PHOTOS: Ulvetanna Expedition - Leo Houlding

by Jack Geldard - UKC Chief Editor Jan/2013
This news story has been read 14,338 times

Last week we reported the breaking news that Leo Houlding and team had succeeded on their expedition to climb a new route on Ulvetanna in Antarctica.

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+Leo climbing on the headwall, 243 kb
Leo climbing on the headwall
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus

We now have more details and excellent photos from Berghaus:

British climber and adventurer Leo Houlding has led an international team to success on the first ascent of a major new route on the remarkable Antarctic peak, Ulvetanna (2930m). Widely considered to be the most demanding peak on the harshest continent, the mile long north east ridge of the mountain has been described as one of "the last great climbs". The team included Sean Leary (USA), Jason Pickles (UK), David Reeves (South Africa), Chris Rabone (UK) and award winning film-maker Alastair Lee (UK).

Ulvetanna ("the wolf's tooth" in Norwegian) is the jewel in the crown of the FenrisKjefeten ("the wolf's jaw") range of mountains of Queen Maud Land, eastern Antarctica. After months of preparation, the expedition began in late December, sponsored by British outdoor brand Berghaus.

+The route on Ulvetanna, 174 kb
The route on Ulvetanna
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus

Leo Houlding commented:

"Ulvetanna's fearsome north east ridge allowed us safe passage up and down from her summit, but not without showing a few teeth. We're back in base camp with all our stuff, the weather is great again and we're all loving life.

This landscape of endless white desert and giant rock fangs is totally out of this world. At times in truly brutal conditions, we have all been pushed to our limits. We have taken a beating, but come out on top – well, back at the bottom thankfully!

We have just completed the first ascent of one of the world's last great climbs and are all suitably psyched. A decade of dreaming, a year of planning, a month on the ice, and a week on the wall and we have done it. It's a dream come true - nice one boys!"

A detailed account of the team's experiences can be found in the expedition blog.

PHOTOS: Ulvetanna Expedition

photo
The headwall was overhanging in places
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus
+The north east ridge of Ulvetanna, 162 kb
The north east ridge of Ulvetanna
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus
+Basecamp, with Ulvetanna in the background, 5km away, 104 kb
Basecamp, with Ulvetanna in the background, 5km away
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus
+L-R - Alastair Lee, Sean Leary, Chris Rabone, Leo Houlding, Jason Pickles, 231 kb
L-R - Alastair Lee, Sean Leary, Chris Rabone, Leo Houlding, Jason Pickles
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus
+Climbing on the headwall leading to the summit, 121 kb
Climbing on the headwall leading to the summit
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus
photo
A small portion of the wall to give an idea of scale
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus
+On the ridge to the base of Ulvetanna, 114 kb
On the ridge to the base of Ulvetanna
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus
+Summit reference photo, 79 kb
Summit reference photo
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus
+The team on the summit. Back - Leo (left) and Sean; front - Jason (left), Chris and Alastair, 134 kb
The team on the summit. Back - Leo (left) and Sean; front - Jason (left), Chris and Alastair
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus
+The view of the range, 105 kb
The view of the range
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus
+The weather turned very cold and windy in the final days of the expedition, 219 kb
The weather turned very cold and windy in the final days of the expedition
UKC News, Jan 2013
© Alastair Lee / Berghaus

Leo Houlding is sponsored by DMM and Berghaus


* Forums ( Read More... | 33 comments, 05 Feb 2013 )
Looks like a great achievement, and great to see that big companies are still sponsoring such "adventures". Wish they'd spend some money on calibrating their colour pallets though. Imagine what Keswick...
Martin1978 - 04 Feb 2013

We discussed this at length last year when the "Asgard apology" was quietly published in the back of Climb, but considering Leo and others on the current team in Antarctica faced criminal charges in Canada for...
TobyA - 03 Feb 2013

Don't be fooled by the fact that Leo is photogenic and media-savvy enough to appear on the likes of Top Gear etc. He is first and foremost a superbly talented technical rock climber. Unlike most he has the vision and...
Derek Ryden - 03 Feb 2013

I'm probably not phrasing it right, I mean I got the impression he is seen as more of an 'adventurer' who is really good at climbing, as opposed to someone like Johnny Dawes who is an out and out rock climber. Anyway,...
Taurig - 01 Feb 2013

Looks amazing. I, perhaps wrongly, get the impression that Houlding isn't held in such high regard as... I can't think of the term, climbers who haven't been on Top Gear? Whatever, I don't think you can argue with this,...
Taurig - 01 Feb 2013

Yes, just a smidge right of centre. The broad wall down in the right foreground is Holtanna, location of a Huberbaum ridge route, and some others. A direct route up this face is probably the area's Last Great Climb....
Damo - 31 Jan 2013

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