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How many people have climbed icebergs?

PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2010 9:40 pm
by wargowsky
I'm trying to figure out how many people have climbed icebergs, not beached bergs in Antarctica, but icebergs completely surrounded by water. I know Will Gadd and Ben Firth did it. Twight climbed icebergs for a cigarette commercial. Who else has climbed icebergs?

PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2010 11:20 pm
by Damien Gildea
Plenty of people.

Alex Lowe was on the cover of either Climbing or Rock & Ice doing it, back in the 90s.

An Australian Antarctic cruise company Auroroa Expeditions often takes people on short climbs on shore and sometimes they take people on the easier-angled bergs floating around. Plenty of climbers on yacht trips to the area have done it just playing around between other climbs. Obviously it's dangerous as the bergs can roll over unexpectedly. And you need a wooden board in the Zodiac to stand on, wearing your crampons, as you step off onto the berg.

PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2010 11:40 pm
by wargowsky
Lowe was on the cover of Climbing. I've heard that he was on an iceberg. I've also heard that he was on a glacier over the water (before the pieces of ice calve off and become icebergs). Do you know which is true?

Thanks for the info on Aurora Expeditions. I knew they climbed on beached bergs, but not floating ones. I've haven't been able to find any reports or pictures of people climbing bergs. Do you have any more specific info? Thanks!

PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2010 11:40 pm
by Diego Sahagún

PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2010 11:47 pm
by Diego Sahagún

PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2010 11:55 pm
by Diego Sahagún

PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2010 11:56 pm
by wargowsky
Thanks DS, I'm trying to find info on non-icebound bergs (like in the Will Gadd video). If you come across anything else please let me know. Thanks for your help!

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2010 9:35 am
by RayMondo
Be wary of iceburgs, despite 9/10ths are submerged, they are prone to tipping over.

Burgs are fun

PostPosted: Sun May 30, 2010 7:39 pm
by Tbenner
I have climb some here in Juneau, but they were a much smaller scale (20' max). Winter is much better since the lake is frozen. Burgs are good for training for balance and shifting body weight.

PostPosted: Sun May 30, 2010 10:47 pm
by wargowsky
nice pictures Tbenner. That looks like it would be fun!

It sounds like there are a handful of people out there who have climbed "non-icebound" icebergs. I'm sure that I'll never get an exact number, but this forum has helped me find a few that I was not aware of. Thanks to everyone for your help. I really appreciate it!

Here's a link to a short article on the trip some friends and I just did:
http://ngadventure.typepad.com/blog/2010/05/ice-climbing-icebergs-newfoundland-canada.html

Thanks again!