N 81'54'49.8  W 75'00'41.0  (Mt Barbeau)

This will be our first expedition to Ellesmere Island and a lifelong ambition of both myself and several of our clients. The core team for the expedition is likely to be formed from members of our previous Baffin Island, Greenland and Svalbard expeditions, all of whom are keen to get to yet another remote part of the High Arctic! Our aim will be an ascent of Mount Barbeau 2732m (8965ft) in the British Empire Range of the northern Ellesmere Island National Park, Canada's second largest National Park at 37,775 sq.kms. Mt. Barbeau is the highest mountain in the Canadian Arctic islands and in the recently named Inuit principality of Nunavut. We will follow this with an ascent of the nearby Mount Whistler 2685m. Other ascents will also be made, some possible firsts.

We are still in the process of collecting further information on the ascents known to date but a brief summary is enclosed below. To our knowledge, our ascent will be the 8th.

First ascent (1967) by Hattersley-Smith et al. Route currently unknown. Source: American Alpine Journal 1999.

Second ascent (1982) by Allan Errington et al via north face (6 climbers) and west ridge (2 climbers) sometime between 27 May and 10 June. 13 additional first ascents were made in the area. Source: American Alpine Journal 1983

Third ascent (1992) by Eric Phillips et al. Further details unknown.

Fourth ascent (1998) by Greg Slayden et al via the broad north ridge (3 climbers) and by Bennet et al via north ridge (5 climbers) on 15 June. Source: American Alpine Journal 1999.

Fifth ascent (2000) by the Canadian Jerry Kobalenko. Further details unknown.

Sixth ascent (2002) by Jonas Cabiles et al (route unknown, 3 climbers), including the first snowboard descent. Date unknown. Source: Guardian newspaper article 2003.

Seventh ascent (2002) by Matty McNair et al via NE ridge (9 climbers). May/June 2002.

It has been mentioned that there are believed to have been two further ascents in the 80's and 90's by Canadian scientists or park rangers but these are un-confirmed at this time. These could possibly be the 1982 and 1992 ascents listed above.

Flights are via Ottawa to Resolute on Cornwallis Island, some 700km inside the arctic circle. From there we board our own privately chartered ski Twin Otter to travel from Resolute to the small refuelling point at Eureka before continuing on to Mt Barbeau base camp on the McClintock Glacier. We shall probably land to the north of the peak at an altitude of around 1700m (5500ft) on a large icecap. This will allow maximum time to be spent climbing and exploring throughout the region.