Phil Wickens – climber, photographer and expeditioner

Phil Wickens’ passion for exploring remote mountainous areas started with his first mountaineering expedition to the Pamirs, which he led while studying biology at Imperial College, London. He has subsequently led no less than a dozen mountaineering and ski expeditions to numerous rarely visited areas, from the Himalayas to the Arctic and Antarctic, and spent 3 years working in Antarctica as a field guide for the British Antarctic Survey. The photographs that he brought back from these trips have been published in several magazines and journals, and his short films shown on several television stations. Phil’s lectures have been well received on expedition cruise ships, and by several institutions, including the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Society for Asian Affairs, the Eagle Ski Club and the Alpine Club, of which he is currently Vice President.

Talks

Living, Working and Exploring in Antarctica

Over 2 winters and 3 summers Phil worked for the British Antarctic Survey as a field assistant – ensuring the safety of scientists – and enabling them to get on with their research in some of the most hostile and inaccessible parts of Antarctica. Phil then returned to the Antarctic Peninsula aboard the yacht ‘Gambo’ with a group of friends to climb and explore along its coast. This lecture is a personal illustration of the life, work and people in Antarctica in all seasons.

Adventures in the Land of the Great Game

‘The Great Game’ was played out amongst the mountains and valleys that formed the borders of the 3 great Empires: Britain, Russia and China. Due its importance both politically and as a major trade route, this area has been a scene of conflict for centuries, and has always been a difficult place in which to travel and explore. Climber, photographer and expeditioner Phil Wickens first visited the mountains of Tajikistan in 1992 during the civil war, and revisited the area again in 2006. Accompanied by stunning images, he will give an eye-opening account of his travels and climbs in this spectacular but rarely visited area, reveal some of the changes that have taken place over the 14 years since his last visit, and describe the fascinating and hardy people who inhabit this unique region.

Poles Apart: Expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic

The Polar Regions are renowned for being costly to reach, but with the right approach, the right friends and a bit of hardship, anyone can get there! Illustrated with his stunning photographs, Phil describes how he has climbed, skied, dog sledded and sailed in some of the most breathtaking places on earth, and all for a very meagre sum!

Organising mountain expeditions (for beginners!)

Anyone can organise their own expedition to a remote mountain area. With eleven mountaineering and ski mountaineering expeditions under his belt, 3 years working in Antarctica, and 2 years working on expedition ships, Phil has gained a lot of experience in how to organise safe and successful mountain expeditions. In this illustrated talk Phil describes how dreams can be turned into reality through appropriate planning and preparation.