Dear all,

Many of you may already know, many of you won't, but in a couple of weeks I am attempting to climb Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe, in wintery conditions.  Rupert Gammond, a good friend is accompanying me, and together we plan to ascend on touring skis via the Grand Mulets glacier over two days.  Once on the summit we are hoping to be able to ski down the north face - all the way back into Chamonix about 3.5km below!

The climb is a huge ascent, across crevasse ridden glaciers and steep, massively exposed corniced ridges, and will stretch our endurance, route finding and mountaineering skills to the max.  The proposed descent (dependent on snow conditions) is the vast, heavily glaciated north face, with slopes of 40+ degrees, huge crevasses and unstable seracs.  This will be a very serious test of our skiing skills, especially after such a long climb.

This really will be a huge challenge for Rupert and I, and I want to take the opportunity to raise money for the Alzheimers Society.  I have experienced a loss in my close family due to Alzheimers, and it truly is a horrible way to see somebody once so strong and charachterful slowly fade away.  It has a huge impact not only on the lives of the affected person, but all those close to them, including their carers.

The Alzheimers Society supports research into the treatment and cure of alzheimers disease, as well as supporting the carers and families of those affected, so please spare a few minutes and make a small donation to this decent cause.
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Alzheimer's Society gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!

Take it easy,

Simon