The MCofS administers the SportScotland grants for expeditions (a total of £2,000 per annum is available). Applications for grants are considered both direct to the MCofS as well as in association with applications to the Mount Everest Foundation.

The MCofS will award grants to expeditions whose objective is one of excellence and adventure whether they be first ascents or first free ascents of routes in the greater ranges and little or unexplored mountain areas of the world, or similar pure rock or pure ice climbs in less remote settings but which are nonetheless worthy of international recognition. The minimum number of expedition members is two. The MCofS has a wider grants criteria than those for the Mount Everest Foundation or the BMC and we will consider applications for adventurous climbing objectives in other parts of the world besides the 'greater ranges'. If you are planning a trip and you would like more information (an Expedition Grant Information Pack) send an A4 SAE (31p) to the National Officer. The same information is also available here. Screening of applications for 2007 expeditions will take place in March.

Expedition grant award 1997. The summit of "The Throne", Himalaya photo: Scott Muir

2006 AWARDS: This year the MCofS awarded grants to a wide range of expeditions, and with the award to the Glasgow Academy broke new ground in trying to help and encourage young mountaineers. Scottish Lobuje East Expedition Alasdair Buchannan, Tristan Hamade and Dave Chadwick. New objectives on the North East flank of Lobjue East and the North Face of Taweche. Various other secondary objectives. Miya Nala 2006 Oliver Metherell, Oliver Kuda. Two new routes proposed on sub-6,000m peaks in the Himachal Pradesh area: Peak 5960m and Orange Tower giving big rock wall routes. Glasgow Academy Greenland Expedition 2006 Liz Brooks, Neal Gwyne, Alan Halewood, Nigel Williams + 12 students aged 16-17yrs. Exploratory mountaineering in Southern Miln Land as reported in this article. 2005 AWARDS: 5S Dave Rowe, Robert Leach and Geoff Greenhowe are to attempt a winter ascent of the Zurbriggen Ridge on Mt Cook, South Island New Zealand, starting from the sea ("Sandy Sea Shore") to the "Snowy Summit" - hence 5S's. Scottish Pantheon Range Expedition Simon Richardson returns to the Canadian Pacific Coast Ranges this time accompanied by Mark Robson, for a first ascent of the whole ridge line of the North West Ridge of Mt Zeus. Rondoy West Face Gareth Hughes, Tim Barlow and Oliver Metherell are attempting a new route up an ice funnel on the West Face of Rondoy in Peru. For Olly this is part of his Super7 concept to climb new routes on all seven continents. 2004 AWARDS: This year we had a total of 10 applications either directly to MCofS or through the Mount Everest Foundation. Some did not meet the criteria of the award, but those that did were diverse. Scottish Cordillera Huayhuash Expedition Ian Rudkin, Dr Neil Stewart, Andrew McIntyre, Gareth Hughes, Alistair Buchanan and Chris Gudgeon will attempt to climb the unclimbed West Face of Rondoy in Peru. Their secondary objective is the first British ascent of a recently established route on the South Face of Siula Grande (Southern Discomfort). Anglo-Scottish Vilcanota Expedition SMC members David Wilkinson, Geoff Cohen, Des Rubens and Steve Kennedy are to attempt unclimbed faces on the western side of the Colque Cruz group of mountains in Peru, Alpine style. Tre Cima SMC Members Dave Macleod and Scott Muir attempt the 3rd ascent and 1st British ascent of the Alex Huber route 'Bellavista' on the North Face of the Cima Orest, Italian Dolomites. The route is traditional style protected by pegs with pitches up to F8c making it possibly the hardest Alpine Rock Route in the world. Scottish Kyzyl Asker Expedition Es Tressider, Guy Robertson and Pete Benson will make a repeat attempt on the S.E. face of Kyzyl Asker, Kyrgyzstan. Last year they were thwarted by thawing ice. International Kalanka North Face Old Scottish Stalwarts Sandy Allan and John Lyall will team up with Canadian Will Gad and an American (!) to attempt to climb the North Face of Kalanka, India, in Alpine style.

Full Expedition Reports are available from the MCofS Office.

Grant Information Pack       Previous Awards