The call came in a few months ago that a Japanese television production company wanted to film iceberg climbing somewhere in Greenland.  We should say at this point that climbing on giant chunks of floating ice is usually at best fatalistic and, at worst, fatal.  However, in very particular conditions, and with alot of fore-thought, it can be relatively safely done.  Last week, with these factors in mind, a safety and climbing team from Greenland Expedition Specialists set off by dog sled with a huge pile of equipment and travelled the mountainous route into a remote fjord that we hoped would prove to be a suitable venue. 

Our first sight of the fjord was stunning; surrounded by low mountains, the Icecap met the fjord head in one long calving ice cliff whilst soft winter light picked out numerous icebergs, trapped in the skin of ice that covered the fjord.

After setting up a comfortable basecamp, we spent hours skiing through deep powder to find the perfect iceberg.  It needed to be grounded and well frozen-in whilst being suitabley aesthetic; the director had asked for the classic pointy kind. 

The first day a huge fin of ice was found.  From it's east and western sides, the 'berg rose into a sharp and steep spire, whilst the northern aspect presented a big face that offered an enticing groove/face system.  After lots of rigging and a visit from the director, the whole team flew back to town to brief the film crew and spend one night in a warm hotel.

On Sunday, the helicopter relayed the film and safety crews into position.  With cameramen in place and the rest of the group in safe positions on the sea ice, Guides Lorenz Frutiger and Matt Spenceley started the ascent with Japanese actor Takatoshi Kaneko in tow.  'Berg ice is under alot of pressure, and combined with temperatures in the minus twenties, it paid to be gentle with the axes; any heavy blows produced serious fracturing.  With no previous experience, Kaneko San made what turned out to be an impressive climb.  

Filmed from a circling helicopter, the climbing team put in one final pitch along the knife-edge summit ridge.  The goal of the primetime show was to make kaki gouri, a Japanese ice dessert, and it was for this ice that we climbed the 'berg.  Sawing a small chunk off, all that remained to do was lower Kaneko San and the cameramen, then descend to eat something alot like a slush puppy in seriously cold conditions!