Martin Moran is one of Britain’s
most experienced mountain guides and the author of four
classic mountain books. He has achieved many notable ‘firsts’
in the pursuit of both exploratory mountaineering and major
mountain traverses, including the first and only completion of
the Scottish Munros within a single winter and the first
continuous traverse of all 75 4000 metre mountains of the
Alps.
Born and brought up on Tyneside, Martin
took a Geography degree at Cambridge University and retains
keen interest and knowledge in mountain glaciation, weather,
snow and avalanches. After qualifying and working as a
Chartered Accountant in Sheffield for seven years he passed
the assessment scheme to become a British Mountain Guide. In
1985 he and his wife, Joy, moved up to North West Scotland
beginning a new life running a climbing school from their home
village of Lochcarron. Martin leads groups in Scotland, the
Alps and Himalayas where he has guided several first ascents.
Joy and Martin have two children, Alex (19) and Hazel (16).
Having made a bold life-change and run his
own business for 17 years he has great experience and
perception in the areas of outdoor leadership, planning and
responsibility.
Martin is an experienced and popular
lecturer and his talks range from gripping accounts of his
mountain adventures – The Munros in Winter, Alps 4000, through
informative and instructional reviews of Scottish winter and
Alpine mountaineering The Winter or Alpine Mountain
Experience, to historic Himalayan journeys in the footsteps of
pioneers such as Shipton and Tilman – Shipton’s Lost Valley,
Kamet-India’s Lonely Giant and photographic celebrations – The
Magic of Wester Ross and Skye. All are superbly illustrated
and are always enlivened with music, quotes and historical
anecdotes.
Major Climbs and Mountaineering
Achievements:
Scotland: 1985: first completion of the
Munros in a single winter (83 days)
1990: record-breaking run along the Cuillin
Ridge in a time of 3hrs 33mins
More than a hundred new routes in summer
(up to E5 standard) and in winter (including 7 of grade VII
and 2 of grade VIII standard)
Alps: 1981: North Face of the Eiger; 1990:
Peuterey Ridge Integrale on Mont Blanc
1993: first continuous traverse of all 75
4000 metre peaks with Simon Jenkins in 52 days
Over 300 hundred routes guided over 20
summers, including the Matterhorn and Eiger
Himalayas: 1983: 1st ascent of West Ridge
of Bhagirathi I (6856m) – grade ED
1995 1st ascent (guided) of South Face of
Nanda Kot (6861m) – grade TD
2000 1st ascent (guided) of West Ridge of
Nilkanth (6596m) – grade TD
1998: 1st completion of the legendary
direct crossing from Badrinath to Kedarnath and first crossing
of the Satopanth Col for 64 years since Shipton and Tilman in
1934
Books and Publications: (all published by
David & Charles)
1986: The Munros in Winter classic account
of the first winter traverse
1988/1998: Scotland’s Winter Mountains a
compendium of winter mountaineering
1994: Alps 4000 the epic traverse of the 75
4000 metre peaks (shortlisted for the Boardman-Tasker mountain
literature award)
2001: The Magic of Wester Ross and Skye
beautiful photographic collection co-authored with Clarrie
Pashley
image: Andy
Perkins ©
