Eagle Ski Club Expeditions

The Eagle Ski Club has sponsored many club expeditions over the years. In earlier years expeditions took place every two years, but more recently the aim has been to have one expedition (or even two) each year, and to encourage a greater variety of types of trips.

This page lists all the club expeditions back to 1986, plus a few other trips which didn't have the title of "club expedition" but which had similarly adventurous objectives. It provides links to the article in the club yearbook article (where these are online) and other resources such as expedition reports and photographs.

2019 - Mount Steele, Canada

Six members set out to climb and ski Mt Steele (5073m), in the Kluane National Park in the Canadian Yukon. Despite poor weather and open crevasses, the team covered the 10 miles to the foot of Steele, but were stopped by blue ice on the final 1000m face of the peak. 

Photo Gallery

Yearbook write-up 

2017 – Mount Sanford, Alaska

Seven members succeeded in reaching the summit of Mount Sanford, 4949m, in the magnificent wilderness of the Wrangell-St Elias range in Alaska.

Photo Gallery

Yearbook writeup

2016 - Mount Logan, Canada

Six ESC members tackled Mount Logan (5,959m), the highest peak in Canada, and 2nd highest in North America. They followed the standard route, the Kings Trench and four members reached the summit. 

Photo Gallery

Yearbook writeup

2015 – Ladakh 

Five members set out to travel to Padum along the frozen Zanskar River. However, with the route closed due to a huge landslip, the team pivoted to plan B and finally to plan C, which saw them skiing in the Chomo Valley. 

Yearbook writeup

2014 - Central Rockies Traverse, Canada

This trip traversed the central section of the Great Divide Traverse of the Rocky Mountains of Canada, from the Clemenceau Icefield to the Columbia Icefield. After an initial helicopter flight to the start of the trip on the Cummins Glacier, the team traversed 70km over 10 days to the Columbia Icefield and then down to the road at the Columbia Parkway.

Yearbook writeup

Expedition Report

2013 – Liverpool Land, Greenland

After initial snowmobile access from Scoresbysund, the expedition explored the ski mountaineering potential of Liverpool Land at 71° north on the east coast of Greenland.

Photo Gallery

Yearbook writeup

Expedition Report

2013 – Chugach Mountains, Alaska

This expedition explored the Chugach Mountains – 300 miles east of Anchorage in Alaska. After a short flight in, the first part of the trip was based at the Scandinavian Peaks Hut, making ascents in the area, although the party had to turn back without summiting Mt Marcus Baker (13,176 ft - the highest peak in the range). The final part of the trip was spent skiing objectives in the area around Valdez and close to Anchorage.

Yearbook writeup

Expedition Report

2012 – Antarctica

The team sailed in the yacht “Spirit of Sydney” from Ushuaia in Argentina, across the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula. Once there, they skied 13 mountains (including 8 first ascents) in the Anvers Island, Paradise Harbour and Cierva Cove areas.

Photo Gallery     Yearbook writeup     Expedition Report

Photos on Phil Wicken’s Website

Photos by Dave Smith on UK Climbing

2011 – Tavan Bogd, Mongolia

The expedition made nine ascents in the Tavan Bogd – the Holy Summits region of the Mongolian Altai which lies in the north west of Mongolia, bordering Russia and China. The summits included the highest peak in Mongolia - Khuiten (4374m) and many ski descents.

Photo Gallery

Yearbook writeup

Article on BMC website

2010 – Chile / Argentina

After a warm-up period in the Chilean Lake District, the expedition moved to explore the Rio de Las Cuevas valley in Argentina (close to the Chilean border and just to the west of Aconcagua). Unfortunately the winter had been very dry (possibly related to prevailing La Niña conditions), and the team found very little skiable snow in the expedition area.

Yearbook writeup

Photo Gallery

2008 – Ak-Shirak, Kyrgyzstan

The 2008 club expedition was originally scheduled to go to the Lhagu Glacier in eastern Tibet. Unfortunately the political situation there meant that this wasn’t possible, so the expedition team went to the Ak-Shirak range of the Tien Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan, where they extended the explorations in a similar area to that visited by the 2006 expedition.

Yearbook writeup

Expedition Report

2007 – Ak-Shirak, Kyrgyzstan

This expedition was sponsored by the Alpine Club, but all the members on the trip were Eagles and it continued the exploration of the Ak-Shirak range of the Tien Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan, started by Eagle Ski Club expeditions in 2003 and 2006.

Yearbook writeup

Expedition Report

2006 – Ak-Shirak, Kyrgyzstan

After a reconnaissance trip in 2003, the 2006 expedition traversed the Ak-Shirak range of the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan, taking in virgin summits along the way.

Yearbook writeup

Expedition Report

2003 – Kalanag, Garwhal Himalaya

The first ski ascent of Kalanag (6348m) in the Garwhal Himalaya of India.

Yearbook writeup: ESC Yearbook 2003 p22-23 (not yet online)

2002 – Southern Patagonian Icecap

A 200km traverse of the Southern Patagonian Icecap on the Argentinean / Chilean border, from Paso Marconi in the North (accessed from El Chalten) to Estancia Cristina at the end of Upsalla Glacier.

Yearbook writeup:  ESC Yearbook 2003 p17 – 21 (not yet online)

2000 – Kedar Dome, Garwhal Himalaya

A successful ascent of Kedar Dome (6831m) in the Gangotri  region of the Garwhal Himalaya (India).

Yearbook writeup: ESC Yearbook 2001 p17 – 23 (not yet online)

YouTube Video

1998 – Baffin Island

A traverse of the Cumberland Peninsular of Baffin Island, taking in the summits of 14 peaks en route.

Yearbook writeup: ESC Yearbook 1998 p7 – 13 (not yet online)

1996 – Gunnbjornsfjeld, Greenland

An ascent of Gunnbjornsfjeld (3710m) in the Watkins Mountains – the highest peak in Greenland followed by a 180km journey to the coast.

Yearbook writeup: ESC Yearbook 1997 p59 – 65 (not yet online)

1994 – Svalbard

A 178km journey through Svalbard, including the highest summit of Newtontoppen (1715m).

Yearbook writeup: ESC Yearbook 1994 p5 – 13 (not yet online)

1992 – Mount Waddington, British Columbia

An ascent of Mount Waddington (NW Summit 4001m), the highest point in the Coastal Mountains of British Columbia, Canada.

Yearbook writeup: ESC Yearbook 1992 p16 – 21 (not yet online)

1990 – Kulu Valley, India

Yearbook writeup: ESC Yearbook 1990 p24 – 27 (not yet online)

1988 – Tien Shan (Chimbulak), USSR

Yearbook writeup: ESC Yearbook 1988 p15 – 23 (not yet online)

Alpine Journal

1986 – Hayes Range, Alaska

Yearbook writeup: ESC Yearbook 1986 p20 – 28 (not yet online)

1984 – Mount Forel, Greenland

An attempt on Mont Forel (3360m) in the Schweizerland Alps of Eastern Greenland. The team reached within 150m of the summit, but had to turn back due to high winds and extreme cold.

Yearbook writeup: ESC Yearbook 1984 p19 - 28

Expedition Report