Opus Energy takes on the 24 Peaks Challenge
Two
teams from Opus Energy
took part in the 2006 24
Peaks Challenge to raise money for Care International. The two teams were
each made up of four Opus Energy employees from various areas of the organisation,
including three Opus
company Directors. The eight climbers were assisted by an Opus Energy support
team who provided vital food and water supplies throughout the event.
The challenge involves climbing 24 peaks in two days (including Red Pike, Great Gable, Helvellyn, Great Dodd and Scafell Pike) – a total assent of over 2,400 feet! After completing the 3 peaks challenge the previous year the teams felt they needed something a little more challenging so when Opus we were told it was “one of the toughest challenges”, it was thought to be perfect, however the teams just didn’t realise quite how true that would turn out to be!
Opus Energy’s team members had a range of climbing experience from
those who had never climbed a mountain before to those who had completed
the 3 peaks challenge the previous year. It was decided to have a practice
climb two weeks prior to the challenge itself to prepare the teams for what
lay ahead.
So off the teams went to the Lake District for a one-day practice and were
lucky to have good weather: cold and windy but very sunny. Despite it being
incredibly hard 
work,
and a few blisters, scrapes, aches and pains the teams experienced some
amazing views from the top of the mountains and spirits were high for the
actual event.
The Challenge Itself
The teams arrived in the Lake District on the evening of Friday 1st September and after a reasonably early night got up at about 5:00 am to arrive at the starting point for 6:00 am. After safety briefings with the Care International team it was time to set off just as the sun was starting to rise.
As instructed all had rucksacks packed with waterproofs, head-torches, gloves, fleeces, sun hats, warm hats – pretty much prepared for whatever the weather decided to throw at the teams (or so they thought!) Those that had watched the weather report the night before had some idea of what the day ahead had in store.
The teams experienced about 30 minutes of pleasant weather before the rain started. Every time we thought the conditions couldn’t get worse, they did, with torrential rain and gale force winds. Despite being dressed in full waterproofs, everyone was soaked to the skin and bitterly cold within a few hours. Despite this, the Opus Energy climbers battled on to complete a number of peaks. Unfortunately the weather conditions persisted and the mountain guides made the decision to pull the teams off the mountain as the conditions became too dangerous to continue. Despite their walking boots barely having had a chance to dry out, all but one of Opus Energy’s climbers started climbing on the following day, setting off at 5:30 am, in almost total darkness, except the light from their head torches (I don’t think we really expected to have to use them!)
The
rain was already driving down at an amazing speed and the visibility was
limited to a few metres through the thick fog. The weather continued to
get worse over the next few hours and about half way through the day the
mountain guides were once again forced to pull teams off the mountain as
the conditions had become so dangerous. The teams both agreed that it had
been one of the toughest challenges they had experienced, working together
against the weather conditions and the mountains, but all were proud of
themselves for getting as far as they did and still raising over £10,000
for Care International.
With only half the challenge completed Opus Energy were determined to enter the 2007 24 peaks challenge and complete the challenge that they had started – click here to read about the 2007 challenge.