First Front Cover With the OWPG

Alex Metcalfe June 11, 2021

I think every photographer aspires for a magazine front cover shot and I finally landed my first on The Outdoor Writer Photographer Guild’s 2021 summer journal.

Vince comforts one of the injured’s party as the chopper approaches for evac

13 Things I Learnt From My First Climbing Accident

Alex Metcalfe July 5, 2020

“I glanced around the sides of the pass hoping to spot Dinas Cromlech and the infamous Cenotaph corner. The site of our climb that day. A flash of movement caught my eye and I saw a cartwheeling figure tumble down the lower face to disappear from sight.”

Tom breaking trail towards Kežmarský štít.

Winter Climbing in the Slovakian Tatras

Alex Metcalfe May 31, 2020

You usually don’t have a lot of time to figure out what happened when you’re falling, but luckily this was a short one.

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Photo Stories #7: Night-time on the Stockhorn

Alex Metcalfe December 1, 2019

In alpine climbing, the emphasis is to move, move, move.⠀

Time is against you, you've got to beat the midday sun and get down that glacier before everything starts to melt.⠀

Your mind and focus narrow down to singular actions; sling that flake, keep the rope tight, don't drop your ice axe!⠀

There aren't many chances to stop, sit down and drink in the incredible surroundings you're climbing in.⠀

When nighttime comes, she tells a different story. The pace slackens and the noise fades.⠀

That's probably why, on my final climb in Switzerland this Summer, sat above the Stockhorn biwak hut under a clear night sky and smoking a cigarette with my friend Kyle, I didn't really feel like going to bed.⠀

•••⠀

Valais Alps. Switzerland 🇨🇭

Snowfield

The Winter Skills Team descends a snowfield on Carn Ban Mor in the Cairngorms.

Lookout over Loch Eanaich

The winter skills team lookout over Loch Eanaich from the slopes of Carn Ban Mor.

The team descends from cutting snow steps on the slopes of Corie an Sneachda during a blizzard.

A Cairngorm Blizzard

Two members of the winter skills team, Katie & Alex, are caught in the descending blizzard as we attempt to leave Corie an Sneachda.

Carlos and the Snowhole

Carlos admiring my snowhole

A Grouse in the Heather

A red grouse blends perfectly in on the slopes of Coire an Sneachda as the winter skills team walks into the Coire.

Winter Fun in Scotland's Cairngorms National Park

Alex Metcalfe June 4, 2017

As a rookie mountaineer with big ambitions to climb big peaks I noticed there was a rather large gap on my mountaineering resume! So I packed my bags and headed to Cairngorms National Park, Scotland to learn the necessary winter skills with Glenmore Lodge for my upcoming trip to the Alps this summer.

The pictures above are a brief collage of my fun in the mountains.

The Cairngorm, Scotland 2017.

Remembering Nepal..

Alex Metcalfe May 3, 2017

At the top of Gokyo Ri in the Khumba region of Nepal after a gruelling trek to Everest Basecamp and the Cho La pass.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKkg9Mk9ocs

Liam, our instructor, leads a 20 metre route on a tougher face of the limestone quarry.

The Race to the Top

Sam races our instructor Liam to the top of the limestone quarry.

The Race to the Top

Liam wins!

Sam almost at the top on the first section of limestone climbing at the quarry.

Stripping the Route

I learn how to strip a route on my first lead climbing trip in North Wales.

Lead Climbing in Northern Wales

Alex Metcalfe April 30, 2017

I recently returned from a gnarly lead climbing session at Castle Inn Quarry, Northern Wales, in preparation for my trip to the Alps in July. Learning to lead and strip the routes presented a fresh set of challenges that the whole group enjoyed. Check out the pictures below!

Castle Inn Quarry, Northern Wales 2017.