Expedition The Wall in Antarctica 2000-01 (part 3/5)

24 pictures posted on the 01.01.2009

"All the team of the Wall has reached the south summit without any trouble yesterday..."

© René Robert

  • There are 7 small tents and 2 big dome-tents, each tent has room for 2 persons
  • Walking from one peak to another
  • Choosing another peak that could replace the Holtanna was not easy task
  • We were arther lucky with the weather but it was very very cold...
  • On December 23rd, the decision to climb the north pilar of the Holtanna peak was abandonned
  • Soon after this decision it was time for a Christmas break
  • During that break, everyone was exploring the Orvin mountains Range
  • Sometimes even, we went for a two or three days excursion
  • After this mini holiday, back to the base camp
  • And back to the serious discussons. Where to go ? What peak to climb?
  • The the weather turned bad, stormy and windy
  • How about this mountain right there in the back ?
  • We had to wait for the return of the sun anyway
  • Decision is taken to divide the group in two
  • The ones who prepare the climbing and the other ones who go for it
  • Meanwhile others take some time to build an igloo for the latrine
  • The Holtanna south peak (less dangerous than the north pilar) seems to be ok for a last try
  • On December 28th, Hubert & Georges reach summit less 200 m
  • They used the occasion to fix some of the last ropes that should take the climbers to the summit
  • One should be aware that we climb
  • That's to say that each alpinist in turn climbs for a length of the rope
  • On January 2nd, Kathelijne van Heusekom, the PR of the expedition, announced :