Page 25 - 2019 AMA Winter

Point Albion, First Ascent
finally started to feel ‘comfortable’ in the environment and so with one day remaining we gave the team members a choice of a day off, spent trying to eat the last of the rations or trying ‘one more route’. A few hardy souls volunteered, and a quick reshuffle of the teams led us to try ‘The Middle East Ridge’ of Pt 1450, another unclimbed objective that was only an hours walk from Base Camp. Duncan and his student took a direct line up the largest lateral moraine to access the ridge whilst I decided that the glaciated slabs might provide a more interesting (and physically easier). What ensued was 400m of superb grade 1 (2 in some spots) scrambling before a short snow gully led us onto the ridge above the moraines. We named this new route ‘The Falls of Flora’ after Bruce’s little girl whose birthday it was back in the UK. Now on the ridge properly we continued to climb until meeting Duncan and Struli descending. Sadly they had been forced to turn around
The Middle East Ridge
about 400m before the summit due to the nature of the route changing and becoming a lot more loose and technical. With only one day remaining of the trip and not wishing to push our luck any further, this was the right decision. We followed in their footsteps to their high point, built a small cairn and the descended safely.
The following day we waited for our boat pick up with tired bodies but happy hearts and listened to the sound of silence being broken occasionally by a newly ‘birthed’ iceberg being released into the fjord and onwards in its journey to the open sea.
Exercise Tiger ARRC was a truly ambitious expedition that was incredibly successful in terms
of achieving its stated aims, delivering JSAT qualifica- tions, building teams and the bonds of friendship. We were
also incredibly privileged in
Karale Glacier
ascending two previously unclimbed peaks, climbing a new route and narrowly missing out on another unclimbed route and peak.
From a personal point of view, it was a deeply satisfying expedition that stretched me as an instructor. Greenland has left a huge impression upon me, I cannot wait
until the next time!
ARMY MOUNTAINEER / 25