Svalbard/Spitzbergen

Spitsbergen is the largest of the arctic islands collectively known as Svalbard. Situated in the High Arctic from 76 to 80 degrees N it lies midway between the northern tip of Norway and the North Pole and forms part of the Kingdom of Norway.

The majority of the island is covered extensively in glaciers and permanent snow cover and the mountain ranges, though no higher than 1717m, are vast and varied, from easy and gently undulating regions to striking alpine peaks with 600m technical alpine ascents. The vast majority of this island remains rarely visited due to the complex logistics required to access most areas. Helicopters are banned from the more remote regions, which lie largely inside designated areas of natural beauty such as National Parks and Nature Reserves. There are no roads and the only transport for late winter and spring expeditions is by skidoo which is both expensive and requires local guides for escort. For the vast majority of winter/spring visitors this restricts their exploration and ski-touring to the regions immediately surrounding Longyearbyen, the island's main settlement and administrative centre. Few ever venture into the more remote and inhospitable areas which lie deeper inside the more isolated regions to the north and south of the island. But this is certainly not the case for Tangent, as we constantly strive to push the boundaries of what is possible in the arctic!

For many years the attraction of such mountain ranges had captured my attention and in 2001 Tangent expanded it's operations to include, for the first time, mountaineering and ski touring expeditions to Spitsbergen. Our first expedition in March/April 2001 was as challenging and demanding as one could ever get. With a hand picked team we made the first ever all land based unsupported south to north man hauling expedition through the mountains of Spitsbergen. Taking 38 days, and in temperatures often in the minus 30's, we also set other records including the first ever British double winter traverse of the South Spitsbergen National Park and first British crossing of Spitsbergen.

Immediately following this expedition we ran a successful eight member expedition to climb Newtontoppen, the islands highest mountain at 1717m in early May. To compliment this after a gap of 5 years, we will at last be returning again to run a further expedition in April/May 2006 to ascend Perriertoppen, the second highest mountain, also 1717m. If time and conditions allow then other peaks in the region will also be attempted, including a repeat ascent of Newtontoppen. Access to the ranges will be gained by skidoo, which will take the party to a base camp near to Newtontoppen. From here the expedition begins proparly with a multi-day ski tour to reach Perriertoppen. Conditions in late April and May are usually excellent, with fine cold days and little fresh snowfall. Perfect for ski-touring and climbing! Spitsbergen really is a mountaineering and ski touring paradise with the unlikelihood of ever seeing or coming across another group of people in the mountains.

All photos taken by Paul Walker during the successful "Polestar" expedition which made the first ever all land based south-north crossing of Spitsbergen in March and April 2001. For further details please feel free to visit the expedition website at www.polestar2001.freeserve.co.uk