Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
139
Figure 5.5. Amundsen's route through the Transantarctic Mountains winds purposefully across the
foothills, up the icefalls of the Axel Heiberg Glacier, and behind Mount Engelstad, the low pyramid
to the left of Mount Fridtjof Nansen. The first night's camp “lay on a little glacier among huge cre-
vasses.” The blue lines show the reconnaissance routes of Wisting and Hanssen to the right and
Bjaaland to the left, with both parties reporting back that the next day they would have to descend.
The steepest bit of climbing of the entire traverse was in the shadowed stretch of the ridge in the
middle of the image. The Norwegians' three camps at the base, middle, and top of the icefalls are
indicated. The topmost in the gap to the left of Mount Engelstad was the “Butcher's Shop.” Mount
Balchen, occupied by the Topo East survey during Operation Deep Freeze 63, is the prominent shoul-
der immediately in front of the summit plateau of Mount Fridtjof Nansen.
piece together and understand what was meant. The 'presents' were put in depot, as not
absolutely indispensable on the southern journey.”
On the morning of November 17, the party made its first volley at the mountains,
crossing the undulating front of the small range and then climbing partway up its side.
At the end of the day the men had driven eleven and a half miles and risen two thousand
feet. Their camp that night was about halfway up the mountain and lay between several
sizable crevasse fields (Fig. 5.5). After dinner Wisting and Hanssen went in one direction
and Bjaaland went in another to climb to the crest and scout the route for the following
day. When they arrived back at camp, they all agreed that once past the ridgeline the only
way to go was down, but each claimed to have found the better route. After listening to
both sides, Amundsen chose the pass through the lowest part of the ridge directly at the
head of the glacier where they camped.
