is available as a twin for the guidebook. The map uses the same custom mapping as the guidebook, and is on waterproof paper. This will appeal to the traditionalists, who prefer completing a trail with occasional glances at a map, rather than keeping their head in a book. It’s also been released by Vertebrate Publishing, and it features a GPX file download, for those who want to have the TMB route on their GPS unit or running watch. As with the guidebook, the map is lightweight, and impeccably designed, to save you weight, and to see the full route, split into sections, in 1:40,000 scale.

The map also features a detailed route profile, with timings for the legs, and so is a perfect companion to the guidebook. It was designed with specific ideas from a running race organiser, so there’s been expert input at every stage. The detail of technical timings content is shared between book and map, as are the timing points, making it incredibly easy to cross reference your location between guidebook. It’s this planning and detailed thought, that has clearly gone into the production of this book and map, which marks them out. For those just purchasing the guidebook, the waypoints in the route description also feature in their precise locations on the in-book mapping, so it’s exceptionally easy to follow the route.

The net result, of both the guidebook and the separate map, are superb products, that will easily earn their places in the rucksacks and pockets of all those who undertake the TMB. We’re so impressed here at Icicle, that we are going to provide a copy of both the guidebook and map, to every single group who does a self-guided TMB trek with us (link for details). This will be in addition to the trek notes we normally provide, and will be given to you at the TMB briefing in-resort, when you are in Chamonix. We’ve been offering TMB treks for 20 years, and strongly feel that this guidebook and map are the absolute market leaders, and so are proud to be providing them to you.

There’s a strong focus on mountain safety in the guidebook, with advice of what to take, and what to do in event of an emergency. Perhaps that’s no surprise when you discover that the author is also a mountain rescue volunteer in the Lake District. There are also really useful sections about mountain skills, route navigation, and a careful consideration of when in the season to travel. Other strong selling points for this guidebook are the detailed appendices, and local information such as travelling to the area. One great idea that stands out from the guidebook, is the idea of completing the route in two long weekends, rather than in one hit. A brilliant option for those wanting to either travel quicker, or take less time off work.

If you would like to get your hands on a copy of the guidebook and / or map, we have just taken delivery of our first stock order of both of them, in our Windermere shop. Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, we’re still processing mail orders via our shop website. As an extra incentive, we’ve discounted both the guidebook and map, and there’s free UK postage for all orders over £30 anyway. If you’d like an author signed copy, please let us know, and if there’s any special message you’d like to be inscribed.

TMB Guidebook – click here to view in our online shop
Waterproof map – click here to view in our online shop

We hope you enjoy reading this guidebook, and that it inspires you to undertake the TMB in a timescale that suits you. As the legend that is Yvon Chouinard famously said; “The more you know, the less you need”. This impeccably researched guidebook, is fast and lean, yet still heavy with well thought out detail and recommendations. We really hope you find it an essential companion and guide to your TMB.

Happy reading!
Sarah

p.s. If the author name sounded familiar, Kingsley is also an UIMLA leader on our guiding team. You can read more about his writing at; www.kingsleyjones.com

p.p.s. To read more about the amazing and inspirational range of books produced by Vertebrate Publishing, you can discover them at; www.v-publishing.co.uk

Sorry for the photo if you were eating! Better to see it, than experience it, and with that in mind, and the summer Alpine climbing season around the corner, here’s our top 10 tips on avoiding blisters.

1. Dry feet  If your feet are dry, they can’t blister. Sources of wetness are snow getting into the tops of your boots, non-waterproof boots, or sweating. The first two have simple solutions; gaiters and waterproof boots. The third cause being sweating is harder to control. There’s no ‘OFF’ button to sweating, but you can reduce it. Wear fresh socks every day, even when going to huts. Clean socks are dry and will wick moisture better away from your feet. Also wearing thinner socks to the hut, and thicker socks above, will better regulate your feet temperatures.
2. Double / single  Some people swear by wearing double layered socks to avoid blisters. This works for some people and their foot shape, but in our experience this systems often creates more problems than it sorts. The theory is that one sock will slide against the other sock, rather than the sock against the skin. In practise this system often makes the feet too hot, and then causes issues due to a sweaty sock rucking up under a drier sock, creating bigger blister issues.
3. Boot fitting  Never suffer in silence! If a pair of boots you’ve bought (or hired) starts to give you any cause for concern, speak up. On our courses in the Alps, we have a vast range of boots, so if there’s any sizing or boot shaping issue, we can generally help. The same goes for those who’ve bought their own boots, in that most reputable retailers have a scheme where you can wear the boots in your home for a few days / weeks, to see how they fit. Of course this doesn’t replicate real mountain conditions, but if you’ve bought some second hand boots, get out and put them through their paces before you get to the Alps!
4. Prophylactic plasters  If you find that you often get blisters in the same place, then stick on a Compeed (second skin) / plasters / tape, before you set off. Using any taping prophylactically may seem a little over the top, but if you’ve bought a day of comfort, it’s worth the time and effort. If you have real issues, look into using athletes finger tape, or even good old fashioned duct tape as it has a slimy surface, and the reduction in friction can avoid a blister occurring.
5. Royal feet  Treat your feet like royalty, as they are your most important piece of equipment. When you get back from a climb, take your boots off and dry them out in fresh air. This will allow any condensation accumulation in the insulation to evaporate, or any snow melt absorbed by the outer to dry. Treat your feet in the same way. Wash them well, then allow them to dry out fully. Ideally wear some sandals or Crocs (we’re not going to make any fashion commentary here), or at least some light socks and breathable trainers. This will allow your feet to fully dry out, before they go back in the boots.
6. Powder room  Some people find that using foot powder is good for blister avoidance, as it dries out the skin, reducing sweating. If the by-product of this is that your feet smell better, it’s a win-win situation for all nearby! If it helps, on some routes you can walk in on the lower sections in trainers, and carry your mountain boots. This can keep you feet cooler and comfy for longer.
7. Spare socks  Your luxury item in the Alps is to carry a spare pair of socks. The minute that your feet feel at all ‘bothered’ in a boot, it can be a huge relief to simply change socks. Your feet will be dried out, and there’s better cushioning and comfort in fresh dry socks. For the mountain survivalist types out there, a spare pair of socks can also be used as mitts or a glove liner if your hands get cold too.
8. Calling time  The moment that you feel even the slightest ‘hot spot’, it’s time to stop and sort it. Don’t believe for a minute that you need to ‘man up’ (girls, we know you are wiser). You know there’s an issue starting, so why ignore it, even if the hut or cable car is only a few minutes away. Any guide worth their salt will respect you for making this decision, and it shows them that you are experienced and switched on. The only proviso is that you don’t stop every five minutes to faff with something else, but with bad feet the day soon becomes an accordion stretching and stretching ever onwards into a world of pain. Stop and sort it.
9. Prick it?  Ask your guide for advice if you are unfortunate enough to get a blister in the mountains. Depending on the size of it, they can best advise how it is best to treat it. In some cases it’s best to drain it and dress it, whilst in some cases it can be allowed to dry out naturally. Each case is different.
10. Bear Grylls  We’ve heard many an idea from people over the years on how to prepare their feet, from peeing on them in the shower, to treating them with turps. Don’t! One of those ideas is very wrong from every perspective. The best way to prepare your feet is, you guessed it – wearing your mountain boots before the trip. That’s hard if not impossible if you are hiring them, but you can prepare by wearing good walking boots during your mountain training days, to help your feet get accustomed to being in harder and heavier footwear.

As with most things, there’s unfortunately not one solution that works for everyone, and even the most boot hardened feet can sometimes get a bluster seemingly out of the blue. If you’d like further boot and Alpine kit advice, click here.

“To B3, or not to B3, that is the question”. Apologies for the awful pun (we really aren’t), but increasingly it’s challenged. Sorry, not sorry, but if you are one of those challengers, you’ll soon be directed to this blog post. Our kit lists for Mont Blanc, and similar Alpine climbs including Dufourspitze or Gran Paradiso, all list B3 boots. Every week someone calls to challenge it. Yes, there are videos on YouTube people running up Mont Blanc in trainers (link), but if you’re booked on a course, it’s highly unlikely you are called Kilian Jornet, the elite athlete sponsored by Salomon who set the return speed record on Mont Blanc of 4h57min from Chamonix church to the summit and back.

So what about the B2 boots, that you’ve used on Kilimanjaro / Ben Nevis / etc, and which were fine? Well, they will accept a crampon for sure, but the level of insulation is a fraction of that in a B3 boot, and they are more bendy. The consequence is that on snow routes such as Mont Blanc, they are more pre-disposed to shed a rigid crampon, are colder, and offer less ankle support. Why would you consider them rather than a B3? The only answer is because they are lighter. If you argue that the weight difference between a B2 and B3 is critical to you, it’s a huge alarm bell of concern for us as to your fitness and summit chances, let alone pre-requisite experience.

“Oh, but my mate did Mont Blanc in some B2’s last year, and he said they were fine”. Great, but we can’t guarantee the weather or snow condition (freezing level, saturation, stability, etc) of the precise summit day you have, so what if it’s colder / deeper fresh snow / wetter snow? The obvious answer, is that in these conditions, a B2 could jeopardise your summiting chances, and a B3 could be the difference between success and failure. Yes, we know Kilian ran up Mont Blanc in trainers, but he chose his day and precise weather window within that day, and is an elite mountaineer.

“But I don’t want to rent / hire B3’s, as they won’t be as comfy as my B2’s”. This is one of the greatest fallacies, as B3’s having a stiff shank in the sole to reduce flexibility, consequently reduces foot movement and therefore blistering. This is further aided by the fact that the thicker insulation layer within the B3 boot, pads your foot even more, aided by your thicker summit day socks. A pair of B2 boots take ‘breaking in’, which never really happens with a B3 boot. The insulation just moulds to your feet.

“But I’m going to the Matterhorn / Eiger”. Well, that’s a whole different ball game, as they are largely rock routes, with sections of snow. On these routes, snow is the enemy, and drier conditions are better and safer. The amount of time you are wearing crampons is far less, the amount of technical climbing where you require better sensitivity with your boots is far more, and you need better balance and speed than on a snow climb. On technical climbs, such as Matterhorn or Eiger, or other classic mixed routes, you will generally be better off in a pair of well broken in B2’s. If you want to climb these types of routes, and ask to hire some B3’s, again those warning bells will ring, as it’s a genuinely good gauge of experience to see if someone wanting to climb these levels of route has their own boots or not.

As you’ll see, there is flexibility in the B3 debate, but here’s one deciding question for you to answer; “Are you willing to risk your summit or not, based on your guess of what the weather will be like on a particular moment of a particular day, on a particular month?”. Based on the fact that we generally can’t predict accurately what it will be like at home more than a day or two away, if you want to argue the B2 / B3 decision months ahead for an altitude climb, you’re a gambler and probably have a pocket full of betting slips and lottery tickets too. We don’t gamble with your summit chances, and try and manage risk to the best of our ability. Equally we don’t want your climbing partner to ruin your chances either, by not being suitably equipped. For an Alpine snow route our advice is always a B3 boot, to respect the mountain, respect the changeable conditions, and to respect each other to maximise your chances.

If you are highly experienced, such as an IFMGA mountain guide, then you can make the B3 / B2 decision yourself on a snow route. Bear in mind that many guides have reached the summit of the likes of Mont Blanc well over 100 times, so they know the conditions and temperatures better than anyone, and their crampon footwork will be highly advanced, so as they require less ankle support than relative beginners. Take a glance at the summit photos above, or the galleries on our web pages, and you’ll see well over 95% of all those lucky enough to reach these snowy Alpine peaks, wearing B3’s. Whilst we aren’t gamblers, those are good odds.

Summary – We are here to try and provide you with our tagline ‘inspirational mountain adventure holidays’. We want to keep you safe, give you the best advice, and an even better experience on your trip. If you wish to be partnered with someone you don’t know, we insist on applying our kit list, so B3’s for Alpine snow routes. If you are booking  with a partner, and insist on wearing B2’s on a snow route, we accept this if the weather and conditions indicate it will be safe to do so, as it’s completely your choice as to whether you risk your summit chance. Our proviso is that you can always hire B3’s when out in the Alps. The obvious consequence is that in this scenario, you are often setting out for the biggest climb in your life, in a pair of boots you’ve never worn before or tested out. Our only question to you, would be; “Why?”

What is a B2 / B3? – Well done for getting this far without asking! The B1 / B2 / B3 categorises are a method that boot manufacturers and retailers use to explain the different types of mountaineering boot. In essence a B1 boot is a hiking boot that has a flexible sole, and which can only accept a very flexible 10 point walking crampon, with plastic toe and heel bails. B1 boots aren’t designed for prolonged crampon use, and have no insulation in them. They’re fine for treks such as in the Lake District or Tour Mont Blanc. B2 boots are slightly stiffer, and generally have a ledge above the heel for a crampon heel clip to attach onto. In addition some B2’s have a little insulation in them, for warmer winter days, or perfect Alpine conditions. They accept semi-rigid crampons, but the degree of flex in the boots eventually weakens and can break the crampon bar joining the forefoot and heel sections. B3’s are rigid, with no or minimal flex, can accept any crampon type, and are better insulated.

Further reading – If you’re not fast asleep by how, here’s some more information…
1) B2 / B3 boots advice; http://www.icicle-mountaineering.ltd.uk/boots.html
2) Boots advice podcast; https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/icicle-guides-podcasts/id396452140
3) B2’s on Mont Blanc; link

It’s magnificent. It’s brutal. It’s inspirational. Runners from all around the world descend on Chamonix in the French Alps, for the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB), which describes itself as the global summit of trail running. The UTMB runners follow a course of just over 100 miles around the Mont Blanc, with an eye-watering / lung busting / knee crunching 10,000m of height gain. Yes, it’s the jewel in the trail running world, and a lifetime goal for many, but for those mortals who go to watch, rather than participate, here’s a light hearted list of the faux-pas to look out for! Keep your eyes peeled in the days ahead. You’ve been warned

#10 – Sponsored or not?
You’d rightly think that Salomon has over 2000 fully sponsored athletes entered into UTMB week, clad head to toe in their kit, but forgive yourself if you don’t recognise them all, as 99% are wannabe Kilian Jornet’s hoping that the same kit will give them magical powers and similar talents. Reward yourself with extra points if you see any brand-whore non-sponsored runner wearing other than full Salomon kit.

#9 – M-A-M-I-L fest
Wear whatever suits you best for your trail running, as over 100 miles you’ll have discovered every seam or stitch that could rub, but please please be kind to our eyes in the days preceding your race, and don’t feel the urge to wear your skimpiest lycra for the full week before the UTMB. We know you’re a runner, without you needing to advertise it, in the most anatomically revealing lycra shorts.

#8 – Start line selfies
There’s extra points for unlikely types posing under the start / finish arch of the UTMB, getting their Instagram ‘gold’, especially when they aren’t even participating in any of the races. Don’t be afraid to ask any of these people which race they are participating in, and ask for their autograph. Dreams and goals are important, but delusions like this need to be publicly celebrated with high 5’s and chest bumps if possible.

#7 – Groupie parties
There’s a growing series of unofficial UTMB ‘fringe’ events which seem to attract non-race participants, to gather to obsess about trail running in a very informed manner, generally in a trendy bar with a ‘up and coming’ DJ you’ll never hear of ever again, dropping ‘phat’ tracks. If you spot one, you’ll see people wearing jeans and very shiny trail shoes, talking loudly, and name dropping furiously.

#6 – Social media wording
Keep an eye on #UTMB2018 hashtag, and look out for the following key phrases; ‘the level of psych is high’, or references to ‘race crew squad’, or the fact that they are ‘going to boss the UTMB’. Give yourself an extra 10 points of you spot all three. It’s clearly very important to be motivated for a race such as the UTMB, but surely all this sharing of excess amounts of motivation will help the other runners!

#5 – Registration ready to go
A favourite sight is seeing a runner heading into race registration, which is generally one or two days before their race, fully clothed as if they were heading immediately to the start line. If you spot one of these excited individuals, helpfully inform them that the start of UTMB isn’t until 6pm on the Friday evening. Award yourself extra points if they are using running poles to get to and from race registration.

#4 – Strava overshare
You’ll always catch the not-so-closet Strava wankers, fiddling with their expensive wrist top computers, furiously starting their all time Strava epic as they cross the start line. Look out for the FitBit legends too, as apparently they find it useful to know how many flights of stairs they’ve climbed running around Mont Blanc, or how many calories have been burned. Surely it’s enough for an extra pie or two.

#3 – Obsessed? Me?
At the UTMB, there’s a race village, where official exhibitors have stands to advertise or sell products. Have a look out for obsessed runners frying in the mid day sun, signing up for other races, or buying kit they don’t need, rather than resting and hydrating before their race. Many runners spend several hours in the village-of-obession, weighting their legs, and getting sunburned. Ideal pre-race preparation?

#2 – Taper
Treat yourself to watching people during the week setting off on long training runs to work on their fitness, or to acclimatise. They could simply realise that their training is well done by that stage, and that to sit at the top of a cable car station would be better for acclimatisation, but no, they run. Clap them loudly as they run past, but they probably won’t hear you, as their ear phones will be playing motivational tunes!

And, with a drumroll please, in first place is…

#1 – New shoes & race t-shirt
We all love a new pair of running shoes, and new clothing, but is starting a 100 mile ultra the best place to wear the official race t-shirt or those brand new shiny running shoes? Probably not, but there’s always a few people who take the branded atmosphere that little too seriously, and feel the urge to wear the race freebies, despite never having worn them for more than 100 metres, let alone 100 miles!

P.S. Dear runners, please don’t take my observations too much to heart. Enjoy your race, and good luck. Don’t get caught making any of the ‘mistakes’ mentioned here.

Blog author
This was written by Kingsley Jones, who wrote the award-winning guidebook to trail running in Chamonix (link to Amazon), which features 40 routes including the UTMB race itself. He’s finished the UTMB series races 5 times, so probably needs some help too, and if you catch him doing any of the faux-pas detailed above, make sure you let him know! Kingsley is also the lead trail running guide for Icicle (link).

All our ski courses are off-piste and ski touring, but we get many enquiries for those on our trips, how to better prepare for their ‘warm up’ on-piste / family ski holiday. This advice has been written for you by a personal trainer, to give you some top tips!

Legs shaking and leaden after a hard days skiing? We’ve all been there, staggering back to the chalet, to slump in front of the wood fire with a vin chaud firmly in hand, focusing hard on the next few minutes to blot out the potential leg pain of another days skiing the next day. Don’t worry, we aren’t going to deny you the cheeky vin chaud, but here’s our top 5 training and exercises tips to share, that will help you prepare for your next ski holiday.

1) Strength – To avoid the leaden ski legs scenario, there’s several muscle and strength building exercises to try. The most effective workout exercises include squats, burpees, star-jumps, and plyometric training. Planking will build up your core strength very quickly. The key is to work all the muscle groups in the core and legs, especially the quadriceps, gluten, and calf muscles.

2) Endurance – Skiing is a chaotic mix of long duration efficient output, and bursts of explosive power. For endurance training, build up to one hour steady output endurance training, focusing on keeping just below the aerobic-anaerobic threshold. Choose your sport; cycling, treadmill, swimming, or running. The most important element is to keep a steady speed for the full 60 minutes.

3) Speed – Find a hill, or even a small slope, that is big enough for you to sprint at least 30 seconds up it. Run as fast as you can up the incline for 30 seconds, then jog slowly back down, sprint up again, and back down, for 5 laps initially. Try and maintain the same high point on the hill. This builds your explosive speed, and also your aerobic recovery time reduces as you get faster, stronger and fitter.

4) Power – Fartlek literally translates as ‘speed play’ in Swedish, and is where you mix up a session to do a fixed interval of higher speed output, followed by a slower tick over level, followed by most cycles of fast and slow. This builds your explosive power, and moves you higher into the aerobic training zone. Fartlek exercises can be built into whatever sport you are doing, but cycling and running are often best.

5) Recovery – Training doesn’t all have to be hard work. Build in at least a day off each week, for your body to recover fully. This is essential to help you avoid injury, and to let you rest completely. Throughout the training regime, try and drink plenty of fluids, and to eat healthy food. By fuelling your body correctly, you will ensure that when you hit the slopes, you are in tip top condition, full of energy.

Practise these for several weeks before your next ski trip, and rather than slinking off to the mountain resto after each ski run, you’ll be doing laps of the mountain, and positively bouncing into the aprés bar, and leaping out of bed the next morning.

Link: Visit our training pages and planner on the website, click here.

Chamonix ski area is in complete lockdown this weekend, with avalanche risk 5/5, the highest level. Many chalets were evacuated (link), some roads were closed (link), and people advised to stay indoors and to avoid all but essential travel. To those old enough to remember, this felt like a repeat of 1999 all over again, when a huge avalanche hit the village of Montroc at the head of the Chamonix valley. If you look at the forecasts, on Wednesday the sunshine will have returned, however temporarily, and the question on everyones lips will be; “When is it OK to get back out in the mountains again?”. Never has this question been more pertinent…

We can’t answer for others, but as a tour operator offering guided mountain adventures, it’s a very valid question, and here’s how we are tackling the tricky conditions, deciding what trips to run, and how to adapt;

1. We have reduced guiding ratios on several courses, so there are less clients per mountain guide. For example, for the next two weeks we are limiting the ratio to 1:4 on all off piste skiing courses. This enables the guide to manage a smaller group better, to better adapt to the challenging conditions.
2. Some courses where we consider the risks to be too great, have been offset or closed, where we do not think it possible to manage the risks sensibly. We are monitoring this situation daily, and have blocked some trips pre-emptively, or altered their dates to later in the season.
3. Extra staff from our UK office are heading out to the Alps, to help manage the logistics, and speak to the local team of guides and leaders. They are reporting back regularly, so we can adapt plans, to ensure we offer the safest courses possible.
4. Until mid February at earliest, we have decided that all guiding in the Alps will be done by IFMGA International Mountain Guides, to ensure the highest levels of avalanche awareness training of those leading any of our courses.

We are dealing with a once in a generation level of avalanche conditions in the Alps, and hope that this blog post give you an insight into how we are managing it, to ensure that your safety is safeguarded as highly as possible. Our website lists live course spaces, and we have adapted these to the conditions, so we are confident that everything that is advertised is available, can be guaranteed to go ahead.

Ethics don’t come cheap! We’ve blocked off courses, run others with lower (better for you) guiding ratios, and upped the leader qualification level on many trips. We haven’t passed on a penny of extra cost to our clients. We are managing risk in a challenging environment, and this flexibility and professionalism is what we believe our clients expect and are due.

If you are booked on, or considering a trip in the next weeks, rest assured that we are minimising risks. Your safety is paramount. Contact us if you wish to discuss conditions, but after a tricky week ahead, the long range forecasts indicate good weather returns, and the avalanche risk will reduce significantly.

We sure hope so too!

Stepping out of the cosy mountain hut at 3am, for an Alpine start of a peak, you emerge bleary eyed under a sky dotted with thousands of stars. The swathe of light of the Milky Way slashes across the sky. Constellations that you learnt as a kid, are instantly recognisable; Cassiopeia, Ursa Major, Andromeda, and Orion’s Belt. You instantly feel insignificant and full of awe. As your eyes adjust to the dark, the mountains are deep black, far blacker than you thought was ever possible. To even take one step away from the pool of light outside the hut doorway, you need a head torch, and it’s pool of light transforms you into a little star, slowly making its way up the mountain.

As the clocks have recently changed, the evenings have got much longer, and all the mountain rescue teams are making their annual pleas to hill walkers to take a decent head torch with fresh batteries, to help find their own way down a mountain side, without the rescue teams pagers going off, and the members leaving hot meals and loved ones behind, to head out into the darkness once again. Whilst echoing the same message, it’s worth considering the opportunities that having a good head torch opens up for you, in the night time in the mountains. There’s no doubt that the experience of climbing, walking, or even running in the mountains at night, is a sensory overload. To have the mountains to yourself, in the hours of darkness, under a hemisphere of stars, is a genuine privilege to enjoy safely.

The aim of this article isn’t to discuss the relative merits of different types of head torch. There’s plenty of these out there already, and most will help even the most ardent insomniac nod off to sleep. If you are already a good sleeper, I’ll save you some time, by summarising that the general advice is to get the best head torch that you can afford. Geeks can research to their hearts content the relative merits of single LED’s or arrays, rechargeable vs single use batteries, wide beam options or hybrid models. To the mountain user, the single most important thing is that you can adjust your head torch whilst wearing big gloves. With a good light, you should be able to move as quickly as in daylight.

So why roam in the dark? Aside of satisfying any misanthropic tendencies, often the conditions are better in the night. Snow is better frozen for climbers heading up a peak, and consequently there is less risk of rockfall, and snow bridges over yawning crevasses are more solid. Trail runners can avoid the heat of the day, and have the routes to themselves, moving at their best rhythm, and eating up the miles. Many races are of such great distances, that a large proportion of the run is during the hours of darkness. One such example is the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc (UTMB) series of races, where runners have one if not two nights running in the hours of darkness. Ascents of peaks such as Mont Blanc or the Matterhorn are made far safer and more feasible, by some of the ascent being in the hours of darkness. Night is often not a limitation, but a key.

At this time of year, my head torch is the first thing into my pack each day I go out. A twisted ankle, or simple navigational misjudgment, can happen to the best of us, and the last thing in the world I want to do unnecessarily is summon the mountain rescue volunteers away from their families, due to my stupidity of leaving a head torch behind. Once you get confident moving in the mountains at night, it adds a really new dimension to the experience, and far from seeing nothing, you experience more. Night time mountain travel allows you to immerse yourself into the environment. When you stop for a break, turn off your head torch completely, and watch as the mountains emanate a gentle reflected glow of the star and moon light. It’s magical.

The long winter nights aren’t times to restrict your access into the mountains, but to me they offer an experience I look forward too during the long summer evenings. I know that I can slip out into the mountains in the long autumn and winter evenings, and have them to myself. Some people often cite being scared of being in the dark in the mountains, but you can swiftly learn that the night is an experience to relish, not fear.

If you’d like some coaching on night running, we offer Lake District based evening sessions, to get you acquainted with running in the darkness; link to itinerary

To purchase a head torch, you can visit our online mountain store. Course clients get a 15% discount voucher code, and there’s free postage over £30; buy a head torch

It’s the final few weeks before the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, and there are several thousand nervous runners, spread across the world, who are making their final preparations for this infamous trail running race. The UTMB is the holy grail for many trail runners, a 170km route around Mont Blanc, involving over 10,000m of height gain. On average only half the starters reach the finish. Here’s our top 10 tips to help you get the elusive finishers jacket…

This article is written by Kingsley Jones, two times UTMB finisher (and twice TDS and once CCC finisher in the same race series), and author of the Cicerone Press trail running guidebook to Chamonix, and this race. For details about the book, click here. He’s also a UIMLA guide, who leads the majority of our trail running trips, click here.

Top Tip 1: Get to the start early and organised – The huge mass start of the UTMB is equally emotional and terrifying, but you can help get yourself settled by packing your bag in plenty of time, leaving your drop bag early, and getting into the start pen to secure a good position. There’s no point being behind the elite pen, if you are planning a 46 hour race on the cut off times, but remove the stress of being the last over the start line by arriving in time. It’ll allow you to relax before the manic pre-race build up.

Top Tip 2: Run your race – It sounds silly, but it’s important that you run your UTMB, not someone else’s. Keep to your race plan, and don’t be swayed by the actions of those around you. Start off steady and concentrate on saving energy, consolidate your place in the middle section of the race, and hopefully you’ll have conserved enough for the last part of the course when others are fading or failing. Don’t underestimate the hype and pressure of this race, and keep your personal focus, and to your race plan.

Top Tip 3: It goes dark soon – As the race starts in the early evening, have a head torch to hand in an easy access pocket, as most require it before reaching St Gervais. There’s nothing more frustrating than fumbling around finding it in your pack, whilst tens of runners pass you by. Ensure your torch has new batteries in it, as you will run at least one full night, if not two. In late August and September the nights are starting to draw in, so there’s 10 hours of darkness to plan ahead for. Practise running in the dark too, to ensure your speed doesn’t drop in the hours of darkness.

Top Tip 4: Prepare for all weathers – The obligatory kit list of the UTMB is often scoffed at by runners for being too much. Waterproof trousers, two pairs of gloves, two head torches, the last goes on. Don’t question it for a second. I’d never run in waterproof trousers until my first UTMB when we crossed the Col du Bonhomme in ankle deep fresh snow. You can’t change head torch batteries when it’s dark and pouring with rain. The kit list is very precise, and it’s essential. Kit checks are done on the course, so you could be disqualified if you don’t comply. Practise your final training runs carrying all your UTMB kit, so you know how your pack feels fully loaded.

Top Tip 5: Immerse yourself in the race – You are reliant on support from all the amazing individuals who help at the aid stations and along the course. Make a point of thanking them for their help. I’ve seen some runners arrogantly treating the volunteers as staff. They are unpaid, and giving their time for free. You get out what you put in, and a simple thanks or a smile will get you looked after that bit better, and will make your race that bit more enjoyable, and a positive experience. It’s a case of positive thinking, and psychology, to boost your mental state when you are likely to be fragile at times.

Top Tip 6: Don’t get star struck – Yes the hot pants of Anton Krupica may be infeasibly short and tight, but if you are running with him, you don’t need to read this article! The hype and build up to this race is enormous. The social media attention is huge. The pressure on amateur runners is big. It’s easy to be swept along with undue pressure to perform better than usual. Try and detach yourself from the hype, and let the stars who are used to it, feel the pressure, and perform for their sponsors. That’s not for the majority to worry about. Let the elite pen blast off at the start, and leave them to it.

Top Tip 7: Eat real food – Gels aren’t going to work for this race. They’ll make you sick, and there’s no way your stomach can endure them for up to nearly two days of continuous use. The aid stations are well stocked with simple foods like dried meat, cheese, biscuits, cake, fruit, and vermicelli soup. There are a couple of stations where you can get a main meal. Eat the food that you usually eat during the day, as your body is used to processing it, and listen to what it tells you in terms of cravings. Your pallet will naturally seek food types that it requires, such as salty items to maintain electrolytes.

Top Tip 8: Draw strength from the event – It’s easy to be over-awed by the scale, pomp, and glitz of the UTMB. Remember that every runner will feel the same, so you are not alone. Even the volunteers are awed at the size of the event and the logistics. It’s a huge event, unlike any other, and it’s popularity means there are spectators in the most unlikely places along the whole route, and there’s always great support. You really won’t be alone, and the enormity of the event provides you frequent encouragement.

Top Tip 9: Study the profile – Running a 105 mile / 170 km race is a silly idea. Adding in a gruelling 10,000m of ascent, and equal amounts of descent, is mind boggling. You need to be aware of the next elements of the course to prepare physically, nutritionally and mentally for it. Don’t over cook it on a long descent, when you might need the quads to be in good shape for an immediate re-ascent. Plan where you can eat, to allow time for the food to give you energy for the next major ascent. Laminate a profile and carry it to study during the race, and relying on memory rarely works when you are tired.

Top Tip 10: Visualise the finish – You need to know what it is that will spur you on to reach the finish. It doesn’t matter if it’s earning the highly respected finishers jackets (see photo above), meeting your partner or friends at the finish line, or simply reaching the culmination of all your dreaming and training. Remember what is driving you to do this race, as the visualisation of the finish and why you are racing will pick you up in the low points during the race. Having a clear idea of what the finish means to you is essential.

If you are keen to see what this race is actually like, whether you dream of running the event or not, we offer a full race recce week each year. For full details, click here, and you can view the video of the recce this year below. Happy running, and good luck to all of you who are running the UTMB this year! Enjoy it…