Meet an AMI Member Part 4

In our fourth and final (for now!) meet a member, we hear from Kristine Cruse about her life as a Mountaineering Instructor.



My climbing instructional career began in West View Leisure Centre, when I was a student at UCLAN. The wall was much smaller than it is now, and the only way to get ropes up was to solo. Needless to say ropes didn't get put up often.

After university I began to work at an Outdoor Education Centre in Lancashire, Hothersall Lodge and Awesome Walls in Liverpool. I continue to work in these places today, although not as often.

From this I started working towards my Summer Mountain Leader Award, then used this to lead treks aboard for companies such as Raleigh International and World Challenge.

Soon after getting my summer ML I realised I had the experience to apply for my MIA training. I remember greatly enjoying this course and learning loads.


Climbing at Pot Hole Quarry

The following year I applied for the Instructor Scheme at Plas y Brenin, which I was lucky enough to get. I worked hard that year on getting my MIA and working along side instructors like Tim Neill, Phil Douthwaite and many others helped a great deal.

Last winter I finally completed my Winter Mountain Leader, I had put off this assessment as long as possible then ended up enjoying it. We saw the Northern Lights while on night navigation and the solar eclipse on the walk out. We did have our fair share of bad weather too!

I run KC Mountaineering which is growing year on year. As most AMI members this is what I would most like to pursue. Through this I teach rock climbing, winter skills and navigational courses. I also give technical advice to some local school walls and set routes at indoor climbing walls.

Currently a substantial amount of my work comes from Duke of Edinburgh, this has the benefit of taking me to new places, that I may not have explored without this work.

The climbing I have always most enjoyed is big multi-pitch routes on large mountain crags such as Scafell and Cloggy. My other favourite is sea cliffs such as Gogarth and Lundy.

With my husband, Roger who is also an AMI member we enjoy a foreign expedition each year. Together we have climbed all over the world, some highlights are Island Peak Nepal, for our honeymoon. Huayna Potosi and Illimani in Bolivia. Although altitude sickness did prevent us reaching the summit on Illimani, not far from the top. We have also climbed in the Canadian Rockies in both summer and winter, in Tuolumne Meadows California and the Alps. Later this year we hope to go to New Zealand.

I hope to see you on the crag some time!

KC Mountaineering Facebook Page


Climbing on Lundy