Once upon a time there existed a wild idea to walk around in Spitsbergen for a couple of days. In the summer of 2010. At the moment Stefan and Gerlinde. Currently investigating the feasibility of the idea.
This page will accumulate information so we can fast access on a different computer all links of this expedition.
Weather:
Other:
http://www.yr.no/
http://haldde.unis.no/vaerdata/
We should expect around 278K. But can be spooky weather.
Map material:
The best, read most detailed, maps of the islands are published by the Norwegian Polar Institute. Scale is 1/100 000. In Belgium it can be that Base camp in Nijlen has a stock. If Nomade in Leuven can get them it would be easiest for us. But to be checked.
http://npweb.npolar.no/english/subjects/topo_svalbard100000
http://miljo.npolar.no/temakart/images/maps/adventdalen150dpiS100.gif
Spitsbergen Explorer: Map of the Svalbard Archipelago (Including Bear Island); Ocean Explorer Maps (Jan 2001); ISBN-10: 0953861813; ISBN-13: 978-0953861811
The maps B9, B10 and C9 are on the to buy list.
Communication:
Some satellite communication is considered. The global, read including the polar, coverage is the Iridium network.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium_(satellite)
The price of a Iridium sat phone is around 2000 euro. And then you still need an activation. Renting is an option.
http://www.bever.nl/services/12.verhuur/70.satelliettelefoon
Other satellite phone link
http://www.humanedgetech.com/shop/home.php
http://www.satcomm.nl/
Another consideration is a PLB (personal locator beacon). It is much cheaper than a sat phone. Basic operation is you turn it on when rescue is needed. It starts sending an unique id and gps coordinates. That is picked up by the leosar satellites, in the case of Spitsbergen, and dumped to earth. So the rescue team doesn’t have to search for you as they know the coordinates. And they know who you are as every PLB had to be registered.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Position-Indicating_Radio_Beacon
Links:
The governor of Svalbard http://www.sysselmannen.no/
http://www.htwandelreizen.nl/wandelvakanties/rugzaktrekkingen/rugzaktrekkingen/spitsbergen
http://www.80-n.com/index-e.htm
http://www.xs4all.nl/~pouwt44/html/Spitsbergen.html
http://johnvanderploeg.nl/~spitsbergen/
http://www.svalbard.com/
http://www.club300.se/Files/TravelReports/svalbard1999_PH.pdf
Ingeniør G. Paulsen http://www.spitsbergentravel.no/igp/
http://www.unisstudent.no/modules/content/index.php?id=29
http://www.svalbard4you.no
http://www.arcticriding.no/eng/rental.htm
http://www.beluga.nu/
http://www.spitsbergenreizen.be/
Finances:
1 NOK = 0.13 EUR; 1 EUR = 7.87 NOK ( 08-06-2008 )
Svalbard is tax free but with freight charges.
Insurance:
One option is via the British Mountaineering Council (BMC)
https://www.thebmc.co.uk/Pages.aspx?page=56
An other option is via the VTB-VAB.
Insurance is needed in order to get permission to go outside the settlement areas of Spitsbergen on a non tour guide trip. It should cover all search and rescue (SAR) operations for both party members as any repatriation back to Belgium. SAR in Spitsbergen means helicopter rescue. What is very expensive.
Contact to uniqa http://www.hiking-info.net/forum/viewthread/550/
Other expeditions:
SPITSBERGEN Atomfjella Expedition http://www.spitsbergenexpeditie.be/
http://www.tnt.com/country/nl_be/about/0/tntnewsletter.Par.0014.file.tmp/ExpressionsQ12006_NL.pdf
http://www.tnt.com/country/nl_be/about/0/tntnewsletter.Par.0018.file.tmp/ExpressionsSeptember2006_NL.pdf
Clean up Svalbard http://www.cleanupsvalbard.be/
Shelter:
The tent should be something like geodetic expedition type or sturdy tunnel design.
I had the opportunity to sit in a Hillberg Stalon tent when a storm tried to knock it down. The tent severely bended as one of the side guy lines collapsed. But there was no damage. Now a Nallo 3 GT is bought to do the job. It has the same poles at that Stalon but the sheet is more vulnerable and lighter to carry.
How to pitch on rock and additional footprint is still under discussion.
The storm that Stalon withstood is comparable to this on:
Sleeping bag is to be defined. The current cat’s meow from the North Face, old model, is not able to withstand the temperatures that it is advertised to. Not with me inside above 2000m in the September Pyrenees. So there should be a solution to.
Currently the discussion can be followed here (in dutch) http://www.hiking-info.net/forum/viewthread/375/P30/#4375
Water purification:
TBD but needed.
Transport:
SAS Braathens
Polar bears:
They are the top of the food chain. Outside Longyearbyen it is required to carry a loaded gun. This gun should be able to kill a bear, 9mm kaliber or so. You only are allowed by the governor of Spitsbergen to go outside the settlements area’s if you can prove that at least 2 team members are able to handle the gun properly.
On the sleeping point there are 2 possibilities; trip wire around the tent or keep guard.
Some useful bear information:
http://kho.unis.no/doc/Polar_bears_Svalbard.pdf
Literature:
SPITSBERGEN: Svalbard, Franz Josef Land, Jan Mayen; Bradt Travel Guides; 3Rev Ed edition (27 Jun 2005); ISBN-10: 1841620920; ISBN-13: 978-1841620923
Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance; Stephen Herrero; Lyons Press; Revised edition (May 2002); ISBN-10: 158574557X; ISBN-13: 978-1585745579
Pictures:
Willems Spitsbergen pictures
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/wvdoorne/SpitsbergenJuli2005#
Boots and guns stay outside
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aliasgrace/49917639/in/set-724868/
Some forum treads (in Dutch):
http://www.hiking-info.net/forum/viewthread/268/
http://www.hiking.be/forum/thread.asp?Thread=52968&Page=1&Search=
Bad weather doesn’t exist, only bad clothing does.
