Ascents of Cone and Dome Peaks and Gunnbjorns. The first Spanish Expedition to the Gunnbjorns Fjeld went to Greenland with the goal of climbing to the top of the highest summit of the Arctic. The team was: Jake Molins, Marc Bernat, Monica Belenguer, Robert Rodergas, and Josep Pujante as an expedition leader. We departed from Akureyri (Iceland) on July 2, refueling in Isafjordur, and landed in Greenland. We camped near the valley at the west of the icefield (a continuation to the north of the Rosenborg Gletscher). We took special care for environmental conservation, keeping all garbage in big bags. On July 3, we made an exploration around the area, but the weather was stormy, so we went back to the base camp. We were forced to wait because of a big storm of snow and strong wind until July 5, when the weather seemed to be getting better. After a new exploration of a neighboring valley (behind the spur, on the northwest), we could see that that was the right valley to climb Gunnbjorns. On July 6, we set up Camp I in that valley, and on July 7 Josep Pujante climbed the twin peaks of Cone and Dome (3650 meters, aneroid altimeter). On July 9, four members tried to make an attempt at Gunnbjorns. The weather changed and a storm began but Josep Pujante got to the summit (3689 meters) at 8 a.m., after six hours skiing from CI to the South Col and then climbing with crampons and ice axe by the Southwest Ridge. He reached the top of Gunnbjorns solo, the first ascent for Spain and Catalonia.

Dr. Josep A. Pujante, Spain