Greenland 2014

 

In August 2014 Ralph sailed with Harald Fichtinger from Isafjördur, Iceland, to Liverpool Land in eastern Greenland. They anchored in a remote fjord to attempt a first ascent of the Kirken - or Church Mount as William Scoresby called it. They had only known the mountain from a picture, displaying the south face of the mountain. The ascent had to be attempted from the north due to the requirement of a safe anchorage.

 

On August 15 Harald and Ralph managed to climb Kirken in a 16 hours trip including a long approach over moraines and glaciers, a traverse to the south side, a long snow gully, and a fantastic 6-pitch climb of French grade 6b in wonderful granite.

 

The special style of the expedition with a minimal team of only two and the combination of sailing and climbing made it an amazing adventure. Moreover the mountain was ill-marked on the map, emphasising the remoteness of the whole region.

 

Ralph and Harald then sailed back to Seydisfjördur in East Iceland. Ralph then continued single-handedly to the Faroes and Scotland, where the boat stays over the winter. With this Ralph concluded his second transatlantic, which started in July 2013 in Newport, RI and lead him over Greenland, Iceland, again Greenland, back to Iceland, Faroes back to the UK. It was all single-handed or double-handed (from Nanortalik to Seydisfjördur).