Mountain Heritage Trust

01/03/2026

Last year we were fortunate to take on the Ken Wilson collection. Those who knew Ken will appreciate the size of the cataloguing process ahead of us, but in the meantime we couldn't help but offer a glimpse at some of the beautiful material in the collection.

Ken was a force in mountaineering and climbing publishing for many years, and as such he collected many lovely portraits of the people he met and write about. Here we have a small selection of portraits of American mountaineers and climbers.

1. 📸 David Braeshears, who summitted Everest multiple times
2. 📸 John Gill, widely credited with developing bouldering in the modern form we know it today
3. 📸 Steve Wunsch, who pushed the standards of free climbing in Eldorado Canyon and The Gunks
4. 📸 Jim Erickson, who climbed alongside Wunsch

If you'd like to support this work and more please visit our donation page https://www.mountain-heritage.org/donate

10/02/2026

As the sun sets on our Crowdfunder we want to thank everyone who has donated so generously. We have one more day to go so there is still time to help us preserve this incredible mountaineering and climbing archive. To donate see link in bio 🙏 or go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/mountainheritagetrust

07/02/2026

Some of my personal favourite material in the archive is from the preparation of guidebooks. Together, the pictures, topos and letters between contributors paint a picture of the characters and scene surrounding an area at the time.

Pictured here we have material for a guide to Lancashire and the North West (likely the 1983 guide edited by Les Ainsworth).

📸 1. Paul Cropper at Heptonstall by Brian Cropper.
📸 2. Various climbers on the impressive Main Wall at Trowbarrow, not long after it's creation thanks to quarrying activity in the 70s. By Brian Cropper.
📸 3. Gabe Regan in action by Brian Cropper.

If you'd like to support the MHT and our work please donate to our crowdfunder https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/mountainheritagetrust

27/12/2025

To support these stories old and new head to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/mountainheritage

27/12/2025

Grateful to BBC Cumbria for this article highlighting the treasures in the Mountain Heritage Trust archive. To help us keep these stories alive you can head to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/mountainheritagetrust

Stories of Cumbria's climbing pioneers are being celebrated in the mountaineering archive.

19/12/2025

The Mountain Heritage Trust needs your help to secure the future of this internationally important archive of climbing and mountaineering.
Your support will help us future-proof the collection by maintaining our climate controlled archive space and get the ball rolling on digitising some of the incredible images in the collection.
Go to the link in our bio to read more and donate.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/mountainheritagetrust

📸image taken by Joe Tasker of Pete Boardman, The Shining Mountain, 1976 Changabang.

16/12/2025

We are grateful for all the support so far but still a mountain to climb! Help us boost the Crowdfunder by visiting www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/mountainheritagetrust

16/12/2025

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Every picture tells a story and shapes our understanding of how we move through mountains as well as how that environment is changing. The Mountain Heritage Trust wants to expand access to this collection for people of all ages who love climbing and adventures outdoors. Any support you can offer would be hugely appreciated. Go to our Crowdfunding page www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/mountainheritagetrust

10/12/2025

The Mountain Heritage Trust needs your help to secure the future of this internationally important archive of climbing and mountaineering.

It has been 25 years since the MHT was founded by Chris Bonington, John Innerdale, Lord Roger Chorley, Audrey Salkeld, James Smith and John Porter to protect, share and help people engage with the UK’s rich climbing and mountaineering heritage.

Throughout our history we’ve relied on a wide variety of funding sources, from commercial sponsors to grants, and to celebrate MHT’s 25th birthday we are looking to crowdfund £25,000 to cover the cost of maintaining and future proofing the archive.

Your support will help maintain our climate controlled archive space, partially fund a collections manager and get the ball rolling on digitising some of the incredible slides that exist in our collection.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/mountainheritagetrust

📸 Slide from the Everest 1980/81 Expedition, part of the Joe Tasker collection housed in the MHT archive

07/12/2025

Showing off vintage fashion at its very best! David ‘Monty’ Monteith will be assisting and Mick Jones as they take centre stage for the BMC Winter Lecture Series in Leeds and Manchester this week.
8th Dec Manchester/9th Dec Manchester

The MHT presence at the BMC Winter Series is part of a wider initiative that will see the MHT at a number of events in 2026. As one of the three organisations in the BMC charities arm the MHT aims to share the history, stories and culture of British mountaineering more widely.

The team will compare and contrast winter equipment from 50 years ago with modern kit. We will also be raising awareness of the MHT to help spread the word about this wonderful resource. If you want to support our work then check out our Crowdfunder! www.crowdfunder.co.uk

01/12/2025

We’d just like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has donated to our crowdfunder so far 🙏

There’s a way to go but we’re off to a great start and with your help we’ll be able to hit our target of £25,000, money which will be used to ensure the future of the archive and share the incredible stories contained within the collections.

Donate here https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/mountainheritagetrust

📷 Trustees David Monteith and Vanessa Coates representing at Kendal Mountain Festival. Anyone recognise that chap in the back? 👀