Kilimanjaro news ...

The program for the Ice Care Kilimanjaro 2009 Expedition is set: it will take place from the 4th to the 15th of December and it includes 3 days with a Maasai tribe in the Amboseli reserve (Kenia), to interact with those people, learn from them and explain them what is going on, plus a 6 days ascent to the mount Kilimanjaro summit (Tanzania), to measure the glacier.

You are welcome to join our team on this trip, by choosing one of two options: Maasai + jeep safari trip; or Maasai + Kilimanjaro trip (if you have some mountain experience and are medium/well fit). If you are interested, please contact our partner agency, Papa-Léguas – see more at: http://www.papa-leguas.com/index.cfm?sec=0101000000&ViagemID=136 (for details see: http://www.papa-leguas.com/print.cfm?ViagemID=136)

Meanwhile, as for the physical training, the participation on a 900 km adventure race – 7 days non stop (including 50 km kayak or a mountain bike stage of 160 km with 8.000 meters accumulated ascent !!!) – should be more than enough (if it doesn’t kill me) ! It’s the Portugal XPD 2009, the toughest and final race of the 'Adventure Race World Championship', and it will take place between Cascais and Serra da Estrela, from the 8th to the 14th of November (more at http://www.arwc2009.com/). The best teams of the World will be present. My team is ADADesnivel, and we just want to to arrive at the finish line and be able to feel it …

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

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