New Greenland photography coffee-table book due

After five years of travel to the icy wilderness of the arctic regions of Greenland, I'm delighted to announce that my second book, a photographic account of Greenland across all the seasons and from the coastal hunting communities to the sterile icecap will be released in the early summer.

Pre-orders will be available from early April at a discounted price. The RRP is planned for £25.

Here are a few images to whet the appetite. (Unauthorised reproduction of images is strictly prohibited)

 

Icelandic Expedition Clarification

In the light of some extensive press interest and coverage regarding the attempted winter Vatnajokull crossing in Iceland, an open statement is issued below. Due to the sensationalist behaviour and reluctance to stick to facts by certain journalists, no further interviews will be given and this statement will be final.

On the 31st Jan, Alex and his team-mate set out from the junction of the roads 1 and F206 in order to cross the Vatnajokull from west to east in winter. Before even beginning the icecap crossing, 50km of lava fields and valleys would need to be crossed. By the 3rd Feb, this was achieved.

- The expedition proceeded on schedule and as planned for the first 7 days. Their final position was only 1.5 days from their chosen glacier, where they would descend off the icecap. They were on the ice for a total of 9 days, not 30 as reported in some places.
- The pickup by ICE-SAR was undertaken entirely in daylight hours
- There was no search. GPS coordinates accurate to 10ft were given and the skidoo team drove directly to our position.
- The ICE-SAR were thanked in person at the time and publicly in the initial press statement. Only one publication made the decision to print this part of the statement.
- Wet and cold conditions played no part in the decision to evacuate the team. Iceland in winter is wet and cold and the team were prepared for it, coping adequately throughout.
- Three separate members of the home team forecasted wind speeds of 120kph+ for the night of the Thursday. The team therefore asked for a Wednesday pickup during a lull in the wind.
- The tent was usually able to withstand high winds. Due to a change in wind direction during a period of 100kph wind, the tunnel design of the tent worked against it and part of it snapped and collapsed. Alex decided that this damage made it unable to withstand another major onslaught.
- A weather window of reduced wind was identified on the Wednesday prior to even higher winds.
- The tent canvas was not wrapped around the bodies of the team to keep them warm.
- Alex's UK-based team varies in size and type depending on the length and scale of the expedition in question. It can include logistics managers, experienced friends, members of his family and the family of other team members. In this case, it happened that he was in dialogue with his father, who naturally acted to activate the pickup.
- Press interest would likely have been much reduced should it have happened to be another member of his home team who made arrangements.
- The team had registered their PLB (personal locator beacon) with the radio administration and had notified the National Parks officials of their plans.
- The PLB was not activated due to adequate communication via phone.
- ICE-SAR offered to perform an immediate pickup. The team responded that they could secure the tent for the night to allow for a daytime operation.
- It is standard procedure to transmit vital information quickly and briefly to a home team via satellite phone and then let them make lengthier arrangements. This is due to limited battery power.
- The team was fully aware of the 112 Icelandic emergency number.

I hope that this answers many of the questions posed by interested parties and dispels some of the myths. Thanks again to all those involved with the expedition and evacuation. On a wider note, the only way to avoid the possibility of non-completion is to attempt easy challenges. This is not my style. The expedition will be relaunched in future years.

To escape criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. Elbert Hubbard

Back to the cold place in winter

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This winter brings the prospect of two interesting projects, both of which have been mentioned briefly over the past few months.

The first is a Greenlandic winter documentary I'm presenting along with a film crew comprised of the enormously talented trio of Kerr Loy, Adrian Samarra and Matt Pycroft. The blurb goes as follows:

“In the depths of the arctic winter, film-makers Adrian Samarra, Matt Pycroft and Kerr Loy will join Alex Hibbert in the Inuit communities and wilderness of Greenland.

They will produce a 30 minute documentary highlighting the lives and culture of the local villages as well as the spectacular and brutal conditions in this frontier nation. Combining highly creative camera techniques with a strong narrative with presenter Alex Hibbert, the team aim to capture a completely new angle on an amazing location.

The first instalment of a series, in Greenland, will tackle the notorious local weather, the northern lights, walking across fractured sea ice and travelling with local hunters as they work on the frozen sea with their dog teams. Adrian Samarra, Matt Pycroft and Kerr Loy are experienced and highly creative film-makers. Combining cutting-edge techniques with a keen attention to detail, they produce sequences which produce the ‘wow’ factor again and again. Their credits include the BBC, Kendal Mountain Film Festival, RAB and the BMC."

Following the period of filming in late January and after the film crew have returned to the UK, I'll be joined by a climber and outdoorsman friend in order to take on the notorious Icelandic Vatnajökull icecap in winter conditions. This expedition will be a full west to east crossing and will include a long approach and exit ski/hike instead of using local super-jeeps. Crossing the windy and heavily crevassed icecap in spring/summer is a major target but the darkness and tough conditions of the winter have inspired this expedition which will total over 120 miles of technical and complicated ice, snow and lavafields.

Supported by:

To contact Alex and team for free whilst on-location, follow this link and use this satellite number: 881632589071

Ultimate human range on a polar expedition

Me hauling 200kgThe topic of long distance polar expeditions has cropped up a few times over the past few days so I thought I'd write some of my thoughts down for discussion.

Whether travelling on sea ice (where limitations include negative drift, leads and pressure ice) or an icecap (where limitations include gradient to climb and glaciated/crevassed ground) there is a limit to the length of an expedition. This is most likely to be the 'haulable weight', so long as the daily calorie intake is sustainable.

I have found on expeditions in a variety of temperatures, conditions and with wide varieties of sledge weights, there is a threshold below which I felt weak and over which I felt strong. This was 5000kcal/day for me. Of course, some days are more physically demanding than others but averaged out, I've found that weight loss on a mid-length (20-50 days) to long expedition (50+ days) can be sustainable, controlled and non-disruptive on 5000kcal. There is always a balance to strike regarding having enough calories to perform the necessary work whilst not hauling too much. A lot of emphasis must be put on where these calories are from too - protein, carbs or fats. Also, vitamin and mineral levels must be maintained.

I have been able to create relatively palatable and tasty ration systems between 5000 and 5500kcal for 970-1050g per day. This means that, putting aside mental struggles on long expeditions and the chances of accidents occurring, an efficient and professional polar expedition should survive on 1kg of food per day indefinitely. This brings us back to haulable weight and although some would consider 100kg a heavy sledge - for committed long distance unsupported expeditions by a highly-trained skier, 200-250kg is feasible in the early weeks.

Taking into account equipment weight and fuel and assuming a sledge-max of 250kg, 200kg of food is reasonable. This equals 200 days of travel. The question then is how far can be skied in 200 days, including bad conditions, possible open water and gradients to climb?

I would argue ultimate human ranges for:

Spring/summer icecaps including coastal gradient and crevasses: 2400 statue miles @ 12 miles/day average

Spring/summer icecaps just on a plateau with minimal disruption: 2800 statue miles @ 14 miles/day average

Winter/spring travel on sea ice before a major melt sets in: 1600 statute miles @ 8 miles/day average

The major caveat is that these potentials are mathematical. Polar expeditions in their rawest form are brutal. These numbers don't take into account mental struggle with isolation, accidents, freak weather or broken equipment. 

Looking at the actual 'world-best' ranges currently set by unsupported expeditions, there is plenty of scope for pushing limits:

Spring/summer icecaps including coastal gradient and crevasses: 1374 statue miles @ 12.2 miles/day average

Winter/spring travel on sea ice before a major melt sets in: 1070 statute miles @ 9.8 miles/day average

Thoughts for a new year

The Norwegians at the South Pole 1911I'm not usually one for over-symbolising things like New Year - it's just another day after all. On this occasion though and given the scenes which occurred in the far South a century ago, here is one thought.

These are the words of Helmer Hanssen and Roald Amundsen, upon learning of the death of Scott's Terra Nova Pole Party:

I do not believe men have ever shown such endurance at any time, nor do I believe there ever will be men to equal it. Helmer Hanssen

Their deaths are more triumphant than most other lives. Captain Scott left a record for honesty, for sincerity, for bravery. For everything that makes a man. Roald Amundsen

I wonder how many victors of the modern day would act with such respect. It is my belief that the endurance, commitment and honesty which defines many of the pioneers does not have to be left behind in the 20th Century.

Don't let the standards slip.