Day 47

The shortest route to the coast is due west. Unfortunately, that takes us straight down the slope across some impressively large crevasses. So, it is time to box north until we find a more permissive slope angle. It takes a while but finally we find a slope that allows us access to the low ground. We even manage a little downhill skiing in patches…. not as easy as might be imagined with two pulks chasing you. The low ground brings its own challenges, and it’s not long before we’re crossing our first meltwater channels.

The drone goes up again to give us a better idea of the ground ahead. More meltwater! Looking at the drainage pattern, we figure a way through, but first we must backtrack and swing south again around a major meltwater lake. Progress is painfully slow but its progress nevertheless. At this point I finally have to accept that one of my pulks is dead. Since day 4 it’s had a foot long gash in it acting as a snow scoop and ice anchor. In these conditions it’s just becoming too difficult to pull effectively (yesterday I had to unload about 10kg of accumulated snow). Fortunately, with a little shuffling of kit, one of the others is able to switch to a single pulk, meaning I can replace my front pulk with one that is more plastic than hole!!!!! By the end of the day two more pulks will have succumbed to the hard ice.

We switch from skis to boots and it helps in the complex terrain. Hand railing the meltwater channels we begin to build momentum to the west but after a few hours the crevasses start growing in scale again. Even with the drone up it’s really difficult to plan an effective route ahead. We’re pushing on late and making good kilometres in the direction we want to go. Morale is high despite the 12 hr day until, inevitably perhaps, we run into a dead end. Despite all our efforts there is no way forward across the giant crevasses that surround us- At least not with the pulks. It’s a frustrating end to the day and we have to pitch tents between crevasses again, rethink and come up with a new plan in the morning.

The end is so near we can feel it, and yet tonight it seems so far away. Still, tomorrow is another day - let’s see what it brings.