May-June 2002.

Photos

NEWS:

May,29.
The message on the phone from A. Klenov (at them was 1-30 night of May 30):

- In night with 26 on May 27 all team summited Great Sail Peak! An absolute new route is of length 1500 meters. Everyone feel well. At top the team used be more than day in expectation of weather. May 28 V. Rosov in a costume "Wing" was made by a jump from a maximum point of a wall. The flight last 50 seconds. All are pleased. Yesterday all others were lowered in base camp.

May,21.
Photo gallery from he Baffin Island.

May,13.
Valery Rozov, Lev Dorfman and Dmitry Lifanov ascended the unclimbed Peak, which is near the Great Sail Peak - it was the third attempt! Two previous failed because of bad weather. The top was named Pobedy Peak. The goal of the ascension - the parachute jump.

It happened: the first parachute jump from the first climbed Peak! It was like the discovery - we are happy! The top is 1480 m, BC is on 50m from the sea level, high difference - 800m of the overhang wall, fallen time - 40 sec. It was sunny, -10 °C. There are many walls like that in this region, but it's difficult to reach them because of cold and huge distances.

Today the party Odintsov-Ruchkin continue the preparation of the route on Great Sail Peak. The fresh fallen snow made the way from ABC to the Wall very hard - it took them 3,5 hours to move up 500m high difference, instead of 1 hour, which it took for Klenov and Davy in the first time. They climbed one more pitch. They'll continue the preparation of the route tomorrow, than the party Klenov and Davy will change them. May they will use the portaledge for the night to economize the time and forces needed for the way ABC -Wall. The weather always changes: sunny - snow fall - but the Spring doesn't come.

May, 7.
Alexander Odintsov called:

We set the BC near the South-East part of the lake by the Great Sail Peak. We see the profile of the Wall - it's great impression! Yesterday, 6 May, 8 persons went to the bottom of the Wall and brought the equipment fot the ascension. It takes us 2,5 hours to reach the Wall...

Snow-tractors couldn't reach BC, so we have to work some days to bring our equipment to the BC. We are OK, all are healthy. The weather is good, -10 °C, sun shines.

The information provided by BASK company - general sponsor of the expedition

May, 2.
Mikhail Davy called: We are in Klaid River ( the last living point on the continent) It's strong frost ang wind. Tomorrow we'll start to the BC. We can reach it through 1 day, if all will be OK. Here is the good hotels, Internet and telephone in any village - you can call to any point in the World, and very cheap - 19c/min. Two Inuites are going together with our team

April, 29.
Alexander Klenov from Toronto: All days are full of preparation to the expedition. I have an impression, that there are only Russians in Canada - there is the Russian language everywhere around us, and the titles in the shops are on Russian too... It's cold enough, we are thinking with a terror what will be at the Pole. Tomorrow we'll be here, than will go to Ottava, than will fly to Klaid River (29 April), than - will go by the sledge.