North America, Greenland, Ejnar Mikkelsen Fjeld, Watkins Mountains, East Greenland

Publication Year: 1971.

Ejnar Mikkelsen Fjeld, Watkins Mountains, East Greenland. A Scottish group, Andrew Ross, Graham Williams, Nigel Robinson and Peter Lewis, finally achieved what had been known to be a most difficult feat in approaching and climbing what was probably Greenland’s highest unclimbed peak. After waiting at Scoresby Sund for three weeks for the ice to clear, they finally set out south. down the nearly unexplored coast in a 17-foot open outboard-motorboat. Amazingly the ice conditions were excellent and they covered the 280 miles to Wiedemann’s Fjord in only four days. They were still 45 miles from Ejnar Mikkelsen Fjeld (10,700 feet). After five miles of moraine they sledged up the Kronberg Glacier to the base of the mountain. They then climbed, mostly on steep ice, for 78 hours with only six hours of sleep. They did not ascend the final rock obelisk which makes up the true summit. They were back on the coast after only six days. Behind schedule and short of fuel, they headed on south down the coast for 150 miles to Nordre Apoutoteq. After refueling they started back north but after two days were halted by pack ice. A storm arose but they managed to beach the boat. A Danish supply ship finally rescued them. An article and full details appear in Mountain of January 1971.

Staunings Alps. Nine expeditions were flown to the Staunings Alps by Dr. Malcolm Slesser’s charter flights. The Swiss party’s account follows but the British postal strike has prevented collecting details on many of the rest .Mountain of January 1971 gives a brief summary.