Name: Katie Comer
Mountain Experience: Many years!
Where did you grow up?: Dartmoor
Current Home City: Wherever I park my Renault Traffic van
Favourite Mountain: Cotopaxi, Ecuador
Favourite food to pack in your rucksack: Anything I can eat!
Favourite National Park: Outside of UK: Torres del Paine, Patagonia
Q. How did you become interested in the outdoors?
A. I was lucky enough to grow up in a pub on Dartmoor. My parents would kick me and my brother outside during lunchtime working hours so we learnt to be independent and develop a sense of adventure.
Q. What is one lesson the mountains have taught you?
A. We are so insignificant!
Q. Other than boots, if you had unlimited money to spend on one piece of kit, what would it be?
A. More boots?! I love boots. Other than that, a good outer shell is invaluable on those bad weather days although there is a rather nice belay jacket that I've got my eye on at the moment... And some technical ice axes... and some shiny new climbing equipment...
Q. What is one thing you pack in your rucksack, whatever the season and whatever the weather?
A. My emergency bag - first aid kit, whistle, survival bag, spare compass and space head torch
Q. What advice would you give to someone going out into the mountains for the first time?
A. Do your research, make sure you have suitable kit and the skills to stay safe. If you're unsure, use a qualified mountain guide as they'll take a lot of the potential stress out of the situation so you can just relax, learn from them, and enjoy the day.
Q. What is your favourite season to be out in the mountains and why?
A. All year! Why wouldn't you?
Q. Name three mountains on your bucket list.
1. Ama Dablam
2. Alpamayo
3. An 8,000m peak - not fussy, I'd just like to know if I can do it!!
Q. What do you do like to do keep fit when you’re not in the mountains?
A. I'm not very good at staying still, so in a moment of boredom induced insanity during lockdown I entered a half ironman which kept me busy. Also indoor climbing or coastal climbing if I'm stuck away from the mountains. Long distance trail running. And horse riding - I used to compete once upon a time.
Q. If you could go anywhere in the world that you hadn’t been, where would it be?
A. Alaska, but I'd do a road trip across Canada to get there.
Q. What is your favourite mountain/expedition/adventure book? (fiction/non-fiction)
A. Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know by Ranulph Fiennes is one of my favourites. He came to my primary school last century and talked about his polar expedition. Reading about it later, and at the start of my mountain leader journey helped to keep me inspired as I do love a good story!
Q. What is your favourite City Mountaineering memory?
A. Having a snowball fight in a ruined hunting lodge in the middle of the Cairngorms on day 5 of the Cairngorms traverse!! The weather was amazing, we'd just seen a herd of deer and a golden eagle. The previous days had been 'dig deep' tough and it was just amazing to be able to relax and unwind. Oh, and the beer in the pub at the end.
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Stuart Shipp
Founder, City Mountaineering
