Paul Stern Land Expedition (leader: Paul Walker)

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Saturday 22nd May

Group arrived safe and well with no problems this afternoon. It's a bit windy but weather fine otherwise, setting up camp and hoping for a good day tomorrow. Our landing site and basecamp is at an altitude of 1540m.

Monday 24th May

The group managed to do 3 peaks last night! We left camp at 19.50 and arrived at the top of our first peak at 3 hours later, after 2 more summits we finally arrived back at camp at 03.10. The first was Copperknob 1890m, then Weisko 2000m and finally Bruno 2050m. We are planning to move basecamp tonight and the weather is good.

Tuesday 25th May

The group moved camp last night, we set out at 19.45 and arrived at 03.15. Unfortunately we have had to stop a little short of where we wanted to be due to many crevasses and it was not safe to continue. We are now camped at an altitude of 1445m. We have had a rest  today and spent the day establishing camp. Weather is still fantastic and very warm in the sun.

Wednesday 26th May

Last night 3 of the team went to look at a route on an unclimbed peak. Jim, Sandy and Geoff were out for 6 1/2 hours but unfortunately had to retreat from their peak as there was a steep rock band that they were unable to ascend.

Today the team set out at 05.00 to recce a route up Arken a very prominent peak that we are very keen to climb. We returned at 09.10, it was rather slow going due to the whole area being heavily crevassed.

Thursday 27th May

Today Paul, Robin and Willem went out for a short ski tour for about 3 1/2 hours to a moraine and a frozen lake. They set off about 14.20 and returned to camp at 17.50. This evening the remaining team of Jim, Sandy and Geoff set out at 19.30 and returned 6 1/2 hours later having retreated on an unnamed peak SW of Daenbelbjerget. The weather is still beautiful blue skies and warm sunshine. The team are hoping to make an attempt on Arken tomorrow evening.

Friday 28th May

At 21.30 the team moved over the glacier to the base of Arken.It was a difficult crossing due to crevasses and weak snow bridges and they took 2 tents with them to make an advanced camp. They arrived at 00.00 and at 01.00 all but one set off up Arken, they got two thirds of the way up but has to retreat due to poor snow conditions and crevasses. They arrived back at their advanced camp 10 hours later at 11.00. It was however a beautiful night with a cloud inversion that included camp.

Saturday 29th May

A foggy horrible day. We left our advanced camp and retreated back across the glacier at 21.15.  We arrived safely back at our previous camp at 23.00 by following our outward track.

Sunday 30th May

Paul, Robin and Willem set out at 16.30 to do a second ascent of Bruno, one of the first peaks we climbed but via a new route. They arrived back at camp at 22.00. Jim and Geoff managed a first ascent of Daenbelbjerget 2341m in fog and light snow. They had a very long day setting off at 19.30 and returning 15 hours later later 10.30!

Monday 31st May

The weather has been very murky with poor visibility all day. We set out at 22.25 to our landing site base camp, arriving at 00.10.

Tuesday 1st June

Beautiful day again today but after all the hard work of the previous days we are having a rest day!

Wednesday 2nd June

Another blue sky day. The team have moved up the glacier to a new high camp at 1640m setting out at 13.30 and arriving at 16.00. The plan is to go for a second ascent of Mount Arrarat tomorrow.

Thursday 3rd June

The group set out for Mount Arrarat at 13.20 today. The weather was beautiful and calm on the mountain all day, it was a 4 man team we left Willem (a geologist) on the scree where he could do some rock examination and Geoff stayed in camp where it was windy all day. The team returned to camp, 10 1/2 hours later at 23.50.

Friday 4th June

Rest day. The weather is still beautiful but with a cold light wind today.

Saturday 5th June

Jim, Sandy and Robin skied to a 2080m unclimbed peak at the edge of the icecap. They set out at 11.30 summited the mountain at 15.25 departing at 16.00, arriving back at camp at 18.45.

Sunday 6th June

On yet another glorious day we unfortunately had to leave to return to our Twin Otter pick up point. We left at 11.30, arriving at 12.45. The snow now is very warm and soft and many crevasses are opening up. We all made it back safely and are awaiting our collection back to Iceland tomorrow.