henshaws2antarctica

Some of you have contacted me asking for updates on the expedition. Arrangements were made for me to give regular blog entries via Satellite phone, unfortunately there were a few technical difficulties here in the UK, so my apologies.

Well, I'm back in Blighty and yes, it does seem a little like a dream, a fantastic dream! Antarctica is probably the last frontier on this planet, a truly amazing place where nature and the weather dictate everything.

We summited on 26th November in near ideal weather conditions, IE the weather wasn't going to get any better. We believe the temperature to have been negative 37 degrees Celsius. We had a light wind that probably gave a wind chill of a few degrees. So we summitted at a temperature where Celsius and Fahrenheit meet.

Back tracking, the international team (three Italians and American and an aging Englishman) left Base Camp loaded with ruck sacs and pulling sleds, roped for crevasse travel and set off up to and past Intermediate Camp heading up the Branscomb Glacier Eastwards then North under the West Face of Vinson and on to Low Camp. The crevasse hazard in this area is at it's greatest and although we are the first team to approach the mountain this season and the weather is still cold, minimising the possibilities of falling in to a crevasse, a fall could still be a potential disaster, so we are all roped in preparation to arrest any team member falling in to a crevasse.

Antarctica is a desert, surprisingly very little snow falls, it just gets blown around, the wind is ferocious and blows the snow which then freezes into 'waves' known as sastrugi. These ice waves have to be negotiated and if the sled loads are not packed low and correctly the sleds frequently role over, necessitating the whole roped team to stop. Rope travel needs patients and persistence.

We arrived at Low Camp just as the wind rose. From complete still blasts of icy wind came in strong gusts, strong enough to stop you in your tracks and cause you to turn your back against the blast. We learnt to listen for their approach and prepare ourselves.

It was under these conditions that we pitched out tents and cut snow blocks and built walls around the tents.

I am conscious that you will not want too much detail so I'll just give brief info to fill in from here to the summit and back.

There is an elevation of 1200 metres between Low and High camp largely gained via a Head Wall at a 45 degree angle. We climbed this Head Wall with full packs the going was not ideal, the snow was either very soft, causing us to slip back on each step, slabbed snow which cracked and slid down towards climbers below or ice. It was not possible to kick steps to make a 'staircase'. Hard work caused our goggles to become misted and some removed them resulting in snow blindness the following day, fortunately this was only temporary. After several hours we arrived at High Camp, a shallow hollow on a ridge looking back down to Low camp, the tents of which were inconspicuous black speaks.


Having rested a day, we set off for the summit. This was always going to be a long day, even our guide on the last of several steep rises leading to the fantastic summit ridge, could only take a few paces without resting. Gaining the Summit Ridge we knew we would be successful. The ridge is spectacular! We looked right to see Mount Shinn and left down the Branscomb Glacier. What a day! In 30 minutes we were standing on top of the highest mountain in Antarctica and one of the most remote mountains in the world and on a rare day when the weather was kind to us. We hadn't so much conquered the mountain, she and the weather had let us come to the top of her. We were the first team to visit her this season and the last for a further eight days. Having congratulated each other and taken the statutory picts we descended and as we did the wind rose. Several hours later we rolled in to our camp to eat and sleep. The following morning the ever present sun light was dull, caused by snow which very nearly covered our tents and this with high snow walls built around them. Before we could descend to Low Camp we had to spend several hours digging out the tents before packing them. We left High Camp at two pm descended the Head Wall, hiked to Low Camp, then having dismantled Low Camp, loaded our sleds we set off down to Base Camp, arriving some eight hours after leaving High Camp. That night we ate very well and even had beer to drink!

We flew out in the Twin Otter the following day at 11pm on glorious sun shine. There was a light breeze causing the snow to lift and hang in the air, in the sunlight, it looked as though there were a million diamonds in the air. Arriving back at Patriot Hills at midnight we again ate and at 3am, again in fantastic sunlight, we left Antarctica and flew North West to Chile in the Russia Ilshin. There were only nine people on board in this massive aeroplane, however we were accompanied by 2000 gallons of pee.

Antarctica is as near pristine as any place on this planet can be and every effort is being made by the Antarctica Logistics and Expedition company and all who visit to keep it that way. ALL trash, human excrement, pee and grey water is removed. Not a single scrape of paper, peanut, spent battery or item is left and long may it continue. It is also a very unforgiving place where attention to detail is paramount. Forgetting to cover your face quickly results in damaged skin. Frost nip and frost bite will get you if you remove your gloves.

If you are interested in hearing more about this trip then please do come along to one of the talks what we will be giving probably late January, (we will have all my gear there, plenty of photos, should be a good evening) or if you are interested in climbing the Seven Continental Summits, please don't hesitate to contact me.