Posted: Aug 17, 2009 10:57 am EDT
(ThePoles.com) Frenchman Tarka L’Herpiniere and Briton Katie-Jane Cooper have arrived in Chile on their way to do a crossing of the full length of the Southern Patagonia Icecap. They plan no resupplies and no kite support and plan to complete the expedition in 37 days.

In Chile

Tarka and Katie-Jane left the UK yesterday and have arrived in Coyhaique, Chile, with all their luggage they reported.

During the next few days they will be heading for to the tiny fishing village of Caleta Tortel where they will spend a further few days sorting kit, organising their boat charter and having everything checked by the military and various other authorities.

They plan to start their expedition on 23 August.

Fella Reichart

The team reported that during their preparations they had a lengthy conversation with Thomas Ulrich who, with Borge Ousland had attempted this Icecap a few years ago.

“The majority of the conversation with Thomas was based around the Fella Reichart. We have always known that this part is going to be truly terrifying.”

“In fact with the knowledge that only 2 groups have ever managed to navigate safely through the mass of ice, I wake up regularly at night in a cold sweat. The few photos and satellite images have told us a far amount but confirmed first hand by Thomas, attempting it in bad weather is quite simply suicidal,” they added.

Backpacks, sleds and paddles

Originally the team planned to carry all their gear in backpacks only, which would weigh 45 kg per person. During their preparation they found their packs were too heavy to ski with efficiently.

“So we have opted to take 2 tiny (1m) kids sledges, which fit perfectly over the outside of the backpacks and only add 1.5 kg to the pack weight. What we hope to be a small price to pay up the Jorge Montt, for the amount of effort they will save us later on,” they reported in a dispatch.

“To update you on the paddle situation we have decided to take two untreated wooden paddles through the first fjord and lake section. Just before we head up the Jorge Mont we will dry our kit around a nice fire (if not a slightly expensive fire!!!). Then on the other side of the ice cap we will be using our shovels.”

Training

Tarka and Katie-Jane spent two weeks glacier training on the Mont Blanc Massif.

Katie said one of the biggest lessons she leant during the training was the speed at which she must react if Tarka is to fall down a crevasse.

“We went over the routine of making your self safe, tying off the faller, descending the rope to put the faller into the safe position in the circumstance that they had become unconscious during the fall, ascend the rope, before finally hauling, using a set of pulleys, the casualty out!

At the end of August 2009 ‘The Rivers of Ice’ expedition with Tarka L’Herpiniere and Katie-Jane Cooper will attempt a full crossing of the Southern Patagonia Icecap, unassisted and unsupported. They aim to complete their mission in 37 days.

According to their website the team will set off from the small Chilean fishing village of Caleta Tortel (W73°32 S47°47) in the Aisen Region of Patagonia. “From here they will travel with locals by fishing boat through a network of fjords to the base of the Jorge Montt Glacier. It is at this point the expedition begins and the team starts their assault on the Southern Ice Cap by negotiating a series of lakes and river channels to get up onto the glacier.”

They add, “To achieve their objective the pair will then ski 388 km across the cap to the Balmaceda Glacier. During which they will face some technically demanding sections where they will replace skis with crampons and overcome obstacles with a multitude of climbing equipment.”

“Once off the ice cap there is an additional 33km of river networks to negotiate, before they reach their final destination, fjord Seno Ultima Esperanza, before traveling to Puerto Natales by fishing boat (W72°30 S51°43).”

Tarka L’Herpiniere (28) grew up in the French Alps and Katie-Jane Cooper (30) was born in England. They met in 2005 and started doing adventures together. Among their journeys were a 4500 km walk along the Great Wall of China, a two-week expedition on Svalbard, an 8000 km cycle through Africa and earlier this year they spent 2 months working on the Arctic Ocean as part of the Catlin Arctic Survey. The team says during this time whilst floating around on an ice block, sat in tent at -45°C, they had plenty of time to think, and the ‘Rivers of Ice’ expedition was born.

There are two Patagonian Ice Caps. The Southern Ice Cap spreads from Jorge Glacier (N) to Balmaceda glacier (S); it is 350 km long. The Northern Ice Cap is located between 46° and 47° South, being 120 km long and 30 km wide.

The surface of the Northern Patagonian Ice Cap is at about 1200/1500m of altitude. However, the area includes the highest peak in Patagonia: Mt. San Valentin, almost 4000m.

The Southern Patagonia Ice Cap, or Hielo Patagonio Sur, is 400 km by 80 km. The cap is long and narrow. It has been crossed several times east/west and west/east, as this direction is shorter and the main difficulties of the glacier can be avoided. But only once before has the cap been crossed in its full length.

There are two main obstacles on the route: The first obstacle consists of a wall that must be climbed to reach the Glacier. The second - and worst - obstacle is a big rift with a huge ice fall right in the middle of the glacier.

In 1998/99 Chileans Pablo Besser, Rodrigo Fica, Jose Montt, and Mauricio Rojasa achieved the first and only complete crossing of the Southern Patagonian Ice Cap. However, their trip can’t be considered unsupported, since they used a pre-placed cache.

The first traverse of the Northern Patagonic Ice was achieved by British explorer Eric Shipton, accompanied by Spaniard Miguel Gómez and Chileans Eduardo García and Cedomir Marangunic in the (austral) summer of 63-64 – their 37-day-long traverse was not complete though, since they exited the ice by the flank of Cerro Arenales. The first complete traverse from San Rafael to Steffen Glacier (N-S) was done by a French team led by Ilario Previtali. The team also climbed Mt. San Valentin on the way, completing the feat in only 26 days in March 1993.

In the winter of 2006 Pablo Besser (leader), Nicolás Von Graevenitz and Francisco Urzua) completed the traverse of the Patagonian Northern Ice Cap. Pablo claims this has been the first complete crossing of the Northern Ice Cap achieved in winter - a double success for Besser, since he was also on the team that first crossed the (larger) Southern Ice Cap back in 98/99.

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