North America, Greenland, Kronpriz Frederik Bjerge, East Greenland

Publication Year: 1991.

Kronpriz Frederik Bjerge, East Greenland. This British expedition, led by Stan Wooley, successfully climbed and explored in the Kronpriz Frederik Bjerge, south of Kangerdlugssuaq Fjord. The other members were Dr. Ian Campbell, Ted Courtney, Rob Ferguson. Jim Lowther, Mike Parsons, John Richardson, Dave Wooley and I. The area appears to have been visited only once before by ground parties, namely by members of Lawrence Wager’s expedition of 1935-6. (See Geographical Journal, Vol. XC, N° 5 November 1936.) We were flown by ski plane on July 18, landing at 67°57'N, 34°45'W. The next day was spent climbing two small nunataks (68°00'N, 34°43'W and 67°58'N, 34°42'W) before splitting into two parties for a sledging and climbing journey of four weeks. Stan Wooley, Campbell, Courtney and Richardson took a line mostly close to the edge of the icecap and made the first ascents of the following peaks: small nunatak (68°03'N, 34°52'W; c. 2050 meters); Panoramanunatakker (68°13'N, 43°28'W; an extended mountain two of whose summits were climbed including the main summit of 2400 meters); P 2300 (68°18'N, 33°52'W); P c. 2100 (68°00'N, 34°05'W); P c. 2300 (68°04'N, 33°57'W); Peak (67°57'N, 34°28'W; westernmost of three prominent rock peaks); and Peak (67°58'N, 34°24'W). Ferguson, Lowther, Parsons, Dave Wooley and I mean while took a lower line and made ascents as follows: the highest point of an extended massif (68°09'N, 34°19'W; c. 2500 meters); P c. 2400 (68°12'N, 33°13'W), subsidiary summit of Redkammen (named in 1936 by Deer and Fontaine “Comb Mountain”); P c. 2130 (68°08'N, 33°27'W); P c. 2600 (68°07'N, 33°35'W); P c. 2600 (67°58'N. 33°50'W) P 2400 (68°01'N, 34°03'W; an obvious trapezium-shaped nunatak); P 2600 (67°57'N, 33°57'W); and P 2400 (67°50'N, 34°06'W), the finest rock peak of the area of Matterhomshape. We retreated from a prominent snow peak at 67°64'N, 34°27'W in the face of dangerous snow conditions. On August 13, we reassembled at the landing strip and before flying out on August 15 climbed P 2200 (68°00'N, 34°46'W) and P 2300 (67°59'N, 34°54'W), both on the edge of the icecap.

Philip Bartlett, Alpine Club