FOUR South Lakeland mountaineers have embarked upon an expedition to the rarely-visited Cordillera Quimsa Cruz range, in Bolivia.
Paul Platt, Stuart Halford, Phil Ralph and Carolyn Bailey teamed up with friends Deno Hewson and Pete Blackburn, from Wales and New Zealand, for the five-week adventure.
The mountaineers hope to attempt new climbs on previously ascended mountains, and to make the first ascents of a number of virgin peaks up to 5,500 metres high.
The trip took a year to plan, and the team is grateful for support from outdoor clothing company Montane, which supplied each climber with state-of-the-art insulated weatherproof gear; the British Mountaineering Council; the Mount Everest Foundation; Impact Development Training Group; and HL Foods.
Pictured before setting off on their big adventure are, from the left, Stuart Halford, Phil Ralph, Paul Platt and Carolyn Bailey.
Not pictured are Deno Hewson and Pete Blackburn.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article