On the 29th of September 2009, Tarka L´Herpiniere (28) and Katie-Jane Cooper (30) completed the longest crossing of the Southern Patagonian Ice Cap by a British team. In addition, Katie-Jane’s extra-ordinary efforts across one of the most hostile environments on the planet has resulted in the longest ’ever’ crossing by a woman!
The Rivers of Ice team originally set out by boat from Caleta Tortel, Chile, in a bid to become the first to complete a full crossing of the world’s third largest ice cap in Southern Patagonia unsupported and without the aid of kites.
From the Jorge Montt glacier (the Ice Cap’s most Northerly point) the expedition made exceptional progress across the Ice Cap for 25 days. Starting with backpacks of 50kg each, the pair skied, walked and climbed onto the Plateaux constantly dealing with the notorious weather: regular whiteouts; blizzards and ferocious winds. On the Plateaux, the team were able to make faster progress towing their packs with micro sledges that had been attached to the backpacks. The pair successfully traversed one of the planet’s harshest environments, en-route dealing with acute carbon monoxide poising, foot infections, hypothermia, falling through multiple crevasses and walking 99% of the time in zero visibility.
Two-thirds of the way across, the team were tent-bound for 5 days on half food rations, waiting for a suitable weather window to attempt the infamous Fella Reichart and Bastion, a jumbled ice fall followed by a 400m vertical ice abseil. They knew this technically demanding section could not be attempted without good visibility. At this point, in winds of up to 135km/hr and intensive snow fall, the tent suffered a critical failure, leaving the team to erect a survival shelter as quickly as possible from what remained of the tent.
Quickly assessing their multiple exit strategies off the Ice Cap, none were in range of the team without a fully functioning tent. So despite being aware of the difficulty of descending the Spegazzini Glacier, the pair calculated that it offered them the best chance of survival due to its close proximity (and subsequent meetings with local mountain guides affirmed that given their predicament the Spegazzini Glacier was the best exit).
In total, Tarka and Katie-Jane spent 5 nights in makeshift shelters as they negotiated the descent from the Ice Cap via the glacier in storm conditions. The pair had hoped to leave as they had arrived, by boat, however the unstable nature of the glacier mouth made it unsafe for a boat to collect them. Subsequently, the El Calafate 42 division of the Argentinean Gendarmerie were called to provide a safe pick-up by helicopter. The team spent one night in hospital as a precautionary measure and were discharged with mild frostbite to the toes and snow blindness.
Tarka and Katie-Jane firmly believe their fast and light approach is an effective way to complete a full unsupported crossing to the Balmaceda Glacier (the Ice Cap’s most Southerly point) and will return next year fitter, fatter and faster with every intention of achieving this goal.
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Note to editors:
For more information, images or interviews please contact Tarka or Katie-Jane at press@riversofice.com or Tel: 02081441461 M: 077916190903
Expedition website www.rivers-of-ice.com
Tarka and Katie-Jane’s website www.primaljourney.com
REVOLUTIONARILY ULTRA LIGHT!
Using an Ultra-Light and Fast Approach, British Couple Attempt Full Unsupported Crossing of World’s Third Largest Ice Cap
On 16th August, ultra endurance athletes Tarka L’Herpiniere (27) and Katie-Jane Cooper (29) will embark for Chile on yet another world first expedition. Their demanding journey, ‘Rivers of Ice’, will attempt to traverse the complete length of the Southern Patagonian Ice Cap without the aid of sail kites or pre-placed food caches.
Their fully unsupported journey will see them ski and climb 431km across the world’s third largest ice cap in as little as 37 days. The pair will traverse across crevasse-laced glaciers, scramble through jumbled ice falls, climb icy peaks and rappel 600m vertical cliffs, whilst withstanding ferocious winter blizzards. To put the ‘Rivers of Ice’ journey into perspective, there have been only 2 previous expeditions to complete full crossings. The first took 54 days with the aid of sail kites and the second took 98 days with pre-placed food caches.
Traditionally, expeditions across the ice cap have been undertaken with the aid of pulks (sledges) ensuring sufficient supplies for long crossings. However, having to shuttle loads across the heavily crevassed sections makes for an arduous and laborious task. In contrast the ‘Rivers of Ice’ team have taken an ultra-light and fast approach, undertaking the journey with only backpacks and 1kg micro sleds that attach to the packs. Having reduced the equipment from over 120kg (traditional amount taken on previous attempts of this journey) to 45kg each, they are mobile enough to move fast over the difficult terrain. However, with only 37 days of food rations, the team cannot afford any mistakes or delays or they will be faced with the choice of evacuation or starvation!
The ‘Rivers of Ice’ website is innovative and interactive, jam-packed with technical information about the journey and the ultra-light equipment being used to make it happen. Once the expedition gets underway daily updates will be sent back to the site as podcasts, allowing for the facts and emotions – be they despair or elation - of the day’s events, to be shared. Between now and departure the team will regularly be updating their website with short videos of their physical preparation, as well as the kit, food and logistical preparations, giving an insight into the pre-expedition work load.
In addition the team will be capturing the dramas of the challenge, as well as the beauty of one of the wildest places on earth, on film for a documentary on their return.
The impossible is what nobody can do until somebody does. www.rivers-of-ice.com
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