Jelle Staleman
For me the love for climbing started when I was 7 years old when my neighbour saw me climbing to the top of a 20 meter high tree in our garden. Due to the wind I was dangling back and forth. Impressed by my courage he invited me to go rock climbing in Freyr, Belgium.When I was 18, in the search for adventure, I joined the Dutch Marine Corps. From there I was send to a lot of places in the world. I climbed the Cotopaxi 5995 m, the highest active volcano in the world, and I was send to the north of Norway in the polar circle where I experienced temperatures of 50 degrees below zero.
On a certain moment I decided to leave the corps to start training for the Austrian mountain guide course. I climbed more then 70 summits in the Alps, some of them more then once and most not by the easiest route. Below are some of my biggest achievements:
2001: Cotopaxi, 5995 m, highest active volcano in the world
2006: Piz Badile North Ridge
2007: Trois Dents de Pelvoux (Long alpine route)
2007 Salbit Schijen West Ridge (Long technical hard route with Niek de Jonge)
2008 - Droites Northeast Ridge ( 1000 meter long mixed route in winter) - Norit K2 expedition
In the end of 2007 I decided to apply for an expedition to the 8611 meter high K2. This peak is the world?s second highest mountain and is the most dangerous mountain in the world and better known as the ?killing mountain?. Together with Roeland van Oss I was chosen out of 17 people to join in the expedition.
In May 2008 the expedition started. With our summit attempt in the end of May I decided to turn around at 8200 meters due to safety reasons. It appeared to be a good decision. After I turned around a tragedy happened. Eleven people died and two people lost their toes due to frostbite. The news went all around the world from Discovery Channel to the New York Times. You can visit: - www.noritk2.nl
Recently I try to train as much as possible and I guide people for to Mont Blanc and other highest summits of the continents.
On 20 February our K2 team won the Herman Plugge Irish coffee award. This award is given to the biggest achievements in Dutch mountaineering.
Niek de Jonge
In 2001 I started climbing with my uncle in an indoor climbing gym in Holland. After the first weekend outdoor climbing on the rock faces in Berdorf, Luxembourg, I was addicted. At first I couldn?t find people to climb with so I joined the
Dutch Alpine Student Club. Since then I gained a lot of experience in a short period of time.In 2002 I climbed the Kilimanjaro, with 5895 m the highest mountain of Africa and one of the Seven Summits. In 2004 I made a road trip throughout the Alps to climb the highest peaks of the alp countries. In 2006 I travelled for four months in Australia and New Zealand where I climbed full time. Here I gained experience in mixed routes in the Southern Alps and I climbed on natural protection in Arapiles, Blue Mountains and Tasmania. In Australia the passion was born to climb long rock routes on natural protection. Back in Europe I gained alpine experience by climbing in the Ecrins (France) and climbed Mont Blanc from the French and Italian side.
Last three years I?ve spend my time climbing long rock routes and big walls in Yosemite (California, USA). Below are some of my biggest achievements:
2002: Kilimanjaro, 5895 m, one of the ?Seven Summits?.
2004: Road-tour through the Alps with climbs of Mont Blanc, Grossglockner and Nordend.
2006: Totem Pole Tasmania, Arapiles, several rock and mixed routes in The Southern Alps New Zealand.
2007: Big-wall climbing in Yosemite; The Nose & Lurking Fear in multi-day, NW face Half Dome in 13 hr.
2007: Salbitschijen West ridge (with Jelle Staleman)
2007: First ascents in Vallee de l?Ubaye:
- Directe Hollandais (ED 6c C1, 250m)
- Attention Caillou (TD- 6a, 100m)
- Blue Bear is Watching You (ED+ C2 6b+, 150m)
2008: Big-wall climbing in Yosemite; Wet Denim Daydream (A3), Mescalito (A3) clean beklimming in 4 ? day, The Prow speed climbing in 7 hr.
2009: Wadi Rum, Jordan.free climbing Lionheart and Inshallah Factor and a lot of other long routes