Information

Home Expedition

11.06.2002: News Release of "BASK – Great Sail Wall" expedition On the 11th of June company BASK held a press conference devoted to a successful climb of a hardest big wall in Canadian Arctic. "BASK – Great Sail Wall" was a joint expedition of “Russian way – Big Wall” team (headed by Alexander Odintsov) and ‘Russian Extreme Project’ of Valery Rozov. The expedition lasted since the 26th of April till the 10th of June (year 2002). For the first time in history Europeans (and they were our Russian athletes!) climbed the forbidding Face of Great Sail Peak, which is situated at the east coast of far off Baffin Island. Baffin Island is the fifth in size among all islands. Almost the entire surface of it is covered with a panoply of ice. It is one of the most remote and less explored places of the Earth. Ere Russian expedition Great Sail Peak was climbed only once – by famous Alex Lowe (USA) and his team. Russian team leaded by world-famous master of climbing Alexander Odintsov broke a new offbeat 1500-metres route up to the summit. Extreme climb continued under the hardest stress of weather. The climbers had spent more than a week living and working on a 850 slope wall. Final bid was made on the 26th of May and it brought success the same night. On the 28th of May Valery Rosov in his wing suit sky-jumped from the highest point of the peak. His record fly lasted 50 seconds before he drew a parachute. High-altitude cameramen Ivan Sanoilemko and Lef Dorfman as well as a photo-reporter Dmitry Lifanov had shot wonderful scenes. Their pictures will be used as a base for a future film, devoted to the expedition. General equipment sponsor and an informational sponsor is company BASK. Company BASK is a foremost Russian producer of extreme and special outdoor clothes and equipment. Photo and video facilities were provided by company CANON. "Russian Extreme Project" is sponsored by SALOMON.

06.06.2002: Great Sail Peak explorers have returned to Toronto On the fifth of June two last groups of ‘BASK – Great Sail Peak’ expedition reached Toronto. On Sunday they will fly to Moscow. The members were getting to the Continent separately. Firstly, an advance team of Alexander Odintsov, Valery Rozov and Ivan Samoilenko flew to Toronto. They spent there two days, arranged everything for their triumphal press-conference, took two cars and went to an airport to meat their friends. All climbers were deeply impressed with green grass, which made a harsh contrast with snow-white solitudes of Baffin Island. The athletes are save and sound. First flush of victory helped them to withstand extreme fatigue after climbing the Face of Great Peak. Alexander Klenov was laconic during his phone call: ‘The route turned to be very handsome; coherent and extremely difficult. We got exhausted and prostrated with fatigue. Though we were impressed with the beautiful nature, with such views – Bolts were used only for fixing a portaledge and once for a pendulum. We worked in one shift as Arctic day enabled us to work till 3am. We send our greetings to all who was with us during these days, who helped us. The best regards to our sponsors, who were permanently supporting us’.

31.05.2002: On the night of May 26/27 the entire team summited Great Sail Peak.” Great Sail Peak   May, 30 (2002) Phone message from Valery Rozov: “On the night of May 26/27 the entire team summited Great Sail Peak.” “We have broken 1500 metres of an absolutely new route up the face of Great Sail Peak. It took about two weeks at us, while two days we spent at the summit waiting out a storm.” “On the 28th of May Valery Rosov in his wing suit sky-jumped from the highest point of the peak.“ “The next date the climbers descended to their base camp. All members are safe and sound, rejoicing over the victory. Now we plan to have some rest and a bit later we start back to the Continent.” With all the soul company BASK congratulates the brave team with the victory!

24.05.2002: News from the "BASK - Great Sail Peak" expedition Expedition News: (23.05.2002) Ivan Samoilenko reports from the Baffin Island "May, 21. The preparatory stage of the ascent was succesfully finished yesterday. The team untied the lower ropes. The whole group disassembled ABC and carried all these loads - about 140 kg - to BC. The situatuion for today: the team climbed seven ropes to the ledge, where the portaledges are hanging now. Everyone is busy providing water. And six more ropes have been fixed on the main wall. There are still four more ropes left, which can be used for the work on the wall. The guys climb three ropes a day. The work starts at 1 p.m. and goes on till 11- 12 p.m. There is no night. Everyone is in good health. As it is always a habit with him, Odintsov was struck with a stone on his knee. But today he reported that he is Ok. In BC it is a rest day today. For breakfast we had fried eggs with red fish, coffee with rum and chocolate. We are getting close to nature. Volodya went fishing and brought 40 ikalus - local kind of fish. We had a real holiday: our ration was enriched with salted, fried and boiled fish. Volodya managed to become friends with a couple of polar foxes by feeding them with fish. He videotaped them. Dima Lifanov, the cameraman, is disappointed with being unable to film the herds of polar bears. We are trying to comfort him. Though we are all a bit afraid that a bear will visit us some day - we saw his footprints not far from the BC. Everyone got used to cold. The only thing we are depressed by - is being unable to wash our dirty clothes. Ten more days - and we will return to civilization." (17.05.2002) News from the "BASK - Great Sail Peak" expedition. Sergei Porodnov - guest from the Baffin Island: impressions from the first hands Just a couple of hours ago Sergei Porodnov - the eye-witness and member of the events on the Baffin Island - was received as a guest at BASK. He told many breath-taking details… Sergei Porodnov from Ekaterinburg called himself a sherp and at the same time sponsor of the two expedition members from the Urals: Klyonov and Devi. Together with the team he covered a difficult way across ice and took part in carrying expedition loads from the place where snowmobiles could reach to BC. May, 10, when snowstorm broke under the Wall, Sergei left the inhospitable Baffin, made a short but interesting trip round Canada, and on May, 16, landed in Moscow. In the airport he was met by BASK employees. He still had several hours before his flight to Ekaterinburg, so we could enjoy most entertaining details from the first hands (the full story of the witness will be published pretty soon). Sergei passed us a letter from Valery Rozov. Though the events described in it are already known to everybody who follows the expedition news, still the lines written on the other end of the Earth are of great value. (15.05.2002) Valera Rozov called this morning. Four rope pitches are done. Valera performed the second BASE jump "Klyonov and Devi are on the wall of the Great Sail Peak now. The guys work 14 hours a day. All in all four rope pitches are done. The guys plan to reach a ledge by tomorrow, and the rest of the team will shuttle loads to this point. Yesterday 14.05 Valera Rozov, Lev Dorfman and Dima Lifanov once again climbed the neighboring peak (the new name is "Peak Pobedy"/"Victory Peak") and Valera performed his second BASE jump from the top. The weather is cold, true severe winter, polar day, and amazingly beautiful scenery around us - all this creates some strange feeling of unreality. Today we caught a tub of fish in a fjord and cooked delicious fish-soup. Right now we are sitting and eating it and recollect home, our relatives and friends. We still fail to run the computer and telephone - must be some problems with communications, so, unfortunately, it looks like we won't be able to send a picture. The guys are sending there hellos to everybody." (13.05.2002) May,13. Valery Rozov and Mikhail Devi report from Baffin Island. An unnamed peak has been climbed, and Valery Rozov performed a BASE jump from its top "May,13. From the third attempt Valera Rozov, Lev Dorfman and Dima Lifanov managed to climb the unnamed peak situated next to Great Sail Peak, where the expedition had already started to work on the new route. They named it "Peak Pobedy"(Victory Peak) in connection with the recent holiday - Victory Day! The aim of this ascent was BASE jump. The previous attempts failed because of the bad weather and poor visibility. It took the climbers 8 hours to get to the top, deep fresh snow hampered the way up. If it were not for the ski-tours, the ascent would have been next to impossible. We made it happen: the first BASE jump from the unclimbed peak! Indescribable feeling, true revelation! We are happy! The height of the peak is 1480m, BC is at 50m above the sea level, the height difference of the wall is 800m of pure overhanging part, free falling time is 40 seconds in "Krylo" (Wing) suit. Though the weather was sunny, it was cold - about 10 degrees below zero. There are many faces like this good for BASE jumping in the vicinity of our camp. The only problem is very changeable rather cold weather and vast distances." Today Odintsov and Ruchkin continued their work on the route on the Great Sail Peak. Fresh snow made it difficult to get to the wall from ABC. It took the climbers 3.5 hours instead of 1 (as it was during the first ascent of this part done by Devi and Klyonov) to cover the height difference of 500m. They managed to climb one more rope pitch before the evening. Tomorrow Odintsov and Ruchkin will continue their work on the wall, later Klyonov and Devi will replace them and, most probably, will organize portaledge bivy to save time and strength wasted on the way from ABC to the wall. The weather is changeable. It is warm only in BC big tent. Everybody is healthy and in high spirits, sending hello to all relatives and friends and to all those who is following the news from our expedition. " , (13.05.2002) May, 10. Ivan Samoilenko reports from Baffin Island. The first rope of the route has been fixed "The North wind is blowing for the third day. It is cold. The pressure is dropping. Klyonov and Devi fixed the first rope of the route yesterday. Today they returned to BC. Valera Rozov with his friends made a reconnaissance trip to the plateau on the top. They discovered deep snow and vast polar fields there. It became clear that we would have to spend one night on the route on our roundabout way to the top. Though there is no night here - simply the temperature drops by 10 degrees. When will the spring come as Inuits promised us? We are sitting in the Inuit tent waiting. Preference, chess, books. Nobody has any health problems. The doctor gives us vitamins and alcohol". (8.05.2002) The latest news from Baffin Island. Alexander Odintsov made a call May,7.Alexander Odintsov called from Baffin Island (Polar Canada): The team organized BC on the SE bank of the inner lake where the Great Sail Peak is situated. The profile of our wall can be seen and it really impresses. Yesterday 06.05 eight people carried some equipment for ABC to the foot of the wall. The distance from BC to the mountain turned out to be larger than we had hoped for - about 2.5 hours along the frozen lake. Today we will make sort of sledges from skis and continue carrying loads to ABC. It snows every day, today it became warmer - 15 degrees below zero. We melt ice to get water. Everyone sees incredibly vivid dreams, we are haunted by the feeling of unreality. We are missing our relatives and friends. Everybody is healthy and energetic. " May,4. Alexander Odintsov reports from Baffin Island: "The team is in several hours walk from BC. Snowmobiles didn't reach BC. We are in for a several days' work of carrying loads to the wall. Our camp is in a picturesque place with bear's footprints. Everything is OK. We are planning to start working on the route May, 6-7. The weather is good, 10 degrees below zero. A bit cloudy, sunny. Best wishes. We love you." (7.05.2002) Valera Rozov called on the 2nd of May and reported the following information: Everything is Ok with the team. Yesterday they took a flight to Clyde River and stopped in some wooden hut for a night. The temperature was 10 - 15 degrees below zero with very strong wind. The team hired six snowmobiles with sledges and six local Eskimos, who will live for a couple of days together with the expedition members in the Base Camp, and then they will leave the guns with the team and return home. Tomorrow morning our guys are heading for the BC. They are sending their regards to everybody. (6.05.2002) May, 2. Misha Devi has just called from Canada. Email still won't work… "Today the team is in Clyde River village. This is the last civilized place on the continent. The weather is sunny, but the wind is strong and the cold is bitter - we nearly got frostbitten when moving on snowmobiles! Tomorrow we are leaving for the Base Camp. It will take us one day to get there provided snowmobiles work properly. In this area even in the most remote nook there are proper hotels, internet, telephone. You can get connected with any place on the globe for a small amount of money - 19 cents per minute. Our expedition is escorted by two Eskimos, they are adamant on being called Inuits, but they resemble our Chukchi men a lot …" (29.04.2002) April, 28. Alexander Klyonov reports from Toronto: Alexander Klyonov: "All days are filled with organizational moments, all day today we were busy buying different stuff in Toronto. We have the impression that Canada is full of Russians - conversations and signs in Russian are everywhere. It's rather cold here. We are horrified to think what awaits us on the Pole. We'll spend tomorrow here, and then leave for Ottava, and take a flight from there to Clyde river on April, 29, and further - on sledges. We all experience the time shift. And I am the only one who got used to new time." (26.04.2002) April, 26, the team "BASK - Great Sail Peak" left Moscow for Toronto (Canada)

24.05.2002: Expedition to Baffin Island – details from Sergey Porodnov On his return from Baffin Island, Sergey Porodnov (Ekaterinburg) has visited BASK and has shared with us some interesting details about ‘BASK – Great Sail Wall’ expedition and about the events in which he himself had participated. Sergey set himself a hard task – not only to be a sponsor of a Ural climbing duo Klenov-Devi, but also to be a full member of the expedition during a first stage of it. He joined the team, reached a base of a Great Sail Peak wall and worked along with other member while pitching a camp. Sergey left the island only on the 10th of May, when the climbers began breaking their route up the wall. Larisa Martynkina (LM), company BASK: Sergey, you are not only a sponsor of a Ural climbing duo, but you yourself are full of adventures: a climber and an experienced coach. Tell us about your alumni – athletes from Ekaterinburg. Sergey Porodnov (SP): Alexander Klenov and Michael Devi make a very strong good-tempered climbing duo, which was formed during several last years. In 1987-1993 I had been working as a coach of a military climbing team of Ekaterinburg and was glad to see quick growth of sport level of these two athletes. Gifted Michael was the youngest climber to summit Lenin peak. What concerns Alexander Klenov, I am sure he is our strongest climber with highest personal technique and perfect skills. With the rest members of the expedition I got acquainted only on my way to Baffin Island. LM: How have you reached the island? SP: From Toronto we took cars to Ottawa. After it we flew to Baffin Island (what cost twice as much as a flight Moscow-Toronto!). The flight Ottawa- Iqaluit took about 3.5 hours. From Iqaluit we flew 700 km to Clyde River – the last stronghold of civilization. LM: Were there any boobs or unpleasant situations on your way? SP: We didn’t know much about Baffin Island, so we bought all supplies in Toronto and carried all these 1.5 tons via Ottawa to the island. When we had at last arrived, we were in for a big disappointment. Firstly, we found that in local shops we could find any provision, including fresh watermelons and pineapples. Secondly, when we were buying all our foodstuffs we neglected the fact that Canadians take too much care of their health and pay much attention to slimming. So when we revised our purchases and read all the labels, we were discouraged. Our supplies included: non-fat butter, diabetic biscuits, low-cal rations and another cuisine minceur! LM: What were your impressions from Iqaluit and Clyde River? SP: Boarding a plane we were sure to land in deep backwoods. When we left the plane, we were amazed with a high living standard of the locals (the Inuits). Their appearance was a bit unusual for us, Europeans, while all of them were presentably dressed. They had impressed us favourably. Their ladies go shopping at quadro-cycles. In any shop you may find not less than twenty sorts of ice-cream (keep in mind that this happens in the Arctic!). Inuits have everything one may imagine. Their houses are very comfortable and each of them is equipped with a stand-alone heating system, satellite TV, modern personal computers and other hi-tech. LM: By the way, I got a question concerning computers. We were waiting for letters and photos from Baffin Island but received nothing. What had happened with e-mail and our satellite facilities? SP: Unfortunately, we decided to improve something in our computer software and as a result we, obviously, spoiled everything. All our tunings, which we had set at home, were lost and we couldn’t restore them. We were dejected with this total absence of connection with an outer world. LM: How did you finally manage to provide the communication with us? SP: After we with Klenov settled a query with shipment, we went sightseeing and suddenly saw a salutary signboard ‘Internet’. It was a youth centre, where we found a perfectly equipped gymnasium, a winter garden, and, o lucky we were – an access to Internet. All these services were absolutely free. We immediately started sending e-mails. When local computer specialist got to know that we were Russians, he told us that his wife Oksana was Russian too (from the Ural), so he met us as his own relatives. He spent several hours for fetching required info from some odd corners of the world and after it this noble son of the Inuit repaired our satellite facilities! We were saved. LM: I guess, not all Inuits spent their time at a computer. What are locals occupied with? SP: Inuits live coastwise and are engaged in fishing and hunting. There are a lot of fishes and animals around. Lately they began promoting tourist business, which growths very quickly. Say, in Clyde River there are only about a hundred of houses and three of them are (rather comfortable) hotels, about 10 apartments each. It is significant that the entire island is a non-alcohol zone; import and sale of alcohol are strictly forbidden. LM: I think a doctor has some spirit for his medical purposes. SP: Sure, and, truly speaking, not only a doctor. We have something in stock but hope this doesn’t provoke any repressions from the authorities. We saw that they are reasonable people who would not make you additional problems if you make no problems for them. LM: According to your agreement with authorities you had to be attached several armed locals to defend you from polar bears… SP: Alas, none had defended us. We were just given a gun with ammunition – two boxes of signal cartridges that may frighten a beast. We were explained that there was almost no danger, as polar bears have nothing to do in a mountain part of the island, where we planned to set a base camp. LM: Have you used the ammunition? SP: We met no polar bears and none of us was very upset with the fact. Though we met a lot of pugs on our way and near the base camp. Mostly, they were wolves’. LM: How long had it taken to get from Clyde River to Great Sail Peak? SP: At first we travelled two days on motor-sledges, following Alex Lowe route. We had six sledges on wide skids, which were attached to snowmobiles. For the first day we passed 250 km (and spent seven hours for it). The next day we were riding up a frozen river till we met hindrances insuperable for snowmobiles. 30 km still separated us from the point where we planned to pitch a base camp and it took two days at us to overpass them. At last we had established our camp. From that point we had 2.5 hours of walk to a base of a Great Sail Peak wall. When I was leaving, a blizzard began which had lasted already for two days. LM: Had you been waiting out a storm in a tent or had you really used legendary skills of Odintsov as an igloo-designer? SP: Well, we’d really planned to build an igloo and had even bought a special snow saw, but all was in vain. When we arrived there was no snow – only pure ice. LM: How were the climbers when you left them? Hope, no work for doctor Bakin? SP: All the members were healthy --– they are tough nuts. They had to walk much - – it takes 2.5 hours to cross ice fields and reach the wall – and some of them had already been footsore. These corns were, fortunately, the only business of our doctor. LM: How did you find Arctic weather? SP: While I was there, I noticed that summer still had no plans for the region. It was –50C at days and –200C at ‘nights’ (keep in mind a perpetual Arctic day). Well, not so hot, you know. LM: It means down jackets were essential. How did the team find our warm clothes? SP: The team had appreciated BASK clothing -– none felt cold in it. In such extreme expeditions professionalism of suppliers plays a very important role. Valery Rozov, who had used clothes of many companies, put on BASK down jacket for the first time and was quite satisfied with it. I myself, though I am not a regular member of the team, had taken BASK sleeping bag with me and felt myself very comfortable in it. LM: How had it happened that you decided to join the team and go to Baffin Island? SP: At last I got a chance to realize one my fondest dream. In my youth I spent hours staying, enchanted, before pictures of Canadian artist Rockwell Kent. He showed almost inconceivable Arctic landscapes with vertical rocks, which I considered to be just his fantasy. And now, when I saw it in bare reality, I could hardly trust my eyes. LM: Were you surprised to see that real Arctic nature turned to be so similar with the pictures? SP: Surprised? No, – I was overwhelmed! Giant vertical rocks that growth right from a sea up to two kilometres height. Fiords that are of 200 metres length – it is impossible! I have travelled much but I have never seen anything of the kind. Truly speaking, I even envy our climbers who still may enjoy this pristine nature. And, of course, I wish them good look and hope for victory! Moscow, BASK office, 17.05.2002

24.05.2002: Is it possible to contact by sattelite telephone from Base camp of the Great Sail Peak expedition? If you look at the map (red point is the approximate location of the expedition) you can have some questions. On the map there are areas of activity of each of 4th sattelites wich make the connection for our expedition. Sattelits are on geostationary orbit. Antenna of telephone should look at one of these sattelites. On the map you see that the expedition will be on the edge of area AOR-E sattelite (yellow colour). To use the red coloured sattelite AOR-W, perhaps will be impossible because of the Great Sail peak wall, where climbers will have the route. Base camp have to locate at south side of the wall, but the direction to the sattelite - under the low angel to the horizon. Will it be possible to connect from the base camp or they should search another place? This question is now worries all of us.

24.05.2002: News Release On the 25th of April company BASK held a press conference devoted to an exceptional climbing expedition ‘BASK – Great Sail Wall’, which is leaving to Baffin Island (Canadian Arctic). The forthcoming exclusive event is a joint expedition of ‘Big Walls – Russian Way’ and ‘Russian Extreme Project’ sport groups. For the first time a team of leading Russian climbers (headed by Alexander Odintzov) aims to ascend up the Great Sail Peak Wall. Sail Peak is situated in a mountain range of Baffin Island in Canadian Arctic, which no European has ever trodden. An extreme climb of 1500-meters long and 800-steep wall route is a new stage of Alexander Odintzov’s “Big Walls – Russian Way” project. The expedition should be especially interesting as former famous climber and now no less famous skysurfing athlete Valery Rozov decided to participate in it. Valery plans to bale out of Great Sail Peak wall with delayed parachute opening. Baffin Island is the fifth in size among all islands. Almost the entire surface of it is covered with panoply of ice. It is one of the most remote and less explored places of the Earth. Great Sail Peak was climbed only once – by famous Alex Lowe (USA) and his team. Russian athletes plan to break a new route up the Great Sail Peak Wall. Terms of the expedition (from March till June of 2002) are determined with a polar climate of Baffin Island. This island is situated in the Arctic. One may approach the east side (where all extreme routes are located) only with snowmobiles. In rare warm days of July, when there is no more ice on rivers, it’s also possible to use boats. The situation is complicated with endemic features of local fauna. The island is inhabited with thousands of polar bears. Only on completing an agreement with state officials and local government (Baffin Island is ruled by Eskimos elders) the team got a permit to import firearms and to use it for self-defence. High-altitude cameramen Ivan Samoilenko and Lev Dorfman plan to shoot a film, devoted to the climb and the jump. Satellite communications, provided by BASK company, enable the expedition to be covered in media in on-line mode. General equipment sponsor and an informational sponsor is company BASK – a foremost Russian producer of extreme and special outdoor clothes and equipment. Company Canon provides the expedition with photo and video facilities. ‘Russian Extreme Project’ is sponsored with Salomon company. Since the 19th of April you may find all details about the expedition at our Internet site: http://www.bask.ru

24.05.2002: In one day “BASK – Great Sail Wall” expedition leaves to Baffin Island Alexander Odintzov’s team leaves to Toronto on the 26th of April – just as it was planned. Members and organizers of the event met the news with relief – the expedition starts in right time. Canadian embassy has at last granted visas to Odintzov’s team. Registration of their documents took more than 20 days (sic!) and during the period we were uncertain that the expedition may start in time. Now this initial problem is over. Press-service of ‘Big Walls – Russian Way’ project reports that Canadian media are already informed about arrival of our climbers. While the team will be moving to Canadian Arctic Russian embassy will be preparing a press-conference devoted to the project. A press conference devoted to an exceptional climbing expedition ‘BASK – Great Sail Wall’ was held on the 25th of April – the day before its leaving to Baffin Island. In a conference hall of Moscow business-center members of the team shared their plans with journalists. The conference was especially interesting for sport and outdoor media, news TV reporters. ‘Baffin team’ was present in full muster. Leaders of two joint projects – Alexander Odintzov and Valery Rozov completed their speeches with scenes from the films shot in previous expeditions. Climbers, high-altitude cameramen and an expedition doctor were eager to answer numerous questions of journalists and visitors, gave interviews in informal atmosphere. In a background one could see BASK exposition, presenting a complete outfit for a climbing expedition. BASK authorities, journalists and all our guests wished good luck, fine weather and, of course, victory to Russian team.

24.05.2002: "BASK – Great Sail Wall" expedition A press conference devoted to a climbing expedition ‘BASK – Great Sail Wall’ was held in Saint-Petersburg press-center of ITAR-TASS on the 19th of April. Expedition leader Alexander Odintzov, expedition doctor Mikhail Bakin and cameraman Ivan Samoilenko shared their plans with journalists. For example, Alexander gave some comments regarding an aim of the expedition: Q: Why have you chosen exactly this big wall? A: Firstly, we had a sad bulk during our last two attempts to climb Latok III (Pakistan). At the beginning we got ten broken ribs, two broken legs and two broken arms. At the end we lost Igor Barvikhin. So this year we had no aspiration for Pakistan. Moreover, a political situation there is too unstable. We decided to postpone this stage of our project and to return to it later. Secondly, Baffin Island is ‘Terra Incognita’ for Europeans – none of us have ever been in the region. Only a team of Alex Lowe had climbed Great Sail Peak several years ago. We met Alex at (better – on) the Great Trango Wall in 1999 and became friends. Several months ago Alex was killed in an avalanche on Xixabangma and his body was never found. In his honour we decided to climb the wall, where he was the first, and to break a new route in 50-100 metres to the right of his one.”

24.05.2002: "BASK – Great Sail Wall" expedition: Alexander Odintzov’s interview Alexander Odintzov   New ‘BASK – Great Sail Peak Wall’ expedition, which is a part of famous ‘Big Walls – Russian Way’ project, is off to Baffin Island. Russian climbing team headed by Alexander Odintzov is going to break a new route up the Great Sail Peak Wall. Sail Peak is situated in an unexplored mountain range of Baffin Island in Canadian Arctic. Valery Rozov – a leader of ‘Russian Extreme Project’ also takes part in the expeditions. He plans to bale out of Great Sail Peak wall with a delayed parachute opening. General equipment sponsor and an informational sponsor is company BASK. Hot news from the expedition appears at our site: http://www.bask.ru This new page in a chronicle of BASK expeditions we start with publishing of exclusive Alexander Odintzov’s interview. Terra Incognita Inmost and mysterious Baffin Island, covered with panoply of ice, is one of the most remote and less explored places of the Earth. Highland at the east coast of the island is hard to reach but it attracts hearts of climbers. 99 percent of its territory are virgin lands. Forbidden peaks, vertical unclimbed walls up to 1500 metres high are magnetic for masters of climbing. ‘Terra Incognita’ – that’s how Alexander Odintzov (a leader of ‘Big Walls – Russian Way’ project) called it. Alexander heads Russian expedition that plans to climb a face of Great Sail Peak Baffin Island in May 2002. The team need not to bother about equipment or informational support as company BASK took care of it. A complete outfit for the expedition has been preparing several months. During the period Alexander had several times visited us and helped to tune everything to answer special requirements of Arctic climbing expedition. In one of such visits we were lucky to interview Alexander and to ask him several questions about the event. . Q (Larisa Martynkina, BASK): Alex, now your expedition is ready to start and the entry list is fixed. Who (personally) is leaving to Baffin Island? How was your team selected? A (Alexander Odintzov, ‘Big Walls – Russian Way’): Entry list had been formed many years ago –it included strongest climbers of the country. Though each next stage of ‘Big Walls – Russian Way’ project requires much from participants. Some members may face financial or family problems, they may have other sport plans or there may appear some other obstacles to taking part in the project. So our team list changes a little each new year. This time the following athletes are leaving to Baffin Island: Alexander Odintzov (Saint-Petersburg), Alexander Klenov (Ekaterinburg), Michael Devi (Ekaterinburg), Alexander Ruchkin (Omsk), Valery Rozov (Moscow), In our support team there are: doctor Mikhail Bakin, cameramen Ivan Samoilenko and Lev Dorgman, photo-reporter Dmitry Livanov. Q: In your team there is Valery Rozov – a leader of ‘Russian Extreme Project’ and a famous skysurfing athlete. Is he planning to bale out of Great Sail Peak after real climbing of it? A: Valery was a very strong climber, master of climbing with 12-years experience, so he is not frightened with this route. After climbing El-Captain in 1996 Valery turned to parachute jumping. Baffin Island was for many years tempting Valery Rozov as the place where he may apply his skills in both sports. We were happy to meet Valery in our team, so this event may be considered as a joint expedition of two independent projects. Q: How were you preparing to the expedition? Have you climbed together? A: We had no special joint training as it was almost impossible to organize them – our participants are from different towns. We all are professional athletes and should always be in good form. For each of us his previous climbs were the best training. Say, Klenov this winter was at Troll Wall in Norway, Rosov is permanently jumping, perfecting his skills, and has just returned from an expedition to Mexico, Ruchkin lives in Spain and climbs there. I myself not so long ago was climbing Mt. Shkhelda at the Caucasus. Q: Why have you chosen exactly this big wall? A: Mountains of Baffin Island always charmed me with their wilderness. Baffin Island is a ‘Terra Incognita’ for Europeans – none of us have ever been in the region. Only a team of Alex Lowe had climbed Great Sail Peak several years ago. We met Alex in 1999 when our teams were climbing the Great Trango Wall by parallel routes. We became friends. And several months ago Alex was killed in an avalanche on Xixabangma and his body was never found. Since then his route was unrepeated and the peak stands unclimbed. In his honour we decided to climb the wall, where he was the first, and to break a new route in 50-100 metres to the right of his one. Q: Tell us some more details about your route. How much time do you plan to spend for the climb? A: We are going to first-climb a new route. We have no detailed information of the wall. No descriptions survived. No beta at all, even no topographic maps of the ridge. We’ll use only some air photos, which have no more common with the real relief, than a sketch with a portrait. Only one fact we may state for sure – this is an extremely hard route (top 6b Russian grade of difficulty). Elevation changes are about 1300-1500 metres, a slope is about 80-850. One more problem is that there is no water on the wall. We plan to climb it in 10-15 days, but much depends on weather and a current situation. Q: Are there any other problems except of unknown relief of the route, which you expect to face on the wall? A: We are in for a hardest climb, but we are ready for it. Most dangerous for us are polar bears, which are walking about the island in multitude. Polar bear is the greatest predator of our planet and it has no natural enemies. Its weight is about 600 kg, it’s speed is up to 40 km/h and it may jump 6 metres long. Man is just food for it! Q: Well, I see: while running away from such a monster one may climb any wall. But how are you going to defense? It would be pity to become a breakfast of polar bear. A: When our BASK friends were equipping our expedition they found for us a calling card of the greatest Russian specialist in polar bears, who managed to live near them about 20 years and not to be eaten. We rely upon his wise advices. At long last we leave at the base camp out doctor Mikhail Bakin to feed the hungriest bear (j/k). To be serious, we are going to reach an agreement with Canadian government to hire a pair of locals with guns to defend our camp. Q: Don’t you find it dangerous to live in tents? A: We’ll build Eskimos igloo and fix our tent inside of it. Igloo is a reliable shelter that may stand a blow of a heavy paw of a bear. I have good skills in building igloos (as I do it several times a year), so we expect no problems with it. Q: Why did you choose this (end of spring – start of summer) period? Was it an occasional decision? A: No, it was not. We start on spring when the sea is still covered with ice and when we may cross it on snowmobiles with sledges. We need to finish the expedition in June as later there is no ice and one may reach Baffin only with boats. It’s impossible for us with our heavy expedition loads. Arctic day enables us to work (in shifts) almost all 24-hours round the clock. Q: Great Sail Peak is situated in the east, most remote and a hardest-to-approach mountain ridge of Baffin Island. How are you going to reach your wall? A: We plan to spend a couple of days in Toronto and to fly to Clyde River after it. That place is only 150 km far from our climbing route. We wish to cross this wilderness at snowmobiles, but one can’t predict which time it takes. Alex Lowe spent 9 days for it – four times more, than he had planned! So in our case everything depends on weather and good luck. We plan to pitch a base camp in early May. Q: It means we may get first news from you in May, yes? A: O, thanks to support of BASK company, which provided us with satellite facilities, we have an outstanding opportunity to inform public about progress of the expedition. We also hope to get messages from our families and friends. Inmarsat satellite phone, computer and stand-alone power supply help us to forget about the distance between the rest world and us. We’ll regularly send messages to BASK press-office, which will forward them to all who are interested in the expedition. Q: What equipment do you take with you? A: I rely on high-altitude BASK equipment, which I have been using for a long period. It is the third season when BASK acts as a general equipment sponsor of our ‘Big Walls -– Russian Way’ project. What concerns my preferences in clothing, I should confess that I am a retrograde person. I prefer natural down to all synthetic insulations. I got used to down and I like it. This time each of us has two down jackets and, of course, all the rest clothes prepared for us by BASK.