Lee Wood (born 1960) progressed through a normal UK education which led to an M.Sc at York University in 1988. In 2002 he gained the Royal Forestry Society 'Certificate in Arboriculture'. His working occupation has largely been in creation and maintenance of electronics and software, but the last post held in the UK (finishing July 2002) was in research at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Lee was at home in the English Lake District during his secondary school years. Recreationally, he has been active in mountaineering since 1980, often using running and fell-running to maintain fitness. Several years were stolen from this epoch in the pursuit of vol-libre, which led him to compete at national level in the UK hang-gliding league. Lee has trekked in Great Britain, New Zealand and the Indian Himalaya prior to his Pyrenean venture.

Regardless of occupation or recreational flavour, nature observation has always been a passion, especially in the domain of ornithology. Trees now also feature prominently after formal studies.

Karen Cooksey (born 1959) acquired a taste for travel before school days were over when her father accepted a post in Brazil. Five years there completed her secondary schooling which led on by degrees to an MSc at Manchester University and a career in teaching. She subsequently accepted postings of her own in Sudan and Spain where she taught english as a foreign language during seven years.

Having later served her time as a primary school teacher, she escaped to work for the National Trust as an Education Officer. Classroom and interpretation demand and develop writing skills, which have now become the sole basis of Karen's work; she is now a published author of books oriented for primary school tuition.

Karen developed her love for walking in the company of Red Rope club members, while based in Manchester. Experience gained in trekking the Corsican GR20 whetted her appetite for something bigger.