| Icecap Season Fast Approaching... 1 April and the expedition season begins. It's a busy year with some exciting projects lined up. Whilst the teams are making final preparations, training and fattening up, we at GES are surrounded by mounds of freeze-dried food, more gadgets than you can count and maps with red lines bi-secting them. As we approach the season, we will highlight some of the teams and their objectives. Watch this space. |
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Schweizerland Expedition home with 2 First Ascents The expedition ascended the Karale Glacier from sea level, and climbed some stunning alpine peaks before traversing the range and descending to Tuno- a summer first?
After a fast boat ride through the fjords, starting at 3am, we cooked breakfast on the lateral morraines of the glacier in perfect weather with views out over the mountains. A couple of days load-carrying and sled-hauling reached basecamp (the second of which it rained). An ascent of an easy ridge line gave extensive views over the cirque, highlighting a number of possible classics amongst what are generally complex mountains. The next days were then spent making ascents, with a half day of ski touring when we had one bad day of weather. James Brain and Will Kumar also made an fine independent first ascent. We bit the bullet and decided to try a challenging traverse of the range to gain the glacier that drops into Tuno, the fjord in which we agreed to meet the boats. The glaciers proved to make reasonable travel, with some winding through a number of crevasse fields. At 700m above sea level, we encountered bare ice, and after one final camp on the glacier, carried big (BIG) packs down to the terminus and out through a beautiful valley system. After a long day of icy stream crossings we finally reached the shores of the fjord and enjoyed the lush vegetation that grows in the area. A full report will be put on the website soon.
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| East Coast Sea Kayak Expedition Return to Scoresbysund The plan was to paddle 600 miles from Scoresbysund to Tasiilaq. Almost a month south, the team have had to return north.... read more
"This is undoubtedly one of the most inhospitable coastlines in the world and we will be exposed to considerable risk from strong and unpredictable winds and weather conditions. Pack ice will hinder our progress, at times forcing us to drag the kayaks over thickly congested areas of ice to find open water. Large Icebergs, which have an affect on coastal currents, present considerable dangers when forced to paddle close or under them as they have a nasty habit of toppling over. Polar Bears inhabit this area and add an extra dimension to the precautions that we must take." Martin Rickard - Expedition Leader. For more info on this brilliant trip, click on the link below. Best of luck to the expedition.
source: seakayakinguk.com
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| 8 First Ascents for Cambridge University Expedition After over 5 weeks on the ice, beards and dirty clothes were only some of the results of a, by all accounts, busy and successful trip. The team of 4 report back that they found huge new route potential. Travelling up from sea level, the team snow-shoed through the area, ascending both mixed as well as rock routes. Only one of the summits they reached had previous visitors (who ceremoniously left a sardine can?!). In the run-up to, and throughout, the expedition, the team got lots of footage for a BBC Video Nation documentary, the first part of which can be viewed here. To read the team's diary, check out the website. |
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| Extreme South Team heading for Greenland Icecap 2 medical students who will attempt an ambitious route sled-hauling to the South Pole, then kiting out to Hercules, are shortly heading for the Icecap to prepare for their trip. Travelling up from sea level near our Basecamp on the East Coast, GES Guide Matt Spenceley will provide training on both crevasse safety and rescue as well as cold weaher expedition techniques. Have a look at the expedition website. |
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Double Icecap Crossing and a New Record A team of 4 British women have just made a double crossing of Greenland's Icecap. Over 15 days, they skiied from Kangerlussuaq to the Hahn Glacier, where they picked up a depot of food and fuel. The plan was then to wait for favourable wind conditions before launching on a return crossing, this time using kites. The goal was to beat Paul Landry and team's record of 6 days, 23 hours. Sadly, an unseasonable lack of wind meant that the kites hardly came out of the sleds. With the very real threat of missed flights, the girls then put in a blisteringly fast crossing. Respect! For more info, check out the Arctic Foxes website.
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| GES to the North Pole 3 of Greenland Expedition Specialists' Guides reached the geographic North Pole at the end of April. Nina Alpinice, Jon Russill and Matt Spenceley formed part of the guiding team that completed the expedition as part of the pilot for the Scottish Polar Academy. The brainchild of South Pole veteren Craig Mathieson, the Academy will take Scottish youths through a 3-stage process- starting on a week's training in the Scottish Highlands, successful candidates will then head for Greenland for an exciting short expedition that will form the basis of training for a small group to attempt to reach the Geographic North Pole. Read dispatches here. |
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South Expedition training trip a successBen Saunders and
Tony Haile have successfully completed their training trip on Greenland's Icecap. This Winter, they'll head south to attempt to ski, unsupported, to the South Pole and back.