Finally I am back in Svalbard. The light is already gone, only on clear sky days and fullmoon, it is still quite bright and the mountains turn pink. Svalbard magic moments, much appreciated.Freitag, 06. November 2009
Endelig tilbake
Finally I am back in Svalbard. The light is already gone, only on clear sky days and fullmoon, it is still quite bright and the mountains turn pink. Svalbard magic moments, much appreciated.
Donnerstag, 29. Oktober 2009
Mera Peak Trekking
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| Mera Peak |
Since I started spending my spare time in the mountains I was reading books from the climbing heroes of our time. I was fascinated by the stories of Reinhold Messner, Hans Kammerlander, Kurt Diemberger or Jerzy Kukuzcka and even more by the big mountains those guys climbed. Since then I wanted to see the highest peaks in the world. All a question of time and money. First I had as a student, second not.
With my first salary this January, I booked a trip to Nepal. I chose the Mera Peak Trekking for some reasons. First I wanted to see some 8000 m peaks and from the Mera Peak summit, you were supposed to see 4. Second I wanted to know how I am doing in higher altitudes and Mera Peak is over 6400 m high, therefore perfect for my purpose and third I wanted to know how I am dealing with living in a tent for nearly 3 weeks.
On 3 October we took off to Kathmandu. The city reminded me of Bangkok. Loud, messy, full of life, cheep and instead of fake Rolex you can by fake Mammut equipment. Nice. Right the next day we flew with a little Twinotter plane to Lukla. Unfortunately we could only bring 20 kg per person, so we put some of our stuff, mainly the hardwear, in separate bags which of course got lost on the airport. So we had to borrow some gear. From the plane I could get a first exciting glimps on Everest and the landing stripe in Lukla is really as scarry as everyone says. What a short landing between the houses of Lukla. In Lukla we met our Sirdar Ramis and the helping guides.
The first days brought us up to 3500 m asl. to some small huts called Chutanga in the middle of the jungle. It rained for three days constantly which brought the tents already on their edge as well as the nerves and moud of some of our group. We also could not do our full acclimatization program for crossing the high Zatrwala pass (4500 m asl), so we had to stay longer than expected. Finally we got over the pass, the weather got a little bit better as we progressed still through rain forest to Tuli Kharka, Kothe and Tangnang. In Tangnang we had a first day off with very bad weather. It was three days before our Mera Peak summit day and the mood of the group was again at a low point. Also because Charly Gabl forecasted -20 deg and 60 km/h wind on the summit day. This prognoses gave some of us nearly the rest and they seriously wanted to turn around an walk back to Lukla. It was suggested we could do some daily trips around Kathmandu instead! This was more than ridiculous and it showed that some people were either physically nor mentally prepared for this kind of trip. I instead was still happy to be in the landscape of my dreams.
The following day was amazingly nice and we hiked underneath the northface of Mera Peak up to Khare, 4820 m asl. On a moraine ridge I reached 5000 m asl. for the first time in my life and payed it with heavy headache for the rest of the evening. But all was well the next day and we reached Mera La, 5200 m asl. in beautiful sunshine, progressing further to our High Camp at 5350 m. From there, we had an amazing view at Everest and Makalu and the sunset was breathtaking. Normally the high camp is at 5800 m but we decided to sleep lower and better and be fitter the next day to ascent to the summit. So after a good night we started at 2 in the morning, the sun hit us at about 5800 m asl., right were the difficulties started. I had just water in my drinking system and did not really like it. So I stopped drinking for a while and payed of course the prize. The steep slope between 5800 - 6000 m asl. was pure horror. I had to stop every 5th step and breath for my life. As we took a rest at about 6000 m asl. I was ready to walk back, I was just done. But than I squeezed in a power gel, drank two cups of hot water and ascented further. And suddenly it went well. One step, one breath, one step one breath and at about 9 in the morning I stood alone on the summit of Mera Peak, 6461 m asl. And what a view! From left to right Cho Oyu, Everest, Lothse, Makalu and Kanchenjunga. 4 peaks above 8000 m! Beautiful weather, maybe -10 deg and almost no wind. Dear Charly Gabl, you were perfectly wrong.
I started descending after maybe 20 m on the summit and was well back in time in the high camp, were I ate, took a quick nap and advanced further down into the Hongu valley to our next camp. The next days we could enjoy the lonelyness of the beautiful Hongu Himal until we reached the foot of Amphu Laptsa, a 5780 m high climbing pass into the Khumbu valley. A spectacular way lead us up through ice cascades onto a narrow ridge with amazing views at the big Lothse south face. We abseiled down the first 60 m of the pass, tourists first, then porters and equipment. Amphu Laptsa demanded all the day and we were happy to reach camp right underneath Island Peak in the evening.
The following days we comfortably walked out the famous Khumbu valley amongst thousand other hikers, slept in lodges, enjoyed the great Ama Dablam, Tengpoche monastery, the flair of Namche Bazar and ever and ever again Everest and Lothse. I might have taken too much pictures.
Back in Kathmandu I enjoyed sitting 4 hours at the tourist police station because of the lost equipment and we had the honour of getting a foot at the Rum Doodle. Mera Peak 2009, Bergspechte trekking, next to the great Everest adventures.
To wrap it up. The trip was a dream come true and I could fulfill all my wishes. I saw Everest and the other high summits, felt pretty good above 6000 m asl. and enjoyed every single night in the tent. But I would not do some sort of trip with unknown people again. All this complaining was too much and I always walked in far in front of the group in my own pace enjoying the greatness of the Himalays. Next stop Muztagh Ata?
With my first salary this January, I booked a trip to Nepal. I chose the Mera Peak Trekking for some reasons. First I wanted to see some 8000 m peaks and from the Mera Peak summit, you were supposed to see 4. Second I wanted to know how I am doing in higher altitudes and Mera Peak is over 6400 m high, therefore perfect for my purpose and third I wanted to know how I am dealing with living in a tent for nearly 3 weeks.
On 3 October we took off to Kathmandu. The city reminded me of Bangkok. Loud, messy, full of life, cheep and instead of fake Rolex you can by fake Mammut equipment. Nice. Right the next day we flew with a little Twinotter plane to Lukla. Unfortunately we could only bring 20 kg per person, so we put some of our stuff, mainly the hardwear, in separate bags which of course got lost on the airport. So we had to borrow some gear. From the plane I could get a first exciting glimps on Everest and the landing stripe in Lukla is really as scarry as everyone says. What a short landing between the houses of Lukla. In Lukla we met our Sirdar Ramis and the helping guides.
The first days brought us up to 3500 m asl. to some small huts called Chutanga in the middle of the jungle. It rained for three days constantly which brought the tents already on their edge as well as the nerves and moud of some of our group. We also could not do our full acclimatization program for crossing the high Zatrwala pass (4500 m asl), so we had to stay longer than expected. Finally we got over the pass, the weather got a little bit better as we progressed still through rain forest to Tuli Kharka, Kothe and Tangnang. In Tangnang we had a first day off with very bad weather. It was three days before our Mera Peak summit day and the mood of the group was again at a low point. Also because Charly Gabl forecasted -20 deg and 60 km/h wind on the summit day. This prognoses gave some of us nearly the rest and they seriously wanted to turn around an walk back to Lukla. It was suggested we could do some daily trips around Kathmandu instead! This was more than ridiculous and it showed that some people were either physically nor mentally prepared for this kind of trip. I instead was still happy to be in the landscape of my dreams.
The following day was amazingly nice and we hiked underneath the northface of Mera Peak up to Khare, 4820 m asl. On a moraine ridge I reached 5000 m asl. for the first time in my life and payed it with heavy headache for the rest of the evening. But all was well the next day and we reached Mera La, 5200 m asl. in beautiful sunshine, progressing further to our High Camp at 5350 m. From there, we had an amazing view at Everest and Makalu and the sunset was breathtaking. Normally the high camp is at 5800 m but we decided to sleep lower and better and be fitter the next day to ascent to the summit. So after a good night we started at 2 in the morning, the sun hit us at about 5800 m asl., right were the difficulties started. I had just water in my drinking system and did not really like it. So I stopped drinking for a while and payed of course the prize. The steep slope between 5800 - 6000 m asl. was pure horror. I had to stop every 5th step and breath for my life. As we took a rest at about 6000 m asl. I was ready to walk back, I was just done. But than I squeezed in a power gel, drank two cups of hot water and ascented further. And suddenly it went well. One step, one breath, one step one breath and at about 9 in the morning I stood alone on the summit of Mera Peak, 6461 m asl. And what a view! From left to right Cho Oyu, Everest, Lothse, Makalu and Kanchenjunga. 4 peaks above 8000 m! Beautiful weather, maybe -10 deg and almost no wind. Dear Charly Gabl, you were perfectly wrong.
I started descending after maybe 20 m on the summit and was well back in time in the high camp, were I ate, took a quick nap and advanced further down into the Hongu valley to our next camp. The next days we could enjoy the lonelyness of the beautiful Hongu Himal until we reached the foot of Amphu Laptsa, a 5780 m high climbing pass into the Khumbu valley. A spectacular way lead us up through ice cascades onto a narrow ridge with amazing views at the big Lothse south face. We abseiled down the first 60 m of the pass, tourists first, then porters and equipment. Amphu Laptsa demanded all the day and we were happy to reach camp right underneath Island Peak in the evening.
The following days we comfortably walked out the famous Khumbu valley amongst thousand other hikers, slept in lodges, enjoyed the great Ama Dablam, Tengpoche monastery, the flair of Namche Bazar and ever and ever again Everest and Lothse. I might have taken too much pictures.
Back in Kathmandu I enjoyed sitting 4 hours at the tourist police station because of the lost equipment and we had the honour of getting a foot at the Rum Doodle. Mera Peak 2009, Bergspechte trekking, next to the great Everest adventures.
To wrap it up. The trip was a dream come true and I could fulfill all my wishes. I saw Everest and the other high summits, felt pretty good above 6000 m asl. and enjoyed every single night in the tent. But I would not do some sort of trip with unknown people again. All this complaining was too much and I always walked in far in front of the group in my own pace enjoying the greatness of the Himalays. Next stop Muztagh Ata?
Dienstag, 29. September 2009
Off-topic: On travel
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| Moeseler |
Since 2 weeks I am off the fridge. First I visited Juni in Bergen where we had a nice little trip to her cabin in the mountains. This was just before she left to Portugal and further to the US and all the way down to South America. Check out her travel blog in Norwegian: http://junivl.blogg.no/
Than I went further to Vienna to attend the Deutsche Geographentagung, organized by my former institute. It was a very nice opportunity to meet those people again and show what I am doing right now. I gave a nice presentation about my recent research. But more important, I could enjoy life in Vienna for a week. Thanks to Dominic and Julia for couch surfing. It was a pleasure to meet my friends, eat good Austrian food and be back home, also in good old Thaling with my family.
For two days, me and Dominic went mountaineering in the Zillertal. Our target was the Groesser Moeseler, with almost 3500 m asl one of the higher peaks in Austria. It was a pleasent trip with some way finding over a crevassed glacier and a good climb up a ridge. We missed the way a little bit so the climb turned out harder and longer then expected. Also the conditions were not the best since it snowed a little the night before and the rocks, which on top were superloose, were quite slippery. But we did it of course, although it took some time. And after the trip we went to a birthday party in Kufstein. Was good to do a trip with Dominic, at least one this year.
After the climbing days I went further to Davos to attend the International Snow Science Workshop in Davos, Switzerland. So there I am right now, enjoying presentations about nothing else then avalanches.
Than I went further to Vienna to attend the Deutsche Geographentagung, organized by my former institute. It was a very nice opportunity to meet those people again and show what I am doing right now. I gave a nice presentation about my recent research. But more important, I could enjoy life in Vienna for a week. Thanks to Dominic and Julia for couch surfing. It was a pleasure to meet my friends, eat good Austrian food and be back home, also in good old Thaling with my family.
For two days, me and Dominic went mountaineering in the Zillertal. Our target was the Groesser Moeseler, with almost 3500 m asl one of the higher peaks in Austria. It was a pleasent trip with some way finding over a crevassed glacier and a good climb up a ridge. We missed the way a little bit so the climb turned out harder and longer then expected. Also the conditions were not the best since it snowed a little the night before and the rocks, which on top were superloose, were quite slippery. But we did it of course, although it took some time. And after the trip we went to a birthday party in Kufstein. Was good to do a trip with Dominic, at least one this year.
After the climbing days I went further to Davos to attend the International Snow Science Workshop in Davos, Switzerland. So there I am right now, enjoying presentations about nothing else then avalanches.
Sonntag, 30. August 2009
Sommer blir til host
After we got spoiled in July, with temperatures constantly over 10 degrees, it is quite a change now. The sun is going down already for a view hours, temperatures are close to freezing and the wind is blowing. Still, the endless sunset makes the horizon burn and the rest of the sky is completely pink. What a spectacular beginning of autumn.Samstag, 29. August 2009
Abisko and Tarfalalalala
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| Abisko and Tarfala |
One of the nice things about being a scientist is to visit different places for free. The last two weeks I had the opportunity to visit Abisko in northern Sweden. Abisko is situated in the Subarctic with a MAAT of -1 deg Celsius, mountaineous landscape with a lot of lakes and a low birch forest. I attended a summer course at the Bert Bolin Centre for Arctic climate research on different aspects of the Arctic climate system. The course brought 25 Ph.D.-students from all over the world together, all working in the Arctic. Almost everyone was from somewhere else than he/she is working right now and/or doing fieldwork.
The course program was really interesting and gave me a good insight in the Arctic climate system, especially in relevant topics for my work like snow and ice as well as cloud albedo, the North Atlantic Circulation, synopthic weather systems, heat transport in the atmosphere,... That helped quite a lot and was really good. Also the helicopter flight to the Tarfala mountain research station and being up there was really great. It looked like Svalbard up there, just rocks and ice. I felt like home and enjoyed every minute. A lot of glaciology was done so far at Tarfala, with the longest glacier mass balance record. But not very much periglacial geomorphology, would be a nice place to study some avalanches and their geomorphologic impact.
On the other hand, the course was also political. The Bert Bolin Centre is enrolled in the IPCC somehow and many lecturers are working for the IPCC. Therefore the discussion on certain climate change issues was pretty much onesided and sometimes presented as they would speak in front of journalists and politicans and not young scientists. And that sucked super much since I do not need anyone to tell me that we have not much time anymore and the situation right now is threatening, that is just bullshit. I want to see data, the interpretation of the data as well as the scientific discussion in a reviewed journal and not some personal opinion and political statements and unserious blabla. After I got really pissed about this situation I took the opportunity to address some other opinions about important climate change issues like the global surface temperature, anthropogenic C02 emission coupling, or how to manipulate data presentation to channel interpretations into the way you want it. Unfortunately the students did not really dare to express their opinions and the teachers just wiped out everything right away. That was a pity, since I believe that it is very important to have a diverse discussion in science. This is what it is all about and helps to progress, not just looking in one direction. Same goes for the modelling people. Even tough they claim something else, they believe too much in their models and in the end, a model is just a mathematical way to express your own opinion.
At the end of the day I am following the advise of my supervisor Hanne. I go back to my own little research field and try to do good research, with respect to a changing climate on our planet. That is the good thing about a Ph.D., I do not have to have a professional opinion on the big climate change thing, since I anyway do not have the data for it. And finally that is what it is all about as a scientist. Your own opinion is uninteresting, you have to proof your findings.
(For those who are not familiar with the climate stuff. IPCC is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. They got the peace nobel price together with Al Gore. It is a political instrument, set up in the 80s when we had a quite distinct global warming phase, which is stagnating since 2000. Many climate researchers write big reports which get a lot of media echo. Everyone who tries to have a closer look at the data and the way it is presented is pretty quickly brandmarked as a climate sceptic and out of the community. I wonder how you can be a sceptic on climate. It is not a person, just a thing.)
The course program was really interesting and gave me a good insight in the Arctic climate system, especially in relevant topics for my work like snow and ice as well as cloud albedo, the North Atlantic Circulation, synopthic weather systems, heat transport in the atmosphere,... That helped quite a lot and was really good. Also the helicopter flight to the Tarfala mountain research station and being up there was really great. It looked like Svalbard up there, just rocks and ice. I felt like home and enjoyed every minute. A lot of glaciology was done so far at Tarfala, with the longest glacier mass balance record. But not very much periglacial geomorphology, would be a nice place to study some avalanches and their geomorphologic impact.
On the other hand, the course was also political. The Bert Bolin Centre is enrolled in the IPCC somehow and many lecturers are working for the IPCC. Therefore the discussion on certain climate change issues was pretty much onesided and sometimes presented as they would speak in front of journalists and politicans and not young scientists. And that sucked super much since I do not need anyone to tell me that we have not much time anymore and the situation right now is threatening, that is just bullshit. I want to see data, the interpretation of the data as well as the scientific discussion in a reviewed journal and not some personal opinion and political statements and unserious blabla. After I got really pissed about this situation I took the opportunity to address some other opinions about important climate change issues like the global surface temperature, anthropogenic C02 emission coupling, or how to manipulate data presentation to channel interpretations into the way you want it. Unfortunately the students did not really dare to express their opinions and the teachers just wiped out everything right away. That was a pity, since I believe that it is very important to have a diverse discussion in science. This is what it is all about and helps to progress, not just looking in one direction. Same goes for the modelling people. Even tough they claim something else, they believe too much in their models and in the end, a model is just a mathematical way to express your own opinion.
At the end of the day I am following the advise of my supervisor Hanne. I go back to my own little research field and try to do good research, with respect to a changing climate on our planet. That is the good thing about a Ph.D., I do not have to have a professional opinion on the big climate change thing, since I anyway do not have the data for it. And finally that is what it is all about as a scientist. Your own opinion is uninteresting, you have to proof your findings.
(For those who are not familiar with the climate stuff. IPCC is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. They got the peace nobel price together with Al Gore. It is a political instrument, set up in the 80s when we had a quite distinct global warming phase, which is stagnating since 2000. Many climate researchers write big reports which get a lot of media echo. Everyone who tries to have a closer look at the data and the way it is presented is pretty quickly brandmarked as a climate sceptic and out of the community. I wonder how you can be a sceptic on climate. It is not a person, just a thing.)
Montag, 10. August 2009
Geomorphologic field work at Kapp Linne
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| Kapp Linne fieldwork |
Kapp Linne is the paradise for every geomorphologist! Polygons, sorted circles, solifluction lobes, ice wedges, sand wedges, rock glaciers, talus slopes, avalanche fans,... Geomorphology heart, hva vil du mere?!
In addition, the whole interesting landscape can be enjoyed in great detail because in the evening you know that you come back to the nice Isfjorden Radio hotel, meaning warm shower, comfi beds and a good dinner. No tent, no wet clothes, no polar bear thread! Sure, the food could be less fancy and a little bit more in the evening. Therefore it is important to even that out at the breakfast and try to beat each other in making the highest sandwich towers to bring in the field. The weather could have been better as well, but it was more or less ok. So we got quite a lot of work done, downloaded all shock and temperature loggers, hidden sometimes quite good by Hanne, re-measured the rock glacier with a differential GPS in order to find out if it moved a few cm in the last two years and put some electricity into the ground to find out how much ice is in the permafrost.
But the coolest thing was the drilling. Me, Zoe and Hanne drilled a permafrost temperature hole with a hand drill. First we had to dig down to 120 cm, that was the depth of the active layer. The active layer, thaws in spring and freezes up again in autumn, is therefore active in a way. At 120 cm we found the permafrost table, so from this depth, the ground is frozen since many many years down to a certain depth were the geothermal heat heats it up again. At this location, maybe 150 or less? At least quite some meters. At this part a quick joke: Where does the permafrost researcher enjoy his coffee? At the permafrost table of course! Also, never confuse the permafrost table with a rock if you want to become a permafrost researcher. After digging we started drilling. Always just a few centimeters into the frozen and hard soil. We had to obtain the core in order to send it into a lab for further investigations. So slowly but steady we made our way down to 280 cm! Quite good work and in your face, Stephan! We put a plastic tube into the hole and into the plastic tube some temperature loggers at certain depths. Together with my installation, measuring the snow temperature at different depths, we should get a good temperature profile in order to understand the temperature differences and exchanges betweeen atmosphere, snow pack and ground. Quite important data for my Ph.D. since I am putting a lot of emphasis on this topic in the coming year. Watch out depth hoar, I am on your track!
In the end it was a very nice trip with nice people. I enjoyed being in the field with Hanne. I probably learned more about periglacial landforms and processes then after reading a text book. So that was pretty good and quite exciting. And last but not least, we got to enjoy a nice sail back to Longyearbyen with Kongsoy.
In addition, the whole interesting landscape can be enjoyed in great detail because in the evening you know that you come back to the nice Isfjorden Radio hotel, meaning warm shower, comfi beds and a good dinner. No tent, no wet clothes, no polar bear thread! Sure, the food could be less fancy and a little bit more in the evening. Therefore it is important to even that out at the breakfast and try to beat each other in making the highest sandwich towers to bring in the field. The weather could have been better as well, but it was more or less ok. So we got quite a lot of work done, downloaded all shock and temperature loggers, hidden sometimes quite good by Hanne, re-measured the rock glacier with a differential GPS in order to find out if it moved a few cm in the last two years and put some electricity into the ground to find out how much ice is in the permafrost.
But the coolest thing was the drilling. Me, Zoe and Hanne drilled a permafrost temperature hole with a hand drill. First we had to dig down to 120 cm, that was the depth of the active layer. The active layer, thaws in spring and freezes up again in autumn, is therefore active in a way. At 120 cm we found the permafrost table, so from this depth, the ground is frozen since many many years down to a certain depth were the geothermal heat heats it up again. At this location, maybe 150 or less? At least quite some meters. At this part a quick joke: Where does the permafrost researcher enjoy his coffee? At the permafrost table of course! Also, never confuse the permafrost table with a rock if you want to become a permafrost researcher. After digging we started drilling. Always just a few centimeters into the frozen and hard soil. We had to obtain the core in order to send it into a lab for further investigations. So slowly but steady we made our way down to 280 cm! Quite good work and in your face, Stephan! We put a plastic tube into the hole and into the plastic tube some temperature loggers at certain depths. Together with my installation, measuring the snow temperature at different depths, we should get a good temperature profile in order to understand the temperature differences and exchanges betweeen atmosphere, snow pack and ground. Quite important data for my Ph.D. since I am putting a lot of emphasis on this topic in the coming year. Watch out depth hoar, I am on your track!
In the end it was a very nice trip with nice people. I enjoyed being in the field with Hanne. I probably learned more about periglacial landforms and processes then after reading a text book. So that was pretty good and quite exciting. And last but not least, we got to enjoy a nice sail back to Longyearbyen with Kongsoy.
Samstag, 25. Juli 2009
Portugal med Juni
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| Portugal med Juni |
This was my first real vacation in almost 2 years and it felt sooo good. Mostly because I had finished writing the manuscript of my first paper just before I left after 2 weeks of non-stop work, but also I was going to a nice appartment on the Algarve coast, owned by Juni's parents. and I would meet my sis after 6 months. And of course the most important reason, I could spend some time alone with Juni. And it turned out to be great. The weather was perfect, the beaches nice, the food amazingly good and therefore we went out for dinner every single day, sometimes twice. The appartment was unbelievable nice and cosy, with 3 sun terraces and a pool and plenty of space for us two. So we enjoyed our being together every single minute. I just got a little bit sick from the sun. My body, after so long time without warm temperatures and sun could not cope with the new situation. I had to spend all the time in the shadow. Still I got a little sunburn, but overall I took a nice tan back to Svalbard. So now I am a little bit sad that the vacation is already over again and I am sitting in rainy Svalbard, with quite some work ahead. Sure, I am looking forward to do it, to go hiking, kajaking and windsurfing. But I am also looking forward to see my Miss Norway again in 3 weeks in Oslo.
And so tusen takk to Manfred og Anneliese who borrowed us the appartment. It was great, we'll be definitely back next year! Obregado!
And so tusen takk to Manfred og Anneliese who borrowed us the appartment. It was great, we'll be definitely back next year! Obregado!
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