About

Mounteneering

Updates

May 05, 2007: After having climed Mount Toubkal in North Africa, I am starting to think about the next mountain to climb. At the moment I am thinking about the great and mysterious Volcano in eastern Turkey, Mt Ararat, 5165m (on the border to Iran), e.g. in August 2008. Another goal is the highest mountain in Africa, Mt Kilimanjaro, 5895m, e.g. in 2009.

April 2007: We had a great winter-climb of the highest mountain in North Africa, Mount Toubkal, 4167m (13,671 feet), see: Mococco Expedition 2007.

The Beginning

Trekking and climbing mountains, also known as Mountaineering, has always been one of man's greatest challenges in nature. When Hillary and Tenzing climbed the highest mountain in the world, the Peak of Mount Everest in 1953, 8850 meters, man had conquered nature on earth. However, mountaineering still represents some of the greatest experiences found in nature: Spectacular views, crystal clear air, altitude, physical and mental challenge, and much more.

Being born in Denmark, with the highest point Ejer Bavnehoej of 171 meters, also represents a challenge: The challenge of planning expeditions to other more mountainous countries like Norway, Sweden, the European Alps, etc.

Since I was a kid, I have enjoyed the outdoor primitive life style. My first trekking expedition took place when I was 12 years old, when I went with Assens Youth School to Austria. After that trip my destiny was set: I wanted to trek and climb mountains. In the years that followed I went on expeditions each summer to Norway, Sweden and Austria. In the fall, winter and spring all the preparations took place in Denmark, and we went on several weekend hikes throughout the year around Denmark.

The Mount Blanc Challenge

After a few years our team grew stronger and stronger and after climbing Sweden's highest mountain Kebnekaise (2111 meters) in 1991, we decided to create an adventure club: Assens Adventure Club, also known as AAC. The main goal of AAC was already set from the very beginning: To climb the highest mountain in Western Europe, Mont Blanc (4810 meters). Our Youth School travel guide had already done it a few years back, and he said that we were ready for the challenge, of cause with some additional training. We set the date for the climb to summer 1992. In order to accomplish our goal we went on a week's special training trip to a Mountaineering Center in Norway: AAK.

Kebnekaise (2111 meters), Sweden.

Glittertind (2464 meters), Norge

At AKK we where thought all the special techniques of repelling, walking on glaciers, rescue techniques, special equipment, etc. We got a lot confidence, both personally and as a group. We believed that we could do it. The following winter and spring was spend on various preparations, both physically, mentally and equipment wise.

In July 1992 the expedition started and all 8 members were heading towards the Alps, full of energy to climb Mount Blanc. In order to get used to the altitude (acclimation) we spend one week in the Northern Italia in the Grand Paradiso area. And we accomplished one of our goals of climbing the highest mountain in Italy, Grand Paradiso (4061 meters), without any problems.

Grand Pradiso (4061 meters), Italy

After that we drove to Chamonix where the Mont Blanc expedition was going to start from. Soon after we arrived we realized that the weather conditions was not good for any climb, there was too much wind and snow, so we had to wait in Chamonix for one week. After a week of waiting time, we started the expedition following the Bosson Glacier route. After spending a night in a small cabin half way up the Bosson Glacier we went out at 1.30 AM at night to climb the rest of the top. Around 3 to 4 PM we felt a strong wind coming and we could see clouds beginning to cover the moon and the stars above us. After 5 min group discussions we decided that the risk of continuing was too great and that we had to take a hard decision: To abort the climb. And we were happy that we did that. A few days later we heard that not all of the climbers survived he storm that night. The following days the bad weather continued and we had to give up our hopes. No Mont Blanc climb this year.

The next year AAV split up (due to education, work, etc), but two people from the group decided to try again, together with another group, and this year they succeeded. I was on holiday in USA with my family, where I climbed Mount Tallac in California (2967 meters), so I could not join this year.

Mount Tallac (2967 meters), California

In the fall of 1994, I joined a few of the original AAC members plus a few new people, and we decided to make a new expedition to the top of Mont Blanc. After a years preparation we went on the expedition in the summer of 1995, and this time we succeeded to climb the 4810 meters. On the way down from the top we saw another climber fall down and kill him self on same rocks, so we were all very happy to get down alive without problems. And we got a spectacular view from the top in early morning!

Mont Blanc (4810 meters), France, 1995

My Highest Climbs

Below I have listed the highest peaks that I have climbed so far (click on the links below to see some photo galleries from some of the climbs).
  1. Mont Blanc, France, 1995, 4810 meters
  2. Mount Toubkal, Morocco, Africa, 2007, 4167 meters
  3. Mount Kinabalu, Borneo, Malaysia, 2004, 4102 meters
  4. Grand Paradiso, Italy, 2002, 4061 meters
  5. Aiguille du Midi, France, 1994, 3,842 meters
  6. Gunung Rinjani, Lombok, Indonesia, 2004, 3726 meters
  7. Gunung Agung, Bali, Indonesia, 2004, 3142 meters
  8. Mount Tallac, USA, California, 1994, 2, 2967 meters
  9. Glittertind, Norway, 1993, 2464 meters
  10. Kebnekaise, Sweden, 1991, 2111 meters
You can see more photos from the Gunung Agung, Gunung Rinjani and Mount Kinabalu climbs under about 'Journals' on this site. I will write more text soon.

Gunung Rinjani, Lombok, Indonesia, 2004, 3726 meters. Here Jakob, Anders, Niels me and our guide.

Gunung Agung, Bali, Indonesia, 2004, 3142 meters. Here Niels, me, Anders and Jakob.

Mount Kinabalu, Borneo, Malaysia, 2004, 4102 meters. Here Me and my brother Anders.

Future Mountaineering

In the future I would like to more mountain expeditions. These expeditions may not be focused on climbing a certain peak, but rather to do some trekking/hiking in a given mountain area. However, there are three mountains that I would like to conquer someday when I have time and money; the highest mountain in South America, the highest mountain in Africa and the highest mountain in Europe (see www.7summits.com):

All three mountains are fairly non technical, but gives a high level of physical, mental and equipment challenge.

I would also like to explore the following mountain areas: