Spitzberg 2007.



Program GNGL:

Document give by Grand Nord Grand Large:  FT900038.doc .

Weather in Spitzberg

The Weatheronline site makes it possible to have an idea of the weather:  http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/Norway/Svalbard.htm
Apparently, in April the temperature is between +5°C and -30°C.
In fact it is not the temperature which is interesting, but the wind. Without wind, with sun and equipped well, it could almost make "good" with -20°!

Slideshow.

The diaporama starts by clicking on picture below.
Warning:




Remark: do not use too short length if your Internet line does not follow.

Videos


Descent of a small slope at 45° with the pulkas.

Descent sitting on the pulkas.

Small worries with the pulkas.

Descent with pulkas.

Photographs, and the history of the trip:

Photograph

Arrival at Longyearbyen , it is 2h morning. A bus drive us from the airport to the hotel.
It still have 20°C in Oslo, and the local coldness is about -5°/-10°.
Photograph

Breakfast in the hotel.
Photograph

GNGL rented a hangar for arranged the material. After the lunch, we prepare our pulkas and our stuff.
Photograph

Rennes of Spitzberg.
Photograph

First small course with the pulkas: we makes 500m to join the caterpillar. I do not know it yet, but the temperature is softer at Longyearbyen than more on East...
Photograph

A caterpillar will take us along to the middle of the valley "Reindalen".

Photograph

End of the voyage in caterpillar.
Recovery of the pulkas... And we discover that the weather is definitely colder in the center of the island than at Longyearbyen.

Photograph

We installs the camp at the place where the caterpillar posed to us. Then a thermometre is left: -15° to -20° towards 19h!
We are low in altitude, maximum 50m.
Photograph

The evening after our arrival, we are joined by a team of TF1, of which Francine Buchi. She has a site/blog " column of the earth ".
Photograph

Their goal is to make a report, kind of "strange vacancy". We are in the Reindalen valley, close to a place called Sorhytta.

Photograph

Departure with the pulkas Tuesday morning 17/4.

Photograph

Our guide, at the head, is Pierre Neyret.
When it is not guide for agencies, it organizes expedition. All is described on its site  Karakoram ski-forwarding .
I will try Pakistan in 2009 well...

Photograph

Pauses after one hour and half of ski.
Photograph

This Tuesday, we go up the Reindalen valley.
Photograph


Photograph

Activity traditional of the evening: to dissolve snow to have water for the following day.

Photograph

Installation of the camp the evening. We are at about 100m altitude. 21km with ski was made.

Photograph

Departure Wednesday morning 18/4. We owe bifurcate on the right to pass in the Lundstromdalen valley.

Photograph

Before the turn, we are a little bit high, we must go down again in middle medium of the valley by borrowing a narrow passage in pulkas.

Photograph

Descent of the pulkas by hand in a stiff passage.

Photograph

This Wednesday, we will go through close to 18km without to really change altitude.
Photograph

Photograph

The valleys are often rectilinear. But the snowfields at loss of sight are very pretty!
Photograph


Photograph

Photograph

We almost arrived here at the end of the course for this Wednesday: we will put the camp against the crest of snow, in the turn on the left site of the photograph.
Photograph

Sunset Wednesday evening. We are not very high, 50m of altitude.

Photograph

Thursday morning 19/4 we cross the Kjellstromdalen valley.
Photograph


Photograph


Photograph


Photograph


Photograph

Thursday afternoon we launches out for a rise above the Edvardbreen glacier. It takes us from 50m of altitude to 250m.
Photograph

Photograph

We are on top of the Edvardbreen glacier, at the junction with the Nordsysselbreen glacier.
Photograph

Then installation of the camp this Thursday evening.
Photograph

I walk around the camp towards 21h. The colors at this sunset are very beautiful!
Photograph


Photograph


Photograph


Photograph

Sunset Thursday 19/4... without filter!

Photograph

Lunch Friday 20/4.
Photograph

Then we go down again towards the ice-field of the East coast, while going along the glacier Nordsysselbreen and Inglefieldbreen. The glacier stops net, which gives pretty photograph.
Photograph


Photograph

Remain a few meters to go down, and we are on the ice-filed or the coast.
Photograph

Discovered of trace of polar bear.
Photograph


Photograph

Digging of the tent mass, with bench and table.
Photograph

Photograph around the camp of Friday evening 20/4.
Photograph


Photograph

I tried to make an igloo. Finally I simplified the technique of assembly by making the roof with flagstones of snow hard.
Photograph

Departure Saturday morning 21/4. We cross the ice-field of the Inglefieldbukta to join the vagrant.
Photograph


Photograph

And we are close to the boat the Vagrant ...

Photograph

... and we discuss 10 minutes with Eric Brossier .
Photograph


Photograph

On the way there was a seal at this place there. But it plunged when it saw us arrived.
Photograph

Saturday evening 21/4, we makes a shorter way, and we pose the camp towards Kapp Dufferin. 10~15km in the course of the day. Weather is cover the evening, I would not make a lot photograph.
Photograph

Sunday will be also a small day, 10km maximum. The weather is released in the current from the day.
Photograph

We cross bay of Agardhbukta.
Photograph

We walk on the ice-field in the middle of the sea at more than 6km from coasts...
Photograph

... it is better that it holds good!
Photograph

Iceberg are from time to time took in the ices of the ice-field!
Photograph


Photograph

Sunset this Sunday 22/4. We pose the camp with Revnosa.
Photograph

Monday 23, the day is quiet good, 10~15km not more.
Photograph

The good weather returned, and we walk again on the ice-field at 100m from coasts. It is flatter, that goes better in general.
Photograph

At certain place the icebergs multiply. Add to the movement of the ices during the storms, and it can given hilly way.
Photograph


Photograph


Photograph


Photograph


Photograph

Monday evening 23/4, we put the camp not very far from the Dunérbukta bay.
Photograph

Tuesday 24 we walk again in the medium of the sea by crossing the ice-field to join Kapp Johannesen.
Photograph

Passage on the ice-field...
Photograph

Photograph

Passage on the ice-field...
Photograph

Photograph

Passage on the ice-field...
Photograph

Photograph

Tuesday evening 24/4 we poses the camp in bottom of the Usherbrenn glacier.
Photograph

Wednesday 25/4, we have a free day.
Photograph

We will visit a fixed camp of Norwegian Polar Institute which is located at 500m from us. They say that they have seen bears Monday evening 23/4.

Photograph

Close to the tent, a hut is completely buried in snow. In fact it must be posed on the ground...
Photograph

Inside there are beds and a mini-kitchen.
Photograph

Neighbourhood of the hut.
Photograph

At midday, we turns over to eat in the hut.
Photograph

Then the afternoon, we tries to climb on Kroghfjellet, a small plateat at 50m above the ice-field.
We see a piece of the Mohnbukta bay here.
Photograph

A lenticular cloud appears ready sun in the afternoon, I benefit from it to make a photograph!
Photograph

Lenticular altocumulus.
Photograph

Photograph

We improvise mini-festivals for the birthday of the guide this Wednesday evening 25/4.
Photograph

Thursday 26/4, we rises in altitude, and we leaves the ice-field.
Photograph

We go up on the Usherbreen glacier.
Photograph

Photograph

Pauses...
Photograph

The top of the glacier is flat, and surface hard. I realizes that we walks better and more quickly without ski!
Photograph

Strange cloud. We would say a wall of foehn in miniature!
Photograph

Advanced in column...
Photograph

We put the camp Thursday evening 26/4 close to the summit Klauva, at 670m altitude.
Photograph

The sight since Klauva is very beautiful. We overhangs the Sassendalen valley which is beautiful sight from here!
Photograph


Photograph


Photograph

Sunset which will not lie down besides, because it remains henceforth always above the horizon.
Photograph

Departure Friday 27 for the descent.
Photograph

New method of descent with the pulkas developed by Guy-John.
Photograph

Us others we makes simpler: the descent sitting on the pulkas is simpler!
Photograph


Photograph

The Sassendalen valley was very empreint by Skido. The traces draws almost a motorway.
Photograph

Once arrived in bottom, a long straight line awaits us.
Photograph

In the marshes cold of bottom, I discover something of original: crystals of frost.
Photograph

Sassendalen valley.
Photograph

Sassendalen valley.
Photograph

Marsh cold.
Photograph

We are in a valley marshy. Water resort surfaces some, extends, freezing, and forms a lake of ice.
Photograph

Moisture released by water before it become freezing produce crystal of white frost (or flake of white frost) like here.
Photograph

Marsh cold.
Photograph

Marsh cold.
Photograph

Marsh cold of Sassendalen
Photograph

Crystal of white frost on a marsh cold.
Photograph

Marsh cold.
Photograph

Ice rough in the medium of the marsh. Original! In fact that must be generate by the liquid water that go back up at certain place of the marsh.
Photograph

Sometimes we meets bulges on this marsh cold. It is perhaps related to the liquid water that go back up on the surface.
Photograph


Photograph

Photograph

Lunch Saturday morning  28/4.
Photograph

A race of traineau passes in the middle of Sassendalen. Snows bike (skido) also passed...
Photograph

Then it east finishes, and it is the return in caterpillar towards Longyearbyen. But it is also the return towards softness and the hot shower which start to miss!
Photograph

First not-freeze-dried meal!
Photograph

We arranges the material in the same hangar than beginning.
Photograph

Harbour of Longyearbyen . It is apparently often disengaged from the ices, which allows boats to arrived.
Photograph

Harbour of Longyearbyen.
Photograph

A restoring bar.

Photograph

A residential zone of Longyearbyen.

Photograph

The industrial park of Longyearbyen.

Photograph

In the East of Longyearbyen, it is the starting point of the snowbike.
Photograph

The Polar University of Longyearbyen.
Photograph

Longyearbyen seen heights...
Photograph

idems...
Photograph

idems...
Photograph

The church of Longyearbyen.
Photograph

A handle of housing and hotel are placed at the bottom of a valley at 1km of Longyearbyen.
Photograph

Meal in a kitchen of the hotel.




Bonds.

Material: http://arctique.chez-alice.fr/
Web site of Michele: http://chevalier.michele.free.fr/expe_spitzberg/index_spitzberg.htm





xxx


Created : February 25, 2007.
Last update: 28 September 2008.
Moostik
View My Stats