Tim Howell Adventure

Mount Kenya First Wingsuit Flight in Kenya.

timdhowell@googlemail.com BASEjumping, Mountaineering, Travel May 12, 2021May 19, 2021

Three years ago, a single picture took me halfway around the world. It was a picture of the cliffs surrounding Lake Michaelson on Mount Kenya. A lone figure stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down to the dark inky lake. Aptly named ‘The Temple’, these towering yellow cliffs became my fixation, and I wanted to make the pilgrimage there. I managed to BASE jump from the same spot in the photo. After the jump I looked further up the mountain to the great peaks of Batian and Nelion. This would be my new goal. Two years later i returned. The goal was to be the first person to wingsuit in Kenya; but the experience soon became about much more than just the jump. I got to know my team, explore the grand massif, and learn about the community and my own limits.

Mount Kenya; Point John 4883m. Topo & Guide

timdhowell@googlemail.com Climbing, Mountaineering April 18, 2021October 26, 2021

The southern gully of Point John is equal in quality and aesthetics to any mountaineering route in my more local playground of Mont Blanc. The fact that it is in equatorial Africa, looking down onto a glacier just adds to this spectacular route.

Desert soaring in Namibia

timdhowell@googlemail.com BASEjumping, Climbing, Travel February 26, 2021February 26, 2021namibia, speedfly, spitzkopft

A powerful easterly wind rips up the great sand dune. It takes with it the desert heat and animates the sand into a frenzy, blasting my face. I have travelled with my wife halfway around the world in search of flight and by chance have met up with our African friends.

Under the Ice

timdhowell@googlemail.com Climbing, Mountaineering November 13, 2020November 13, 2020glacier

Autumn is a strange time of the year for me. Motivation for wingsuit and BASE jumping is low. It’s the end of the jumping season and wet valleys create low lying clouds. Damp fields and cold morning temperatures disparage me from committing to long hikes for the jumps. The higher mountains are also in between seasons. Gondolas are closed and the snow isn’t quite there for complete ski descents. Alpine ice is not yet formed.

The Swiss list

timdhowell@googlemail.com BASEjumping, Climbing, Gallery, Mountaineering October 19, 2020October 19, 2020climbing, eiger, motorhead, strahlhorn

It’s fair to say lock down has effected us all. The most important lesson I learnt while serving in the Royal Marines is to adapt, improvise and overcome. My international travel plans and work had been cancelled for the year. I was fortunate to be stuck in Switzerland with it’s lax lock down rules. It was time to focus on the climbs and flights I had my eye on for years but had been too distracted before.

Scottish wingsuit BASE; the details.

timdhowell@googlemail.com BASEjumping August 27, 2020August 27, 2020base jump, first wingsuit, lord berkeleys seat, wingsuit

There has been lots of questions about my wingsuit BASE jump from Lord Berkeley’s seat. I thought I would try and answer some of the technical questions in this article.

Work hard and Smart: North Face of the Dru

timdhowell@googlemail.com Climbing, Mountaineering August 13, 2020August 14, 2020north face, petit dru, the dru

I drove into Chamonix past the familiar branded roundabout. Two alpinists had their heads down, fully kitted up and clearly just finished some adventure. I secretly wished I was them, having just finished their objective; worn out but content. When they freshen up with a burger in their stomachs they will revel in what they have just achieved. But for now they walked slumped, tired and hungry with a heavy pack digging into their shoulders. In 48 hours I would still be on the mountain wishing I was back down in the valley .

Pandemic in Paradise, Climbing and BASE jumping in Tonsai.

timdhowell@googlemail.com BASEjumping, Climbing, Travel July 29, 2020July 29, 2020climbing

Tonsai is a paradise. Even with the whole world crumbling around us. Anxiety had hit the climbers in Tonsai. Last minute flights were booked in fear of being locked out of their own country. Apart from the wifi connection updating us with the progress of the virus, we were isolated. Disconnected from the world. Instead we spent our time focusing on the moves on a route or meticulously packing our parachutes.

Our disastrous engagement

timdhowell@googlemail.com BASEjumping, Travel May 5, 2020May 5, 2020emergency, hospital, injury, south africa, wingsuiting

The Proposal

EWA: Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I was finishing gearing up while Tim was putting the camera on a tripod. Aiming to capture the minutes before our first jump from Table Mountain. So there he was, approaching me; getting closer to the edge of the cliff where I was standing. He had a strange look on his face. He started speaking, with his voice shaking slightly and eyes weirdly glassed. Then I knew he was about to propose! He told me that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me, and that he was never so sure of anything in his life. He knelt on one knee and asked. “Will you marry me?”

Mount Lico

timdhowell@googlemail.com BASEjumping, Climbing, Travel April 10, 2020May 5, 2020base jump, base jumping, granite dome, mountain, mozambique, new species

A recce is seldom wasted, a phrase I have abided by ever since hearing it 10 years ago whilst serving as a Royal Marine. In this case it was no exception. We came to establish relationships with the locals, to set up a suitable camp and locate the access for the climb as well as landing for a potential BASE jump.