Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival

PROFILE : Chris Townsend
Ski Touring in Yosemite with Igloo Ed

Lecture
(Friday 17 October - 7pm)

Chris Townsend is a freelance author and photographer. His fifteen books include the award winning The Backpacker's Handbook (now in its third edition), Crossing Arizona, the story of a 800 mile walk along the Arizona Trail, Walking the Yukon, the story of a 1000 mile walk through the Yukon Territory and The Munros and Tops, the story of his continuous round of all the 3000 foot summits in Scotland, the first time this walk had been done.

As well as the adventures described in his books, Chris has also done many other long distance walks abroad including the 2,600 mile Pacific Crest Trail, the 3100 mile Continental Divide Trail, 1300 miles south to north through Norway and Sweden and the first ever walk along the Canadian Rockies, a distance of 1600 miles. Chris is well-known as a writer for TGO magazine.

Although most people think of Chris as a walker, he has also led ski tours in Norway, Spitsbergen, Greenland, Lapland and other areas around the world. One of his recent ski touring adventures, exploring the backcountry of Yosemite National Park with his friend 'Igloo Ed', will form the basis of his lecture.

Chris is involved with several outdoor and conservation organisations and currently serves as the President of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland and the Vice-President of the Backpacker's Club.

Chris lives near Grantown-on-Spey in Strathspey in the Cairngorms National Park.