Glacial travel and over a pass
- 2 minutes ago
- 1 min read
Yesterday the team traveled up the Dronbreen Glacier. They ascended around 1800 ft / 550m to reach a mountain pass and then descended a little before making camp.
Traveling on a glacier often requires being in a rope team to protect the skiers from crevasses. This is exciting, but it also requires a lot of communication and plenty of attention to the rope. It involves a whole new set of skills that, once learned, allow you to explore glacial terrain and go deeper into the wilderness.
For most of the ascent the team had whiteout conditions. This means that there was almost zero visibility and they would not have been able to see the mountains they were passing or the glacial terrain ahead. Navigating in a whiteout can be tricky but there are some techniques that make it possible including GPS, a chest mounted compass and ribbons on ski poles to show the wind direction.
As they approached the top of the glacier the weather cleared and they had a "totally mesmerizing " vista of surrounding mountains and the valley below. It felt like they had come out of a ping pong ball and into an incredible world with so much to see.
They began the descent of the Rugaasfonna Snowfield and the Kokbreen Glacier before making their third camp. It was their coldest night with a steady wind coming down the glacier but everyone is feeling very grateful to be where they are.
Check back again soon for another update!