Page 20 - 2022 AMA Summer

EXPEDITIONNEWS
The team hating every minute
only be described as ‘Ray Mears Chic’. Rather than discretely blending into to the mountain environment with the latest ‘Teryx, ‘Gonia or Norrøna, Dave looked like he was off to a Ray Mears Appreciation Society meeting. Under a Sami teepee. Or something. Nothing was too olive green or grey. Tragic. How was this great bloke to progress as a ski-tourer? Not to mention his pack. Oh dear! If any pack said ‘1980s West Highland Way walker’, it was that pack. It even had...side-pockets. Really. But, if there is any proof in the value of Level 3 adventurous training, fast-forward two Lyngen ski-touring expeditions later and the man is now a Ski Leader 1, with more Dynafit and Norrøna in so many clashing colours, he’d bring a proud tear to the eye of any Italian ski-tourer. From DRAGON’S TROLL 16 to DRAGON’S TROLL 18, he’s gone from ‘Ray Mears Chic’ to ‘Fishing Float Chic’ in three expeditions. Just superb. We’re proud of you ‘Dave’, just so proud...
FRIDAY 13 APRIL 2018
Rissavàrri (1251m). A classic Lyngen start to the touring day, as the expedition crossed the Lyngen fjord on the Lyngseidet to Olderdalen ferry. A short drive along the fjord, and both parties headed-up Rissavàrri. The mountain’s name probably doesn’t mean ‘the hill of the false summits’ in Finnish but if it isn’t, it should be. But the mountain eventually relented and both groups met at a chilly summit for the ski down. Fairly unforgiving snow meant a bit of a contest to get back to the cars and after the traditional Lyngen fight through the forest at the base of the hill, everyone popped out of the tree-line to a gentle ski back to the cars. A first Lyngen summit-to-sea day for most of the group, and still a superb experience for all.
Taking it all in!
20 / ARMY MOUNTAINEER
Kit Calvert, Loz Browne, Andy Sexton, Killian Hurley, Dan Ciborowski and Will Rouse on the summit of Fastdalstinden (1275m)
SATURDAY 14 APRIL 2018
Russelvfjellet (794m). A now traditional DRAGON’S TROLL introductory tour, the avalanche conditions very much dictated the choice of this route, and Richie decided on ‘Russell Phillips’ on the northern part of the peninsula. It started as a promising day but on reaching the mountain’s first top, the visibility became very poor. Reluctantly, the party descended down the mountain but still enjoying the superb views east to Uløya island and deep into the Lyngen Alps. The area at the base of Russelvfjellet gave the group ample space and opportunity to work through group shelters with Richie setting the majority a task of building a quinzhee shelter, whilst he and I constructed a one-person snow cave. After finishing the quinzhee and looking at the snow-cave, the party skied back to the car where Paul Tate managed to find a tunnel under the fjord-side road, which meant the group’s skiing literally stopped on the beach. Again, a great experience for the Lyngen first-timers.
SUNDAY 15 APRIL 2018
Fastdalstinden (1275m). Certainly, a short journey to the start of Fastdalstinden, as the mountain is just outside Lyngseidet. A good climb, initially quite challenging for the SF3 personnel, which gave everyone a chance to use their ski-crampons. A real big-mountain feel for these new ski-tourers with slopes up to 30˚, so Richie took everyone through avalanche consid- eration. Good progress was made with a real treat of no false summits, and with the summit being in clear sight for much of the climb. A good day to go through route selection and especially the effects of solar loading on the snow-pack. All good SF3 stuff.
MONDAY 16 APRIL 18
Storhaugen (1142m). A great mountain in the Kåfjord area with a straightfor- ward skin up, and superb views from the summit. As it is located on the opposite side of the Lyngen fjord, Storhaugen gave the group another opportunity for a short