Crossing the Amphu Labtsa

Crossing the Amphu Labtsa

Expeditions can be tough, harrowing and sometimes simply hard work.  However they can also be incredibly rewarding, giving you the opportunity to not only climb some amazing peaks but to also immerse yourself in different cultures, make fantastic new friends and give you memories that will last a life time.

Vertical resources is aimed at delivering high level mountaineering, trekking and ski mountaineering expeditions with passionate, motivated and qualified guides.  We have worked extensively with our support and logistics staff over the last 6 years and have enjoyed incredibly successful trips.  We are looking for motivated and passionate climbers and trekkers to join us on our trips – don’t miss out!

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Nepal Cancels Climbing Permits – Restrictions to Entry

Nepal Cancels Climbing Permits – Restrictions to Entry

As most of the climbing and expedition community now know all climbing permits have been cancelled for the Spring Climbing season in Nepal.

The Drake Passage

The Drake Passage

What is the Drake Passage? The 500 miles between Cape Horn and Livingston Island (part of the Shetland Islands) is the shortest distance from Antarctica to another landmass. The powerful Antarctic Circumpolar Current squeezes water through this small gap towards the Scotia Sea and South Atlantic Ocean, and as you cross over to Antarctica, you’re […]

An Antarctic Journey

An Antarctic Journey

Each different Antarctic Expedition is different, with the weather, wildlife, conditions and expedition members all playing a huge role in creating a successful and exciting adventure.  This Journey South had each unique element come together to create an epic adventure with amazing adventures each and every day .Typically we spend 2 1/2 days sailing each […]

Acclimation Chukung Ri and moving to Basecamp

Acclimation Chukung Ri and moving to Basecamp

Yesterday we spent the best part of the late morning and early afternoon climbing and scrambling our way to the summit of Chukung Ri. This small peak stands just near 5550m and is dwarfed by the looming south faces of Nuptse and Lhotse. It’s commonly used for acclimatisation for crossing the high pass to Lobuje […]

Dingboche and Chukung

The slow approach to Island Peak ( Imje Se) continues. Yesterday we had another acclimation day at Dingboche where we got our climbing equipment ready – putting together the fixed line systems and doing a series of exercises to get the team ready to use the fixed lines and abseiled on Island peak.  There are […]

The High Road to Pangboche

The High Road to Pangboche

Departing Namche yesterday we chose to take the path less travelled and instead of going via Tengboche we instead climbed up via a old set of rock stairs to a trail that leads to Mhong Lha From here the trail splits and heads up towards Gokyo or down and across the river to Phortse. From […]

Acclimatisation in Namche

Acclimatisation in Namche

We arrived in Namche late yesterday afternoon just before a large storm descended on us – the thunder and lightening was quite intense and a great way to be welcomed to this famous Nepalese mountain village Our tents kept us warm and dry and and night fell and the temperature dropped the rain turned to […]

Antarctic Peninsula – March 3rd to 17th

Antarctic Peninsula – March 3rd to 17th

Its time for the final Journey for the 2016/17 season to the Antarctic Peninsula to start again.  I’m currently sitting back in Hotel Rosa de Los Vientos waiting for the MV PLANCIUS to arrive tonight / tomorrow. The remainder of the expedition staff arrive tonight and we will board early in the morning to get […]

Final Days in Antarctica for January 2017.

Final Days in Antarctica for January 2017.


Ushuaia Update

Ushuaia Update

We’re now back in the amazing port town of Ushuaia – I ‘ve got the chance to do a few updates with high res images before we head south again in a few hours with a complete set of new pasengers.   The last few days have been pretty good with some amazing climbing – […]

MV Plancius – Tracking the Ship

MV Plancius – Tracking the Ship

This is the tracking page for the Antarctic Expeditions – however it has also been added to the main expedition page as well.  You can either bookmark this page or follow the link below to the main page where all the expedition updates will be shown. MAIN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION PAGE

Summer Guiding NZ / Antarctica and Nepal 2017 – Back in NZ … Briefly!

Summer Guiding NZ / Antarctica and Nepal 2017 – Back in NZ … Briefly!

With NZ currently in the grip of a strong disturbed westerly flow its feeling good to be re-gathering after returning from Nepal and the Cholatse Expedition rather than rushing back into the mountains to work.

Images – Camp 1 – Rock Step – SW Ridge and Summit Push

Images – Camp 1 – Rock Step – SW Ridge and Summit Push

We went back to camp 1 again to acclimatise some more and the do a bit of a reccy on the Rock step that leads to the SW ridge proper.  Once we’d done that we were able to descend back to BC for 2 days rest before heading back up to make our summit push.  […]

Images – Load Carrying – Glacier Training and the Headwall to Camp 1

Images – Load Carrying – Glacier Training and the Headwall to Camp 1

The Glacier leading up to the Headwall is very slow moving – any crevasing is mostly open and easily seen.  The team were re-introduced to fixed line techniques – abseil techniques with heavy packs and once again moved up and down the glacier to acclimatize and tag Camp 1 Images – Camp 1 – Rock […]

Jerry Gore – Type 1 Diabetic – Himalayan Guide

Jerry Gore – Type 1 Diabetic – Himalayan Guide

Jerry is the Second guide for a team of 9 clients working with Lead Guide Mal Haskins (Vertical Resources ) in collaboration with Jagged Globe on the Cholatse 2016 Expedition. Guiding at any altitude requires taking complete responsibility for your clients lives in dangerous environments. So one has to have complete confidence in one’s own […]

Expedition Prep – Kathmandu

Expedition Prep – Kathmandu

Busy Times in Kathmandu! Getting ready for an expedition is always different from trip to trip. This time is no exception! Landing in Kathmandu just prior to one of the largest festivals can present interesting challenges. Right now Dashain is in full swing – this means that for the last few days the roads were […]

Putha Hiunchuli – A successful Expedition without a Summit.

Putha Hiunchuli – A successful Expedition without a Summit.

During the month of October, 10, almost complete strangers came together to make an attempt on a 7246m peak in a remote region of Nepal – The Lower Dolpo. Joining us were another 11 Nepali Staff. These men had worked together in the past but to us they were also strangers. On the 5th of […]

Storms, Yakemn and Plan Changes

An adventure is an activity with an unknown outcome …… If this definition is true then we’ve been having a HUGE adventure. By now you may have heard that the central himalaya’s bore the brunt of another tropical storm and that larghe number of people were killed or are missing in the Annapurna and Dolpo […]

Putha Hiunchuli – The Approach

Over the last 4 days the Jagged Globe, Putha Hiunchuli team has been making it’s way up through the Lower Dolpo Trail from Juphal to our current location of Karkott (3300m). The region is very dry, dust storms, donkey dust, narrow trails and deep river gorges are giving us daily challenges and rewards. The Team […]

Putha Hiunchuli Expedition 2014 / 2015

Putha Hiunchuli Expedition 2014 / 2015

It’s Super Exciting! Soph and I are off to Nepal on the 28th for almost 9 months.  We’ve got a range of trips up our sleeves mixed in with Tandem Paragliding, some NGO work and trying to come to grips with the Nepali Language.   The Plan October 3 – November 4th Putha Hiunchli – […]

Gear and more Gear

Gear and more Gear

It's definatley that time of year, and I don't mean Christmas. Every time I go away on expedition, in the last week before I leave the courier come knocking  – almost daily.  Sometimes it's with relief as the equipment has had to come from overseas and through customs – it's never nice getting an extra […]

Peru 2011 – Ishinca, Alpamayo and Huscaran

Peru 2011 – Ishinca, Alpamayo and Huscaran

Being able to go and play for the first time in Peru was a great experience.  I was working for Jagged Globe once again and was really excited.  The expedition crew were, once again, simply fantastic and really motivated. Enjoy the slide show and trip report   Report Name Alpamayo and Huascaran 2011 Leaders Report […]

Manaslu 2011 – Speedfly8000

Manaslu 2011 – Speedfly8000

In October of 2011 after successfully summitting Manaslu with Ben West, Sidi Mama and Pemba Sherpa, Mal Haskins attempted to speedfly from below Camp 3. Walking out19th October We’re on the walk out – we left SamaGoan a few days ago and are now about to head over the Lharka Lha. We should be back […]

Mera and Island Peak 2010 – with Jagged Globe

Mera and Island Peak 2010 – with Jagged Globe

In May of 2010 I led an expedition for Jagged Globe to Mera and Island Peak via the Mera la and the Hinku and Honku valleys and the Amphu Labtsa.  It was a fantastic trip with a great crew – Enjoy the image gallery and trip report from the trip. Report Name Mera and Island […]

Cholatse SW Ridge 2009

Cholatse SW Ridge 2009

In 2009 we attempted the SW ridge of Cholatse – a technical route on an outstanding peak in the Khumbu Valley.  Ultimately, due to avalanche hazard we were not successful however we had an amazing time in some outrageous settings. Expedition completedThe expedition is now over and we’re all down and back in kathmandu.  I’ll […]

Lhotse 2008

Lhotse 2008

Lhotse – via Western Cwm