HPP medical technology supports Ice Care’s project.

After the first Ice Care expedition – Paris-Switzerland and Aletsch glacier – we are still recovering our physical shape, but already looking forward to the next trip scheduled: climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, in Africa. Slowly, under the ‘chirurgical’ eye of HPP doctors, we are getting back to the trainings, to prepare for a very special expedition. The Kilimanjaro glacier with its ‘eternal snow’ was the reason that launched this project, in an attempt to make a wake up call of consciences for a phenomenon that won’t leave this planet as we know it. This next trip (planned for December) will also be special for the fact that we will open the possibility to a limited number of people, which are not part of the team, to join us on our training sessions, on the climbing itself or on the fieldwork with the local populations. More information soon available.

On the Aletsch glacier, we were supported by www.grindelwaldsports.ch

Special thanks

I would like to thank some entities, who are not partners of the ICE CARE project, but contributed to the success of this expedition:
. ASUS – gave us one Eee PC, that allow us to work at high altitude and extreme conditions, and weighted a little more than 1kg – this was a great advantage, as you can imagine. Plus, its huge autonomy (9h), helped a lot! Kept trying to find plugs beneath the snow and ice…in vain! ;-)
. GARMIN – gave us 2 GPS to measure the whole trip, measure the glacier’s height and to guide us during the bike trip – since highways were not very recommended for a couple of maniacs with backpacks, in bicycles. ;-)
. GRINDELWALD SPORTS – who offered us the trip, even after we had bagged to take another person with us!
. HERB – our Crocodile Dundee of the ice! For all his help and vital information and his charisma that set a wild tone to the expedition!

WWF's work in Switzerland

Meeting with WWF

Gone!

What’s really frightening in the issue of climate change is the irreversibility of some of its effects….

Maerjelen Lake

Needless to say more….

Annual photografs

Climbing up, we came across the perfect spot, which offered a good perspective over the glacier.
After taking several picture, we marked it with a ‘green dot’ (biological ink! Don’t worry).
Thus, in the coming years, other climbers can photograph the glacier from the exact same spot, in order to make the comparison of glacier’s retreat year upon year.
In this way, we hope to involve the mountaineering community, asking the Aletsch crossers for their own contribution.

See more pictures at:
http://fotos.sapo.pt/search.html?word=jungfrau
http://www.icecare.org/Fotos.ice

Exiting the glacier

Our expedition ends at this arrow painted on the rock.
According to Herb (our guide from Grindelwald Sports), most expedition use the same track as we did. This seemed like a good opportunity to use this spot for measuring purposes, and future comparison.
We used our GPS (GARMIN) and meteorological station (SILVA), to measure the height of the glacier – 2280m in June 2009.

Second day

On the second day, we walked 7km – making it a total of 15km on both days.
As we reach the lower limit of the glacier, we can see that the ice is more fragmented and the crevasses more frequent and larger.

See more pictures at:
http://fotos.sapo.pt/search.html?word=jungfrau
http://www.icecare.org/Fotos.ice

Herb’s experience

At the hut, our guide from Grindelwald Sports, told us about his experiences - the living witness of the glacier’s retreat

Placing the plate

It's in Portuguese....sorry

At the hut

Konkordia Hut ended up being, one of the most effective ways to measure the glacier.
The hut is currently 150m above the glacier – in 1965 was ‘only’ 79m above it.
Due to glacier retreat, every year new steps are added to the huge staircase (433 steps) that accesses the hut.The ICE CARE team placed a plate, which will allow for future comparison of the glacier’s height, year upon year, thus make the retreat visible to everyone.

See more pictures at:
http://fotos.sapo.pt/search.html?word=jungfrau
http://www.icecare.org/Fotos.ice

Brief explanation

The ICE CARE Aletsch team is composed of 4 people.
(from left to right)
. José Diogo Tavares (mentor of the project) – traveled from Paris to Switzerland on mountain bike, crossed the glacier and was present at the meetings with UNESCO and WWF
. José Maria Abecasis Soares (mentor of the project) – did exactly the same
. Nuno Frazão (environmental engineer) – more technical role, preparing recommendations, research and meetings with WWF. Sandra Sousa (doctor) – supports the team during the Aletsch crossing, as part of the agreement with HPP Saúde – Official Medical Service

Crossing the glacier

Starting on Jungfraujoch (Swiss Alps), at 4,158m, we walk on groups of 8, roped up to each others.
Herb, our guide from GrindelWaldSports, is the ice version of Crocodile Dundee! During our trip, he told us many stories of a live spent on the mountains, witnessing glaciers retreat year upon year.
On the first day, we walked more than 8km over the glacier, during almost 6 hours.
The slow pace is due, mainly to 3 reasons:
. the effects of altitude
. the very group’s heterogeneity (people of different ages and physical conditions)
. the danger of the crevasses that tear the ice several meters deep and, most of the times, are dissimulated under the snow

See more pictures at:
http://fotos.sapo.pt/search.html?word=jungfrau
http://www.icecare.org/Fotos.ice

Meeting with UNESCO

José Maria Abecasis Soares & José Tavares begin their journey to five World Heritage glaciers

The founders of the ICE CARE project, left UNESCO Headquaters in Paris this morning following a meeting with Mr Kishore Rao, Deputy Director of the World Heritage Centre, to begin their 4 year project at five of the World Heritage Glaciers. The purpose of the expeditions will be to raise awareness about the threats to these melting ice caps. It is upon reading the recent Case Studies of sites affected by Climate Change published by the World Heritage Centre (http://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/473/) that these experienced climbers decided to develop the initiative and travel to Jungfrau Aletsch (Switzerland), Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Huascaran (Peru), Ilulissat (Denmark) and Sagarmatha (Nepal).
They will be reporting on the expeditions' findings through their website and will also be keeping the World Heritage Centre regularly updated.
For more information please visit: http://www.icecare.org/en/

news at: whc.unesco.org/en/news/518