A seven-member British expedition has recently returned from making 13 first ascents in the little-explored Saven Range of North East Greenland
Greenland veterans Geoff Bonney, Jim and Sandy Gregson had been attracted to the Saven Range during two previous expeditions to Paul Stern Land, which lies 25km south.
Together with four 'younger climbers'; Steve Allsopp, Vernon Needham, Steve Wilson and Simon Yates, Bonney and the Gregsons were airlifted from Constable Pynt to the west end of the Alfheim Glacier, north of the range, where they set up base camp -dubbed Camp Jetstream - at c1,900m.
Saven is Danish for Saw, and the range was named as such by geologists after to its appearance - a row of regular teeth when viewed from the south.
Thirteen peaks were climbed by a variety of ridge lines, icy north faces, and rock of variable quality. From the summits distant views included the peaks of Paul Stern Land and the expansive inland ice cap to the west, where isolated nunataks pierce the surface.
New peaks were given unofficial names derived mostly from Norse mythology, and ranged in altitude (GPS and altimeter readings) from 1,862m Pt Gimli to 2,225m Breidablikk.
By the time of departure fresh snow had given the mountains a wintry look, and in the time it took to load gear onto the Twin Otter, the ski undercarriage had frozen fast to the glacier.
Salvation appeared in the form of shovels and a large mallet - to 'crack' the skis free - and after hurried refuelling in Constable Pynt, the team was on route to Iceland. Two days later they made a timely exit: whilst in the air during the flight back to the UK, the Grimsvotn volcano blew its stack.
Gregson has recently completed a book on his many Greenland expeditions. Echoes from the North - Twenty Years of Expeditions and Exploration, will be published later this year by Carreg, with a forward by John Beatty.
Gregson also reports that Tangent Expeditions International, the UK's premier commercial operator in Greenland, servicing mountaineering, skiing, snowboarding and trekking, has just launched its wholly-owned snowmobile service based at Constable Pynt in North East Greenland.
This is centred on the company's own Weatherhaven base adjacent to the airstrip and will allow Tangent to transport groups and equipment into a wide choice of mountain locations throughout the region of Scoresbysund, including Milne Land, Renland, and all Liverpool Land.
Transportation costs will be significantly lower than for equivalent trips that would normally require Twin Otter or helicopter access.
As this opens new possibilities for mountaineering, ski touring and extreme skiing, Tangent anticipates this side of the business will increase in popularity.
The photo is taken from the slopes of Peak Surt, looking past the rounded Breidablikk to the huge glacier of Rolige Brae.
« Back