Antarctica, Antarctic Peninsula, First Ascents in the Behrendt Mountains and Bean Peaks, and Other Activity

Publication Year: 2000.

First Ascents in the Behrendt Mountains and Bean Peaks, and Other Activity. In December and January, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Field Assistant Phil Wickens again made a number of ascents with his party in the course of their geological work. They were working in the Orville Coast region, an area never visited by non-government climbers but which has seen some previous ascents in the Latady Mountains by American scientists (reported in this journal). This area is at the extreme southern end of the Peninsula, on the eastern side, which is not accessible by yacht.

The party started in the Behrendt Mountains in early December, where they summitted five peaks, the highest being Mt. Hirman (1200m). They then moved to the Mt. Hassage area, summiting Mt. Hassage (1100m). Both these areas had previously been visited by scientists but no ascents have been recorded. The party then moved to the Bean Peaks in late December, where they climbed five peaks and nunataks, the highest being Carlson Peak (1289m). They also did some climbing on Cape Zumberge.

In mid-January, the group visited the Hauberg Mountains, where they climbed three peaks, the highest being Novocin Peak (1304m). This peak had been climbed by Americans Carrara and Kellog in November 1977, by the north ridge. Wickens’ group also made an interesting traverse of a six-kilometer long ridge in the northern Hauberg Mountains, which contained many peaks, the highest at 1300 meters.

Finally, in early February, the group visited the Wilkins Mountains, where two peaks were climbed, and then the Latady Mountains, where three peaks were climbed, the highest of them being McLaughlin Peak (1700m).

Damien Gildea