Union Flag on MT Whitney

01/01/2026

Why is it that most hiking or mountaineering gear for men is black, grey, dark blue. Why not red or orange, even fluorescent apart from anything else it's safer to be seen.
Are most men afraid of standing out in a crowd, weak minded introverts. I don't think so.
So Blacks, mountain warehouse, go outdoors etc get the manufacturers to get a grip. And while they are at it most don't produce ###L , so guys over 110kg can't get duvets or jackets big enough to wear a fleece under it.
An exception is Baerskin, they do big ###L's and some bright colours, funny enough, it is the bright colours that sell out fast.
I'd love a reasonably priced, to -15C or more jacket in scarlet with fluorescent trim or banding rain wind resistant and breathable.

21/12/2025

Had a try out walk with the ramblers, only 7 miles but I've done nothing really since returning from us.
My pulse peaked at 178 although it didn't feel that hard. But I subsequently found that the glass fibre of my prosthetic on the right had split and it was that giving me pain all day. I'll have to change legs and see how the others fit.
As far as the Ramblers is concerned I think I'll walk with them now most weeks until I'm walking git again

24/10/2025

The HST showing the bit I walked, to Buck Creek, there and back

29/08/2025

I did it — Ben Nevis, unsupported and on prosthetics.
On 19 August 2025, at the age of 69.4, I reached the summit of Ben Nevis as a double below-knee amputee.
It took me 10.5 hours to climb, carrying everything I needed, with no support team — just myself, my prosthetics, and determination. I descended to the halfway loch, camped overnight, and finished the descent the next morning in 7 hours.
This climb makes me the oldest known double below-knee amputee to summit Ben Nevis, and one of very few in history to do so. I’m also the first recorded to achieve it walking on prosthetic legs, rather than crawling.
I want to thank all the people I met along the way who offered words of encouragement. Their kindness gave me strength at tough moments.
To fellow veterans, amputees, and anyone facing challenges: age and disability don’t have to end adventure. With determination and resilience, the summit is always within reach.

06/06/2025

Calling all hikers, ex-military or serving personnel
Hiking the High Sierra Trail and Mt Whitney.
115 km length
8000 m ascent
7400 m descent

I'd like to find someone who can assist me in doing this adventure.
Maybe carry a couple of kg of food for me.
My dates are from the 26th Sept to 14th Oct. But you could arrive at the Lodgepole Visitors Centre as late as the 1st Oct and leave earlier at the finish too.
This hike takes most people 7 days, for me it will probably take me 8-9 days. Yes, I know a Royal Marine could do it in a day or two, but there's a reason it hasn't been done by a double amputee, because its hard.
So if you would like to do this bucket list hike, please get in touch. If you're Ex-Forces, we can probably get you some funding for the airfare. I'll pay the permits, campsite and food when you're with me.
[email protected]

26/12/2024

Blue Ridge Mountains
15 December 2024 | Home
Tim Griffith | Hot Humid

Blue Ridge Mountains

Virginia is huge, about 80% the size of England but has a population of an eighth of the UK. It's empty of people but full of trees, trees and more trees. The Appalachian Trail in Virginia is known as the Green Tunnel, and it is certainly that. Once on the Trail, you see very little, just the odd glimpse of majestic vista. You must leave the trail and go to the Blue Ridge Mountains Parkway Road Overlooks, as they call them, to see the best views. So I did that where I could, but got a guy I met, to drive me to the ones I could not reach after the walk, you see the results in the Photos.
In the end I walked for six days and one night on the Blue Ridge Mountains 80 miles, because there were areas where, in August the streams are dry, and there was no reliable source of water. A Park Ranger and a local advised me not to do those areas. On the first day I drank over 8ltrs while walking for 12 hours and another four with cooking and overnight drinks; but averaged 5-6 other days. The temperature was over 80F all day and 100% humidity. Very tough going, knowing if you don't make the next water you're probably going to die or fall from exhaustion/dehydration 1000s of feet from the narrow trail be unconscious and be eaten by bears. The second day was only 7 miles to the top near the Blue Ridge Mountains (BRM) parkway, but like doing Edale to the Kinder up Grinds brook 4 times in a row. I was so exhausted from the two days but continued to the next shelter about 12 miles for the day, (they are at approximately 10 miles intervals), although I slept in my tent. I got an Uber to deliver food and water, 2 large steak sandwiches and fries with salad and about 8 litres of water. I slept 6pm to 7am. The next day I walked the next shelter and then down the parkway to a hotel on the top, Otters Lodge, a 16 mile day. A shower and good food and several cold beers. The following day I got a lift to the start of the Apple Orchard trail then walked to Apple Orchard Mountain and back on the Appalachian Trail trail. I then walked all day and night with a couple of rests, mostly down hill to the James River and back on the BRMP to a camp ground Otter Creek. That made a 21/22 mile day/night hike. My stumps and hip were very sore, got tent up and fell asleep. Woke in the afternoon and found a café and beer. The owners wife went of to a shop to get a steak for me, I'd eaten 2 burgers already. Three beers later I had a wonderful steak meal, the owner wouldn't let me pay for it. The next day I got an Uber up the BRM Parkway to rejoin the Appalachian Trail, missing out the dry areas, at a place called Love. From there 22 miles to the end of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Rockfish Gap which I did in two days, a 15 and a 7 miles day. I got a room in Staunton for a couple of days to recover.
So back to DC, I had planned to then fly to Fresno and do the 72-mile High Sierra Trail, but temperatures were very hot. When queuing to get tickets to go up the Monument, I got talking to a couple from Fresno who said it had been more than 110F at night and that the AC couldn't cope. Over the next two days, temperatures were up to the mid-90s at Lodgepole Visitors Centre where the HST begins at 6500'. Well, half the oxygen and those temperatures and me being a double amputee using up to 3 times the energy, that's a recipe for a heart attack, so I cancelled my reservations and flew home.

However, I have booked flights and hotels for 2025 flying in late September and returning in mid-October, including up to 5 nights acclimatising/camping at Lodgepole camp site and up to 10 days hiking, although, I think I should do it in 6 days. The 72 mile High Sierra Trail, includes summiting Mt Whitney, which will be a first for a male amputee and any double amputee.

30/07/2024

Only a week to go before I fly out to USA.
Blue Ridge mountains
High Sierra Trail including summitting Mt Whitney

04/07/2024

For King and Country, Limbless Veteran to Climb Mt Whitney

My blog is now updated for this year adventure

Hi I

20/03/2024

My name is Tim Griffith, I'm a 5th generation Royal Artillery Veteran and double amputee of 37 years. I've never been unemployed and since leaving the Army, I have been a highway design and maintenance engineer worldwide; although I retired 3 years ago to take the disabled, veterans and their families sailing in Greece.
At the first English amputee games in 1988, I won 7 medals breaking several records. I was the first British double amputee to run a mile. I climbed to E3/4 being the world's leading amputee climber for several years. I have done many first ascents of mountains by a double amputee including 1992 Mt Blanc, 1993 the Eiger, the Matterhorn and Mt Kenya and many others including in 2019 Mt Elbert CO USA, the 48 states' 2nd highest mountain I have also climbed Massive Mt 3rd, Mount Rainier 5th, Pyramid Peak CA amongst others. I was in the Buxton Mountain Rescue Team and taught climbing/mountaineering in the Army.

My next goal was to climb Mt Whitney 14505ft, the highest mountain in the 48 states in the Rockies in California but this was delayed by Covid and personal injury, breaking my wrist and dislocating my thumb racing yachts singlehanded in the Med. Currently, our team is me, a double below-knee amputee DBK, and Ray Evans a single below-knee amputee SBK (super Iron Man contestant internationally).
As far as we can find out from Google and the National Park Service USA, Mt Whitney has not been climbed by any double-leg amputee although a single amputee female did climb it in 2017. No British or European amputee has climbed it either. So I thought, wouldn't it be great if a British double amputee was the first to climb the 48 states' highest mountain and my BLESMA colleague Ray, who is a single amputee, would be the first male single and Europe's first single amputee to summit Mt Whitney. Both Ray and I have recently walked the Pennine Way 270 miles, solo and unsupported. Incidentally, British Veteran amputees were the first to climb Mt Denali and Mt Aconcagua, the highest mountains in North and South America.
The Plan, is to fly to Washington Dulles on the 6 August and stay 1/2 nights in DC depending on arrival time. We will then travel to Roanoke Virginia by bus/train, spend a night in a hotel and the following day set off on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. We intend to walk 130 miles over the Blue Ridge Mountains section of the trail from mile marker 732-864. The reasons for doing this are:- 1st it has not been done by a double amputee or British amputee, 2nd it's great training as in that 130 miles we'll climb about 25000 ft and 3rd it is beautiful and relatively safe.
We will be back in DC on the 20 August and fly to Fresno California on the 21st of August. We must buy bear-safe equipment there and restock with rations etc. We then get a LYFT to Kings Canyons Grant Grove Village on the 22rd and collect our permit from the Park Ranger office on the 23th. At present, the road to Cedar Grove is closed due to landslides but if it's reopened, we will get the bus to Cedar Grove and camp for 1 night. If not, we will bus to Lodgepole Visitor Centre and walk from there. In both cases, it's around 70 miles to Mt Whitney trailhead (Google says less but it doesn't follow the tail) with similar terrain. We think it should take 6 or so days, but I'm adding an extra day at each end for unforeseen matters like bad weather. So, we should be at Mt Whitney trailhead by the 30th. Stay in a motel in Lone Pine that night and then travel to Los Angeles, this is the hardest part of our adventure. a long 8-hour bus journey. Fly back to the DC and on the 3rd of September back to UK.
Amputees use far more energy than normal people to walk, a single below knee from 1.2-1.8 times and a double from around 1.8 to 3.8 the higher end going up or downhill, add to that because of this we use more oxygen and so it gets more difficult above 10000ft, so a walk in the mountains is beneficial in aiding acclimatisation. Dangers, Bears, weather, fires and other people. The reason for going in August is that we are unlikely to get snow but if we do or get into difficulty there are two ranger stations along the trail. We will carry Bear spray, it's also good for dangerous humans and space blankets good for warmth and hiding from a fire. The trails are well maintained but there are some parts which have dangerous big drop-offs, so the team must get enough food and water, so they act responsibly. As the double, I'm going to be the slowest so Ray will carry more to even us out. There is plenty of water, and we have "Water-to-Go" filter botles, which hugely reduces the loads we must carry.
Itinerary:
✈️London/Manchester - Washington Dulles 06.08.24
🏨Comfort Inn Herndon-Reston 06.08.24-08.08.24 depending on when the flight arrives. We need a day to organise and buy rations and equipment.
🏨Washington Dulles Airport Comfort Inn Herndon-Reston 2o.08.24-21.08.24
✈️Washington Dulles Airport - Fresno l Airport 21.08.24
🏨 Lodgepole camping Sequoia National Park, 64740, 23.08.24-25.08.24
🏨Hotel Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica 31.08.24-02.09.24
✈️Los Angeles International Airport – Washington Dulles 02.09.24
✈️Washington Dulles - London/Manchester 03.09.24