Simon Verspeak 115722
Membership Mountain Training Association
Membership Type Course Director Member
Membership Number 115722
Renewal Date 01/04/2026
Membership AMI
Membership Type Full Member
Membership Number 1458
Renewal Date 01/07/2025
I run Orange Mountaineering offering all aspects of mountain instruction and I also have an AALS license allowing me to provide to young people under the age of 18.
As well as working for several large organisations such as the Military and Jagged Globe' I also work for several small providers on navigation, climbing and scrambling courses and for Outdoor Centres on ML, RCI, CWI awards. I am an approved AMI trainee workshop trainer for the MI scheme.
I have worked in all the major mountain and climbing areas across the UK and have led several youth and adult overseas expeditions.
I am an active member of Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team and I've been the Training Officer, the Vehicles Officer and since December 2022 , the Secretary. In my own time I have been pushing my own highs year on year at high altitude. I spend several weeks each year exploring in the Alps mainly on skis.
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Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor | 10/03/2017 | |
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International Mountain Leader | 04/03/2016 | |
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Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor | 27/09/2010 | |
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Winter Mountain Leader | 13/03/2009 | |
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Foundation Coach | 19/04/2022 | |
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Mountain Leader | 11/11/2005 | |
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Single Pitch Award | 24/08/2005 |
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MTC/MTE Course Directors and Staff Workshop for walking and climbing schemes | 13/12/2024 | 1.00 |
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AMI self-accredited learning (full day) | 05/12/2024 | 1.00 |
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Transceiver update | 04/12/2024 | 0.25 |
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Insurance workshop with Activities Insurance Mutual. | 16/11/2024 | 1.00 |
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Climbing for All. Technical Advising in Accessible Climbing | 12/07/2024 | 1.00 |
I got my first taste of the UK mountains as an Air Cadet in the Lakes aged 15. The staff were all Mountain Leaders and after that week thats what I wanted to be. At 18 I moved to South Wales to start an apprenticeship in an Outdoor Centre and from there I never looked back!
After a move to North Wales to study for a BSc in Geography, I passed my ML in 2005 but by then I'd also had a good taste of Scottish winter and the Alps and suddenly it was about climbing and mountaineering too. Along the way since then I have been lucky enough to work all over the UK and worldwide. In 2015 for example I climbed classic ice routes on the Ben, rock routes on North faces in the Alps, skied 4000m peaks, summited Kilimanjaro whilst working and did some guiding in Nepal. This is very typical of my life and 2023 was finally back to that same sort of normality.
Nowadays as a qualified WMCI and IML I work with lots of young people and teach mountain skills to adults; navigation, climbing and mountaineering. I am still learning myself everyday and I look forward to the challenge the change in the seasons bring.
I love working with people and seeing them develop. Its a journey for us all but that's how I like it.
