Page 17 - AMA Summer 2023

us by dinghy on the right side of a glacier snout, which looked like it would give good access to a number of peaks behind. We followed the moraine ridge above until forced on to the glacier then crossed to a steep northern tributary. This led up into a snowy basin and a slope up to a striking summit pyramid of snow and then a shaley scramble to the summit. The views from the top into the Watkins Mountains were mesmerising.
It was a late night back on the yacht and after moving into the left fork on the Jacobsen we took a hike up a hill at the head for the Fjord, which gave stunning views of the Lemon Mountains to the south, but was slightly marred by the noise of a helicopter moving kit from a stash on a beach in Jacobsen Fjord to a camp in Mikis Fjord to the south, where a mining company were doing some survey work.
After a late start we walked to a camp below a peak called Quests Tinde, hoping to climb it the following day, but during the night the wind got up and by morning clouds had moved in. With the weather looking like it was changing we returned to Lorana and decided to move north into Ryberg Fjord. The swell was big out in the
open sea, inducing some sea-sickness, but the clouds cleared and the sunshine returned. By evening we were at a safe anchorage deep inside the Fjord, which was lined with many do-able 1000m peaks easily accessible from the coast.
We spent three frantic days climbing two peaks from the first anchorage, before moving to another further inland and scaling a peak directly above that. Time stretched and events became dream-like. There was silence, with a beautiful golden light. At times it was hot. On the longest day we found polar bear tracks crossing the upper part of a glacier that led to a den dug into the snow, where a mother had nurtured cubs some weeks before.
On the final evening we had a barbeque on the beach in the setting sun, cooked the remaining meat and toasted the magical ending to our week in Greenland.
Epilogue
The Nigels and John did not get to see the volcano, as the eruption had finished by the time we got back to Reykjavik and Vicente sold Lorana to an Icelander, ending my sixteen-year association with the yacht spanning three different continents.
Vicente has recently obtained a bigger yacht in the south and is currently sailing up the west coast of South America hoping to get it back in Iceland for the end of summer 2023.
Nearing our third peak
SUMMARY
A yacht supported expedition to Jacobsen and Ryberg Fjords on the East Coast of Greenland from 13th to the 25th August 2022 commencing and finishing in Isafjordur, North West Iceland, comprising Vicente Castro, Nigel Crosby, John Hudson, Nigel Vardy and Simon Yates.
First ascent peak in Jacobsen Fjord (16 Aug 22): 1180m, N 68 degrees 15.177,’ W 31 degrees 12.040.’
First ascent 3 peaks in Ryberg Fjord:
• 957m, N 68 degrees 14.292,’ W 30
degrees 18.366’ (20 Aug 22).
• 1155m, N 68 degrees 12.405,’ W 30
degrees 13.664’ (21 Aug 22).
• 880m, N 68 degrees 14.667,’ W 30
degrees 19.737’ (22 Aug 22).
ARMY MOUNTAINEER / 17