Mountaineering section of MCC launched!

Josef Grech at the summit of Uhuru Peak 5895m, Tanzania

The MCC was set up to cater for all branches of the sport we love so much – including mountaineering.  Many of our existing members are interested in travelling to far flung reaches of the world to enjoy the excitement and adventure (and hardship) associated with climbing mountains, as well as rocks.

The club has so far focused on rock-climbing simply because most of the members have to date been rock-climbers!  However, we have been discussing for some time the need to set up a sub-committee that would work autonomously focusing specifically on mountaineering-related projects and activities under the MCC umbrella. After experiencing rock-climbing with the MCC,  veteran Josef Grech has agreed to start-up this section and has already received words of support and encouragement from other climbers excited about this new development.

Josef N. Grech was expedition leader for the Kilimanjaro Challenge IV in 2009. The expedition consisted of 15 climbers all of whom reached the summit as a first for the KC series of climbs. He has also climbed Mount Etna as part of his training prior to Kilimanjaro. Besides his interest in mountaineering, he is a keen enthusiast of outdoor sports particularly trekking, diving, kayaking and more recently, through the MCC, rock climbing – all of which he tries to combine with his other passion, photography. His aspirations are to organise expeditions to other well known peaks worldwide and to combine rockclimbing skills with those in mountaineering trekking expertise.

Josef Grech - now leading the MCC Mountaineering Section

Everest summiteer Marco Cremona was delighted to hear about this development and has promised his support to ensure that the section is a success.

Marco said that ” the Challenge8000 team will rope in their experience and contacts established along the years so that prospective Maltese mountaineers can undertake this sport safely and cost-effectively. We have contacts in Africa (Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya, Atlas Mountains (I will be having a look at the Simien mountains in Ethiopia next month); the Andes (especially Mt. Aconcagua), Bolivia, Ecuador, Mt. Elbrus in Russia, probably Mongolia, and of course the Himalaya. “

All three Everest Summitteers, namely Ropert Gatt, Greg Attard and Marco Cremona are honorary members of the MCC, together with the world’s leading mixed climber Stevie Haston.

If you are interested in joining the MCC and the mountaineering section of the MCC in particular, please contact Mr. Josef Grech either by email : josefngrech@gmail.com  or mobile: 9999 2229

 

 

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