North America, Greenland, Lauper Bjerg Attempt, East Greenland

Publication Year: 1988.

Lauper Bjerg Attempt, East Greenland. The British Tasilaq Expedition started with four members: Anthony Day, Stuart Raeburn, Nigel Topping and me. Unfortunately, Day had to leave the expedition early. Along with geological and glaciological studies, one of our major aims during our ten weeks in Greenland was to attempt the first British ascent of Lauper Bjerg (2580 meters, 8465 feet), first climbed by Swiss in 1938. After skiing 100 kilometers from Tasilaq Fjord, just south of the Arctic Circle, Raeburn, Topping and I reached the peak early on July 26. We decided to attempt a new route from the northeast, involving 1300 meters of ascent, long and committing, but technically straightforward. We skied to the foot of the climb that same day and made steady progress over mixed ground to the top of the subsidiary northeast spur, where I decided to return, allowing the other two to continue faster. Two abseils and scrambling down loose rock allowed Raeburn and Topping to work onto the northeast face. Unfortunately, when they were only 25 meters from the east ridge and a few hundred meters from the summit, they were were hit by an avalanche. Both had only minor bruises, but after twelve hours on the mountain, they decided to retreat. By August 4, we had safely returned to Base Camp on Tasilaq Fjord.

Graham Poole, Cambridge University, England