Update - Saturday 8th Sept.  It's with a heavy heart and some considerable pain that we have to announce it looks like the summit attempt may now not take place. We all had a number of concerns over the safety employed by our guide during our training days which we've given to the guiding company and as yet we haven't had a response.  The good news is we made the right call to play it safe and not take stupid risks - nobody got hurt, the mountain isn't going anywhere, and a peak of 3,544m (11,627 ft) was attained so some success during the trip.‪#‎guttedbeyondwords‬

Team A.T.G.A.N.I. to climb Mont Blanc in September!

Dear reader…a small band of intrepid explorers with some sense of a mid-life crisis have decided to undertake an exciting, dangerous and challenging endurance event – we’re going to attempt to summit Mont Blanc.

All of us are keen mountain walkers and, between us, have trekked and climbed over 100 peaks – but as yet, not at an altitude of nearly 5,000m (~16,000ft).  Rather than just do this and enjoy the experience it brings, we figure we know lots of folk who either doubt we can do it or are laughing heartily at the thought of our misery, frostbite and a few blisters – for providing this spectacle, we would like to ask for your support to a very worthwhile cause.

The Cause….

MacMillan Cancer Support provide an invaluable service to those suffering from the disease by recognising that sufferers need more than medical support - they also need practical, emotional and financial support.  Donating to this cause provides vital resources to help them continue to support sufferers and their families who find themselves facing very dark and uncertain times.  You can learn more about MacMillan here: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Aboutus/AboutUsHome.aspx

Sadly, cancer has affected people very close to all three of us and the sad, harsh reality is that it will affect others too.  We believe this is a very good cause and provides invaluable support, beyond medical care, to those who need it most.

The Challenge….

In September, we will have a few days training before setting off on a summit bid of Mont Blanc. At 4,810m (15,781ft) it stands as the highest mountain in Western Europe and the birthplace of mountaineering.  We will be accompanied by professional guides and will be attempting one of 2  routes; “The Voie Des Cristalliers” (a.k.a. The Gouter Standard) or the “La Voie des 3 Monts” (a.k.a Trois Monts)

Route choice will depend on weather and our ability.  Find out more about Mont Blanc here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Blanc

The Team….

Team A.T.G.A.N.I. (all the gear and no idea) are rank amateurs when it comes to high alpine  mountaineering but what they lack in ability they make up for in expensive equipment and blind ignorance.  The team are:

Lil “Betmund Lillary” – Calming influence, common sense & best summit chance

Dan “Sherpa Van-sing.” – Blind optimism, laughing & excuses dept

Damian “Oili Shep” – Gear snob, worrier & expedition lead (cos he got the t-shirt)

The Pledge…..

We promise that we will give our best efforts to get to the top of the mountain.  However, there may be some circumstances that make this impossible, despite our best efforts & optimism  (weather, altitude sickness etc.) So, our approved Mountain Guides will be asked to provide testimony that we either made it (and the photos will be shared!), or were turned back by reasons outside of our control.

So that’s our challenge, please dig deep and donate what you can….and wipe that smile off your face, our suffering up a mountain is not funny !!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.