Welsh climbers blaze a trail

The mountains are in a remote part of Greenland

An all-women team of mountaineers are preparing for the ultimate girl power challenge next week as they venture into the unknown to scale a 2200m peak of sheer rock and ice.

The team of five, four from north Wales, are heading to north east Greenland to a remote wilderness of snow and glaciers.

They have chosen a route up Mount Tupilak which has never been climbed before.

Team leader Sue Savege, a mountaineering instructor at Plas y Brenin mountain centre in Capel Curig, said the expedition represented the team's most difficult challenge yet.

She said: "The remoteness and isolation of our proposed climb makes this a daunting journey.

The plan is to push through, climbing ultra light and climbing through the night Sue Savege, team leader

"We are totally on our own. It is an untouched wilderness with mountains that have not been climbed before."

The team includes Catrin Thomas from Llanberis, filmmaker Justine Curgenven from Anglesey, Rosie Goolden from Llanfyllin and Di Gilbert from Scotland.

They will fly out to Kulusuk on the east coast of Greenland on 17 July, then travel north up the Sermilaq Fjord.

Glaciers

Their last point of human contact will be when their boat drops them off at the snout of the Knud Rasmussen Glacier.

From here on they will travel on skis, pulling all their equipment and provisions on sleds weighing almost twice their own weight.

They will start their ascent from base camp below the south face of Tupilak in the Schwizerland region of the country.

Justine Curgenven will film the whole expedition

Their route, never previously attempted, will combine a variety of climbing disciplines.

They will have to climb 500m through snow and ice and across a glacier using crampons and ice axes.

The second stage will include over 800m of rock climbing at some of the hardest grades.

"This may take several days," said Sue Savege, who lives in Bethesda.

"The last part is practically vertical.

"The route has never been climbed before, but we have seen photographs of the mountain and we think our route is possible.

"Given the fact that at this time there is 24 hour daylight in Greenland, the plan is to push through, climbing ultra light and climbing through the night.

"In a funny kind of way I am almost looking forward to some of the hardship I know we will experience," she added.

The group has planned a new route

Plas y Brenin's head of training, Martin Doyle, who has successfully climbed Everest, praised the efforts of the team. "This is a challenging and ambitious goal.

"It is always inspirational to see expeditions pushing the boundaries and mountaineers pushing themselves.

"Everyone at Plas Y Brenin will wish them success and I hope that it helps to inspire other women to look at climbing as a sport for them," he said.

The climb will be recorded by 29-year-old Justine Curgenven, who is an adventure filmmaker.

A National Geographic programme about the journey is due to be shown in January 2004.