
Alex Foxfield
Alex is a freelance adventure writer and mountain leader with an insatiable passion for the mountains. A Cumbrian born and bred, his native English Lake District has a special place in his heart, though he is at least equally happy in North Wales, the Scottish Highlands or the European Alps. Through his hiking, mountaineering, climbing and trail running adventures, Alex aims to inspire others to get outdoors. He's the former President of the London Mountaineering Club, is training to become a winter mountain leader, looking to finally finish bagging all the Wainwright fells of the Lake District and is always keen to head to the 4,000-meter peaks of the Alps. www.alexfoxfield.com
Latest articles by Alex Foxfield

What was the 1996 Everest disaster? The chain of events that claimed eight lives and sparked never-ending controversy
By Charlie Lyon, Alex Foxfield published
On its anniversary we look at one of the deadliest days in mountaineering history

"National Park Service employees are under attack" - former NPS directors slam decimation of services under Trump
By Alex Foxfield published
They raised serious concerns about the future of the national parks in a letter to the US Department of the Interior after threat emerged of further cost-cutting measures

Who is Courtney Dauwalter? The ultra running queen
By Alex Foxfield last updated
Our running expert looks into the life and achievements of the American trailblazer widely considered the greatest female long-distance runner of all time

The best mountain towns in America: 5 top destinations from Oregon to North Carolina
By Alex Foxfield published
A study earlier this year revealed the best mountain towns in America based on their weather, affordability and quality of life: pack your bags!

England’s 5 tallest mountains: the legendary peaks of the Lake District
By Alex Foxfield published
We reveal the 5 tallest mountains in England, the giants of the Lake District that have inspired generations of outdoor lovers

What’s better, hiking alone or with other people?
By Alex Foxfield published
We ponder the age old question, considering the pros and cons of each and reaching a verdict – well, a personal one at least...

5 ways I think rewilding can help to save the planet
By Alex Foxfield published
Rewilding has been in the news a fair bit of late – with our natural spaces under threat, here’s five ways I believe rewilding can help to save the planet

Lost in the desert for two days – two Arizona desert hikers rescued in separate incidents
By Alex Foxfield published
Just days after the rescue of a large group, two more hikers have Arizona's rescue services to thank for getting them safely off the state's blazing desert trails

Up to €2,500 for wearing the wrong footwear – Italy toughens up on hiking regulations
By Alex Foxfield published
In an effort to control numbers and ensure hikers' safety, strict new regulations and fines are being implemented in the Cinque Terre National Park

What is dry tooling in climbing? Axes at the ready!
By Alex Foxfield published
As it continues to surge in popularity, we take a look at dry tooling, its history and how the pursuit emerged from mixed climbing

'I absolutely love it' – Adam Ondra attempts possibly the world's hardest boulder problem
By Alex Foxfield published
The Czech climbing superstar has been trying out a potential V18 boulder problem while touring the legendary forest of Fontainebleau

'A scandal' – environmental group slams tourism impact on Spain's highest peak
By Alex Foxfield published
A local environmentalist has fired criticism at the local council for the damage done by mass tourism in Tenerife's Teide National Park

What is a ridge walk? Classic traverses in the US and Europe
By Alex Foxfield published
Airy heights, exposed thrills and a sense of the sublime – we take a look at some of the best ridge walks on either side of the Pond

“Xenon won’t propel us to the top, but it will protect us as we climb fast” - British politician plans to summit Everest using controversial gas
By Will Symons published
Lawmaker Al Carns and three ex-special forces pals want to summit the world's tallest mountain just four days after leaving home

"Absolutely the right decision for the sport of climbing": lead and bouldering to have separate medals at 2028 LA Olympics
By Alex Foxfield published
The International Olympic Committee has confirmed that climbing will have three separate events at the next Olympic games

A guide to climbing rating systems across the world
By Alex Foxfield last updated
Our expert guide to climbing rating systems will help you compare trad to sport, America to Europe, bouldering, scrambling, dry tooling and everything in between

"You forced me to confront my fears": Brooke Raboutou sends first female 9b+ sport climb in history
By Alex Foxfield published
Raboutou is the first woman to send a 9b+ sport climb on Excalibur in groundbreaking achievement

Strava strives to settle subscriber strife with suite of new updates
By Alex Foxfield published
Strava announces a quartet of updates to the platform to make planning and sharing activities easier for its users

Scotland’s tallest mountains: 5 giants of the Highlands
By Alex Foxfield published
We reveal the 5 tallest mountains in Scotland, from the mighty Ben Nevis to the giants of the Cairngorms National Park

What is a crux in climbing? Getting to grips with hardest parts of the ascent
By Alex Foxfield published
We reveal how the crux impacts the overall grade of a route and consider famous examples from climbing history

Going uphill fast: Who are the greatest fell runners of all time?
By Alex Foxfield published
We take a look at the greatest full runners of all time, from the legendary figures to modern greats setting FKTs like there’s no tomorrow

Wales’ 5 tallest mountains: soaring Snowdonian giants
By Alex Foxfield published
We reveal the highest mountains in Wales: storied peaks that rise high above a landscape rich in history and legend

What are the best mountaineering books? 10 high-altitude classics for armchair adventurers
By Alex Foxfield published
Our guide to the best mountaineering books of all time picks out 10 seminal works that have informed and inspired generations
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