The expedition aims to make the first ascent of an unclimbed peak in Stewart Valley situated on the North East of Baffin Island. The highly experienced team of 3 includes (left to right) Mike 'Twid' Turner, Mark Thomas and Mountain Equipment Pro partner Stu McAleese.
Twid tells us more...
"Main Objective is the slender pillar on the left hand side of the below image.
The second back up objective is the Middle peak in the picture. Approaches are about 800m height elevation. Walls 1200m vertical plus ridge to summit 400m
Objective and aims of Expedition
To make a first ascent of an unclimbed peak and Big Wall in the Stewart Valley, off the North East Coast of Baffin Island. Canadian Territories. The Big Wall will be a mile vertical of granite rock. The walls drop straight into the Fjord and are accessed by skidoo from Clyde River. The climbs will be of extreme difficulty some free climbing and some aid climbing. The climb will follow a major line up the huge face.
The team expect to spend at least 21 days on the route. Most of the time, the team, will living on the wall on Portaledges. Portaledges are hanging camp beds 6x4 feet (double) surrounded by a hanging tent.
The climb combines extreme conditions (average temp minus 15-20) and climbing. The landscape is frozen ice with Polar bears wondering past. The ice this far North of the Arctic circle only melts for a few weeks each summer. The back drop to the massive walls is the endless flat frozen sea ice stretching to the North Pole. The Fjords all have massive walls dropping from mountain ranges bordering their edges. These walls are some of the highest sweeps of rock in the world. ‘Polar Sun Spire’ is the largest Big Wall in The Americas 2000m drop. One and a half miles of vertical wall. 30 times the height of ‘Castle Elin’ (50m) at Gogarth!
The Sail Peaks are where we aim to climb. ‘The Sail Peaks’ are based around the Stewart Valley. The valley is an extension of the North arm of the Sam Fjord. The Stewart Valley is lines with massive unclimbed Big Walls. Twid climbed in the valley in 1996. The second team (one yr later) to climb in this amazing spot. Super remote the ‘Stewart’ sports some of the greatest challenges left to the Big Wall climber. A least half a dozen major walls totally unclimbed. Routes on a world stage of a major importance. Any new route will be a Big deal in the mountaineering world."
The Big Walls team set out on the 2nd May'10
For more information and all the latest news checkout http://www.baffinbigwalls.com
