Mount Bouvier, Antarctica
High on the South Ridge of Mount Bouvier in temperatures down to -40C. Winter in Antarctica.
Sledge November, September 2004. Rob Jarvis and Graeme Nott.
An ascent of Mount Bouvier in fine snow conditions and superb cold clear weather.
Notes for BAS Field Assistants:
It is possible to drive up to just under 1000m in the bowl leading up to the base of Snake Ridge from the north. This leaves a summit day of C.1200m of ascent. The first and major part of this is the long and exposed but not very steep slope leading up to the junction with the South Ridge of Bouvier. The South Ridge itself was extremely pleasant in the fine snow conditions and weather we had and was no harder than steep Scottish grade I. It is however reasonably exposed and required a number of straightforward pitches on snow – particularly in descent (see photos below). Trippers need to be fit, determined, competent and confident on their feet rather than having any great technical experience. The ascent took C. 5 hours and the descent C. 4 hours. Considering it was –26C at sea level on the day of the ascent the potential for significant wind chill and frost nip is rather high. Even with the relatively light winds we had Graeme’s cheeks went a strange waxy white colour!
A cracking day on the hill.
