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Barely explored and almost untouched ice landscapes are the measure of all things for many professional athletes. When it comes to planning the next expedition, it can't be untouched enough for many of these exceptional athletes. The northern Patagonian ice sheet is one such place - a blank spot on the map that doesn't have much to offer apart from kilometres of ice and icy mountains. But that was precisely the decisive factor for Robert Jasper and his rope team.
THE STARTING SHOT IS FIRED
In October 2019, the four-person rope team of Jasper, Heller, Thomann and Fengler travelled to Chile. From Puerto Bertrand, they travelled by boat across Lago Plomo into the Val Soler valley, which stretches for many kilometres into the inland ice. The approach led through the wilderness and cold rainforest until they reached the base camp site after four days. What Robert and his companions didn't realise at the time was that they would be spending a lot of time at this base camp.
Untouched terrain always has a decisive disadvantage: available terrain information and existing maps are either few and far between or full of errors, which is also due to the rapidly advancing glacier melt here. In addition, there were huge icefalls and crevasses, which made progress even more difficult. These circumstances often forced the athletes to change their plans and routes. The weather also showed its rough side. Violent storms with heavy rain and snowfall meant that the athletes had to hold out at base camp time and time again, which meant lost time.
