As part of our wider Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ South Georgia, for 2-3 days of the trip four Inspiring Explorers™ will be selected to join Trust Emeritus Executive Director, Nigel Watson and two professional mountaineering guides for an attempt at the first New Zealand ascent of Mount Worsley.
They will participate in the rest of the expedition along with the Inspiring Explorers™ team. The ascent is in recognition of Kiwi explorer Frank Worsley, the mountain’s namesake.
Crossing South Georgia Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ 2015 © Tom MacTavish / AHT
What to Expect on the Mount Worsley Climb?
Conditions allowing, the small team will head ashore at King Haakon Bay and ski towards Shackleton Gap, to attempt the first New Zealand ascent of Mount Worsley. During this expedition the team may encounter extreme conditions including high winds, limited visibility, snow, rain, and temperatures as low as -5C.
The expedition distance can vary from 35 to 50 kilometres depending on the route to Mount Worsley and involves crossing large, heavily crevassed glaciers and alpine terrain. The final push is along an exposed ridgeline, before achieving the summit at 1104m. In good weather, the expedition could take only two days, but we plan for contingency in case of bad weather.
Penguin colony during Crossing South Georgia Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ 2015 © Tom MacTavish / AHT
