Adventure Alternative

Expedition CV for Gavin Bate

Gavin has organised and led more than 150 expeditions worldwide, and many high altitude mountain climbs. He is the Director of Adventure Alternative and the Founder of Moving Mountains Trust and NGO in Ireland and Kenya. He has set up companies in Kenya, Tanzania, Russia and Nepal. Gavin is a qualified mountain leader and a recognised and experienced speaker on 'Leadership under Pressure', 'Taking Risks', 'Climbing Mount Everest' and 'Humanitarian Aid'. He is an assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and writes regularly for a variety of magazines.

Below are a selection of only some of the major expeditions:

Asia

Mt Everest, 8848 m

2000: South East Ridge with bottled oxygen, leader and organiser of 6 man team, part of Seven Summits Millennium Expedition. Used Camps at 6000m, 6800m, 7200m and 8000m. Reached 8750 metres (south summit) and turned back when team ran low on oxygen. Rest of team successful, first summit in 2000 on south side. Sherpas Gyeljun, Jangbu also summitted.

2002: Northeast Ridge with Irishman Will Canning, without bottled oxygen . No Sherpa support. Used camps at 7000m and 7600m. Reached 8670 metres. Turned back when Will dislocated knee. Stranded on ridge, 3 day descent in bad weather.

2005: South East Ridge without oxygen and alone. Used only one camp at 6800m. Made 32 hour climb without stops to summit and back. Turned round at 8750 metres (Hillary Step) due to long queues on summit.

2007: Traverse without oxygen with Sherpa Pasang Tendi. Used one camp at 7000m (north col). Lightweight push on summit day to 8500m for 5 hour rest and then continued to summit. Pulmonary oedema at 8750m (Second Step), 12 hour descent back to Base Camp.

Mt Cho Oyu, 8201 m

1998: Herbert Tichy (normal) route without oxygen (1st Irish ascent of an 8000m mountain without oxygen). Successful summit.

2007: Leader of 6 climbers on normal route. Very icy conditions. Reached 7400m.

Mt Ama Dablam, 6812 m

1994: Normal route, reached 6000 m in bad weather.

Island Peak, 6185 m

1998, 2002, 2005: Climbed three times successfully.

Pokalde Peak, 5745 m

1999, 2001: Climbed twice successfully

North America

Mt Denali, 6456m

1997: West Buttress route, successful summit, ski descent from 14,000' camp.

2000: Leader of 10 man team (Millennium Seven Summits Expedition), West Buttress route, successful summit, ski descent.

2002: Leader of 6 man team, West Buttress route, successful summit.

South America

Mt Aconcagua, 6962m

1995: normal route (Plaza del Mulas), team member, successful summit

2000: normal route, leader of 12 man team, successful summit (Seven Summits Expedition)

Mt Ojos del Salado, 6950 m

2006: leader and co-guide of 7 man team, successful summit.

Antarctica

Mt Vinson, 4897m

2000: member of 5 man team, successful summit ( Seven Summits Millennium Expedition)

Africa

Mt Kilimanjaro, 5895m -

Made 39 successful ascents in 12 years, mostly guiding teams

Mt Kenya, 4995m -

Made 46 successful ascents to Point Lenana guiding youth groups

Europe

Mt Elbrus, 5642 m -

16 expeditions in 8 years on normal route, 11 summits.

Mont Blanc, 4808 m -

Made 3 successful summits, 2 on gouter Route, 1 Italian route.

Australasia

Carstenz Pyramid - 4884 m

2000: successful summit (Seven Summits Millennium Expedition), leader of 7 man team

 

Other Expeditions of note:

Lows Gully, Borneo.

Trans Sahara solo crossing, Algiers to Tammanrasset on foot.

Other peaks climbed over the years:

Matterhorn to 4000m

Scottish winter climbs on Ben Nevis, and Cairngorms

Mt Kinabalu