Unknown Ridges

Umiak
Mike Jaques
Sat 16 Aug 2025 12:13
66:21.80N 34:52.40W

Another bright sunny day dawned, and with two clear ridge climb objectives; the four bold explorers of the day set off from Gino’s demise, thinking of a short scrambly day out!

Olly and Karl headed North up the Kagtilersarpia glacier to an impressive looking ridge, broad in its early stages and becoming steeper and narrower towards their high point of 760m. Gringo and I headed up a glacier NE, towards a ridge and summits which we estimated to be about 800m. The 1:500000 scale map that we have rather conveniently had worn so much on the crease, that the height was obliterated; if that was even the mountain that we were trying to climb! We were attempting to scale the L hand ridge to the three high summits, and descend a snow gully that we had spied the day before, below the R hand skyline ridge.

Reaching the foot of the rock in about an hour, we roped up and moved together, up some good solid rock, but mainly over loose, shitty unconsolidated gneiss, up, down and all around to reach our first summit at about 1400, at a height of 875m. Great views all around! Plodded on to the middle summit where we managed to call up Umiak, and John and Mike spotted us waving at them through the binos! And then onto the third and highest summit at 890m.

The descent route is always a cause for a small amount of anxiety at this stage; but we pushed on and could soon identify what we thought was the top of the snow gully that we fancied! When we got there and peered over the edge; surprise, surprise, it wasn’t quite so appealing! We rooted around and found another snow gully that looked less intimidating and started teetering around on the loose rock to the side of the gully, to access the snow and to avoid the overhanging cornice at the top! Soon, safely onto the snow and kicking some good bucket steps to descend, Gringo set off down.

More of the same for about four rope lengths and then down onto the glacier and a quick and easy way back. We even managed to time it so that we met up with Olly and Karl for the last 200m back to the dinghy! Our ‘short’ 9 and a half hour days were mega successful! Yippee!

Tracey

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Olly on the ridge, Umiak in background.

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Tracey & Gringo's ridge
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Gringo on summit with matching rucsac and sweater
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Tracey on the summit in normal attire



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Gringo with fetching gloves