Antartica, South Georgia, Royal Bay and Ross Glacier Area

Publication Year: 1985.

Royal Bay and Ross Glacier Area, South Georgia. Our team, David Craw, Peter D. Johnstone, Alan J. Knowles and I, was accompanied by a film crew, Bev and Rob Brown. We were landed at Royal Bay in early November and collected on Christmas Eve. We climbed the following peaks between 2000 and 3000 feet around Royal Bay: Mount Krokisius, Binary Peak, Pirner Peak, Neighbour Peak, Coffin Top, Mount Burley, Mount Fagan and Broken Peak; and around St. Andrews Bay: Mount Skittle, Szielaska Icecap and two unnamed peaks beside the Cook Glacier. Four first ascents were made of these peaks of 3000 to 5000 feet around the Hindle Glacier: unnamed northern outlier of Smokey Wall by Knowles and Johnstone, unnamed peak between Hindle and Weddell Glaciers by Craw and Knowles and two smaller peaks on the Hindle- Weddell divide. The Hindle Glacier, never previously visited, was explored and surveyed. We made ski crossings of the Weddell Glacier and of Ross Pass and the first ascent of two unnamed peaks between the Cook and Heaney Glaciers. Geological work was carried out on all trips away from the Royal Bay base. The film crew recorded expedition activities, the local wildlife, old whaling activity and the influence of the recent conflict on the island. During a stopover at Grytviken the team also traversed the Petrel Peaks and Mount Hodges.

Ian M. Turnbull, New Zealand Alpine Club