Expedition Reports
Pre-expedition Reports
Iceland Transfer
Walking In
First Reports
Second Reports
Final Reports
Iceland Transfer
Walking In
First Reports
Second Reports
Final Reports
Final Reports
01:00 Saturday 14/08/04 Coming Home written by Tim Stewart
On Thursday afternoon, we flew out of Milne Land for Constable Pynt, where we have spent the last day and a half re-packaging everything for the return freight journey home. At 9am we will be leaving Greenland for a few days recovery time in Iceland. Paul has arranged transport this afternoon to the Blue Lagoon for everyone to sooth any aching muscles. Sunday and Monday we have free time to chill or look around Reykavik or the many wonders of Iceland. The final leg of the journey will be early Tuesday morning leaving the hostel to catch our return flight back to Glasgow.
Wednesday 11/08/04 Leaving Base Camp – Blackpool contingent written by Joe Ashworth
Tuesday started about noon for most of us. However Andy Brown (solar man) had been up tidying his gear for some time. Today we were leaving Base Camp. The camp would have to be cleaned to minimise our environmental impact. This would be no mean feat, after the camp had been inhabited by 29 people for 20 days. Sunday we’d had the big burn, but this fire place and the other bits left since then would need cleaning up. Not forgetting the superloo.
Our environmental stated all bottle and tins would be carried out, clean ash could be disposed of down a deep hole (crevasse). The fire however was not clean, it contained a mixture of ash, foil, plastic and unburnt waste. Cleaning and sorting this took six of us over three hours and significant quantities of waste needed another fire to reduce this and other waste since Sunday down to ash and transportable waste. The final carry out was 10kg, not including other waste which was removed by helicopter on Monday.
The rest of the day spent packing and eating, at 19:30 we left base camp knowing that we had done the best to minimise our environmental foot print, and that future parties using the site should see little evidence of us ever having been there.
The walk down was interesting. For most of us this was the first time we had seen the East end of Korridoren. My feelings were mixed, we have had a great mountaineering experience and friendships viewpoint, but I was sad to be leaving.
It was hard going with the heavy packs, but we reached the glacier about 01:30, unloaded the pulk and bedded down about 2ish.
The next day after leisurely start we headed down to the coast. Leaving through the end of the valley we saw Gyr falcons and logged their position for next years expedition.
Coming over the final crest we fired a single shot from our rifle to announce our arrival. We arrived in Beach Camp at 22:30, the last of our late arrivals.
Wednesday 11/08/04 Walk Out written by Clare O’Sullivan
Tim, Richard, Adam, Phil, Paul, Dave, Maria and I covered the 25km from base camp to beach camp looking like 7 D of E hikers. Tim won the competition for least amount of rucksack visible beneath extra equipment strapped on! We left base camp on Monday evening.
We made it off the glacier in 1 go, passing team saga who camped at the glacial snout, however at 5 in the morning we decided it was time to camp. The next 36hrs were spent sleeping, eating, relaxing and swimming in Tear Drop Lake.
The last 6km to the beach took us through beautiful green areas, fab but for the sweltering heat. All in all it was an excellent trip and quite a relaxed affair!
Friday 05/08/04 Guardian of Korridoren - revisited written by Maria Parkes
After several days tent bound from the rain, saga tours (Liam, Dave R, Andy Bl & Ray) plus apprentices (Andrea, Ken, Stuart S & myself) went for a relaxing bimble up the Guardian, closely followed by Dick, James and Stuart P on skis. An uneventful 4 hr stroll to the summit from Base Camp was followed by plenty of photos of the spectacular view from the summit and a quick bite to eat. We then returned in two groups with the moon now showing above the peak and the sun rising over the icebergs at the coast, and waited for the skiers to return.
The third ascent of the mountain by this expedition and a return visit for Liam and Andy who had climbed it the previous week. James repeated the trip the next day on skis again with Andy Br and Tom.