Touching the void again

Simon Yates returns to the mountain

You’ve read the best selling book and watched the Bafta winning movie, now you can experience the reality of Touching the Void for yourself (hopefully minus the horrific near death experience!).

Simon Yates, known the world over as ‘the man who cut the rope’ has announced an extra date on his specially designed trek in the Peruvian Andes for those who want to relive the dramatic scenes from ‘Touching the Void’.

Simon has insisted that this second trip (organised after the first sold out within two months) will be his last.

What happened on the original trek with Simon and Joe Simpson is not just known to climbers the world over but also to people with no interest in mountaineering. 

In 1985 the pair became the first people to successfully ascend to the summit of Siula Grande in the Huayhuash region of Peru via the almost vertical west face, but on their descent tragedy hit.  Joe stepped on to a snow bank and plummeted to the ground below, breaking his leg on the way down. Simon’s attempts to help his friend led to a horrific dilemma; cut the rope holding his friend and try to climb back to safety or fall to his death with Joe. He chose the former; miraculously, Joe survived.

25 years later, Simon is leading a group to a small peak above the Siula Grande base camp, to outline the path where Joe managed to crawl to safety, as well as passing on other experiences from their terrifying adventure.

Talking about the trek, Simon Yates said: “I'm excited to be heading back to the Huayhuash region to lead one of the world's best treks for the first time. It is a rare experience to do a proper circuit in a mountain range and anyone who joins will witness some of the most spectacular mountain scenery on earth”.

For more information on the trek and to hear about his more recent mountaineering adventures, join Simon at the Adventure Travel Live 2010 on Saturday 30 January at 1pm at the Royal Horticultural Halls, Victoria, London SW1P 2PE.

Huayhuash Circuit Trek with Simon Yates. 4–22 September 2010 (fully booked), 25 September–13 October 2010. £1,790 per person including all accommodation, internal transport, meals and fees. Joining in Lima. Places are limited.??To find out more about this trip call 020 8545 9030 or visit www.worldexpeditions.co.uk