2013: US Expedition puts up new route on Breakfast Spire

Quinn Brett, Prairie Kearney, Lizzy Scully and John Dickey spent 18 days climbing from the valley south of Whale Top (Point 1303), where Jon Bracey's team had climbed in 2000. New routes included 'Morning Luxury' on Breakfast Spire and 'Plenty for Everyone' on Barnes Wall.

Overview of the 2013 US expedition

The team of four climbers from the US arrived in Torssukatak fjord by small powerboat on June 24th. After a day of snow, they headed up the valley south of Whale Top (Point 1303m), previously visited by Jon Bracey's 2000 team, and briefly by the Dodo's Delight team in 2010. They made several new routes from this valley, before the expedition was cut short by personal bereavement.

The routes included:

New route: 'Plenty for Everyone' on the south-east arete of Barnes Wall, 5.10+/11-, 550m, 10 pitches, 14 hours camp to camp. June 28th: Brett, Kearney and Scully. It is believed that a French group climbed the peak above Barnes Wall in 2012 by a climb/scramble up the south ridge. For a great pic of Barnes Wall (to the right of the sunlight) from the camp, click here.

Other new routes: 'Four Quickies' and 'Mind Your P's and Q's' on Submarine Wall, part of a north-facing ridge. Both climbs 5.10, 120m. Brett, Kearney and Dickey. Also a third route further left on Submarine Wall was started, from which the climbers retired.

Breakfast Spire, second ascent (*see below), via the south arete and the new route 'Morning Luxury', 5.11a/b, 430m, 8 pitches. View here. July 1st: Brett, Kearney, Scully and Dickey. Brett described the view across to Shepton Spire as "jaw-dropping". They abseiled down the east face of Breakfast Spire, where Ian Renshaw had fallen and broken his ankle just short of the summit while climbing with Jon Bracey in 2000.

(*note on ascent of Breakfast Spire: the summit has several small spires/blocks. It is hard to determine which is highest, the one climbed on this trip - the south block - or the one climbed in 2010 by the Dodo's Delight team - the north block. It appeared from the the lack of abseil gear that this was the first ascent of this particular spire at the summit.)

For a fun video clip of the team dancing on the summit of Breakfast Spire, click here.

The east face of Breakfast Spire attracted the team, but Scully's foot was badly scolded in an accident, and then the team learnt of the tragic death of Andrew Barnes - close friend and climbing partner of Quinn Brett - back in Colorado, after whom the Barnes Wall is named. Further climbing was abandoned and the expedition cut short on July 11th.

You can view descriptions and accounts of this expedition by Lizzy Scully here and here, and there are some great photos and trip description by Quinn Brett: view here.