New free climbs on Baffin Island

Following in the footsteps of Swiss big wall legend Xaver Bongard who in summer 1987 led the first climbing expedition to Baffin Island's East Coast, a strong team of international climbers comprised of Hansjörg Auer, Riky Felderer, Ben Lepesant, Matteo Mocellin, William Peterson., Eneko Pou and Iker Pou spent almost all of June and July in the Arctic establishing four new free climbs.

After reaching Baffin Island's Perfection Valley the expedition established Base Camp beneath what they dubbed Belly Tower and then, having endured numerous days of poor weather, set about establishing what would become The Door, a circa 630m high, 16 pitch route with difficulties up to 8b. Dodging raindrops the team split into various groups to ascend the line which included Eneko and Lepesant forging up ahead and Auer and Pou freeing the hardest pitches. 27 bolts were placed, 5 pitons and 3 beaks were left in-situ and while the summit was reached on July 1, the crux seventh pitch was freed a week later by both Auer and Iker Pou when the better weather resumed.

The team rested briefly and then set its sights on the nearby virgin peak they called White wall where on July 13 the climbers made the first ascents of Hotel Monica (6b+, 450m) and Hotel Gina (6b+, 450m). Four days later the Pou brothers and Auer made the first ascent of Levi is coming (6b, 420m) up Mount Cook which they describe as "one of the most beautiful routes we've ever opened".

The expedition then returned to civilisation and Iker Pou summed up the trip as follows "We endured many days with bad weather in this expedition and everybody really needed to rest. We spent the last ten days eating soup and rationing our food as we didn't know what we had left. Now we know we have survived one of the wildest places on Earth. It was an incredible experience."


The Door
Belly Tower East Face/Perfection Valley/Baffin Island
First ascent: Eneko Pou, Iker Pou, Ben Lepesant, Hansjörg Auer, June 20 - July 7
Length: ca. 630m of climbing (16 pitches) + 200m of easy scrambling
Grade: 8b
In-situ gear: 27 bolts, 5 pitons, 3 beaks

Hotel Gina
White Wall East Face/Perfection Valley/Baffin Island
First ascent: Matteo Mocellin, Ben Lepesant, Hansjörg Auer, July 13
Height: ca. 450m
Length: ca. 320m of climbing (6 pitches) + ca. 250m of easy scrambling
Grade: 6b+

Hotel Monica
White Wall East Face/Perfection Valley/Baffin Island
First ascent: Riky Felderer, Eneko Pou, Iker Pou, July 13
Height: ca. 450m
Length: ca. 320m of climbing (6 pitches) + ca. 250m of easy scrambling
Grade: 6b+

Levi is coming
Mount Cook Northeast Pillar/Perfection Valley/Baffin Island
First ascent:Eneko Pou, Iker Pou, Hansjörg Auer, July 17
Height: ca. 360m
Length: ca. 420m (11 pitches)
Grade: 6b