Region: America South & Antartica

Dr Alun Hubbard (with Fraser Birnie, David Fasel, Penny Goddart, David Hildes, John Millar, Andy Mitchell, Grant Redvers, Elliot Robertson, Lena Rowat and Peter Taylor) October 2001 - March 2002.

In a voyage from New Zealand via Cape Horn totalling 15,000 km, this team (which included representatives from Canada, NZ, Switzerland and the US, in addition to the UK) sailed to the Antarctic Peninsula on the leader's 15 metre ketch 'Gambo' to undertake a programme of mountaineering exploration and scientific research. Despite a particularly bad pack-ice year and exceptionally unstable weather, they achieved 6 first and a number of notable other ascents down the Peninsula and off-shore islands, including Mt Britannia, Stolze Peak, Laussedat Heights, Mt Luigi and two of the Seven Sisters of Fief on Wiencke Island. They also completed a 2-week ski traverse onto the icecap via 'The Downfall' but were forced to
retreat from a first ascent of Mt Walker, 2200m, due to sustained poor weather and over-commitment. The expedition made 20 dives down to 30m at numerous sites, including the wreck of a whaling supply-ship at Enterprise Island. They also carried out a comprehensive environmental science programme on King Georgia Island, acquiring numerous radar profiles of the icecap, along with snow and sub-glacial water sampling, to assess the region's long-term response to climate change before heading back to Cape Horn as winter set in.