Climber Andy Kirkpatrick to close Winter Words Festival

Jan 26 2010 Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

TOP British mountaineer, big-wall climber and winter expedition specialist, Andy Kirkpatrick will close the 2010 Winter Words Festival at Pitlochry Festival Theatre on Sunday, February 7.

Described by Climbing magazine as having “a strange penchant for the long, the cold and the difficult”, Andy specialises in climbing big-walls usually in winter. He has climbed Yosemite’s El Capitan 12 times including a 12-day solo ascent of the mighty Reticent Wall. He has also made a 15-day winter ascent of the Lafaille Route on the Petit Dru, a 1000m pillar in the Alps considered to be one of the most difficult climbs in Europe.

Andy’s other accomplishments include a first winter ascent of the east face if Mermoz in Patagonia, Argentina, two record breaking expeditions with paraplegic adventure Karen Darke (including a 29 day crossing of the Greenland ice cap and a successful ascent of El Capitan) and most recently the first attempt at a winter ascent of Torre Egger in Patagonia.

A leading expert on climbing gear, Andy is also a published writer and film-maker with a motivational style of story-telling.

The Winter Words Festival opens this Friday. Full details and tickets are available from the PFT box office on 01796 484626 or go online: www.PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com