Kath James
Grew up: South Devon
Lives: North Wales
Fave colour: Blue
Fave mountain snack: Nuts
What do you love most about being a mountain instructor?
Sharing the mountains and passing on experience to others
What inspired you to become an instructor?
Enjoying being outside working and combining personal passion for climbing and mountaineering for a job.
What’s the most valuable lesson you have learnt?
You never stop learning.
What's your proudest moment?
Seeing my eldest son ride his pedal bike.
What's tough about your job?
When the weather is poor and you can’t give people the experience you would like.
What advice would you give the next generation of female instructors?
Just stay motivated and enjoy yourself, if you want to be a mountaineering instructor you need to be a mountaineer and not just a climber - if you have a variety of experience you will find the process easier and have loads of fun along the way.
Name a fact about yourself not many people know (that you're happy to share).
I quite like football!! Plymouth Argyle!!
about kath:
Kath is a Winter Mountaineering & Climbing Instructor and International Mountain Leader who works as a part time senior instructor for Plas y Brenin the National Outdoor Centre in Capel Curig, North Wales.
Highlights of Kath’s climbing career include climbing The Nose on El Capitan and the 1938 route on the north face of the Eiger. She has also been lucky enough to explore many other beautiful parts of the world including, wild and sandy climbing in Wadi Rum, Jordan and climb Mount Kenya. Kath also enjoys skiing, and exploring the mountains in winter, enjoying lots of ski touring in the European Alps, as well as a crazy trip ski mountaineering in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Consuming huge amounts of tasty tajine and mint tea in the hut after fantastic days out exploring the 4000m peaks of the Atlas; a perfect skiing adventure! Scottish winter and winter climbing is also high on the list of favourite things to do! Kath has two young boys who are 2 & 3, who she enjoys taking out on adventures - at the moment mostly by canoe or on bikes.
Contact kath:
INSTA: @kathrynjames2018
E-mail: kath.james@pyb.co.uk