Rytterknægten, Denmark Antur Caradoc

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-There's about another four hours.

-You're running like a race horse!

-I met Caradoc during preparations

-for the '95 Everest campaign.

-That's when I realised

-what a good team we made.

-We share the same sense of humour

-and stamina.

-Michael is an excellent partner.

-For some reason,

-we work well together.

-That's how mountaineering works.

-You meet people

-who are totally different.

-They're often from abroad...

-..but you work well as a team.

-Our friendship proved vital towards

-the end of the Everest campaign.

-We were caught in a storm

-for three days at 8,300 metres.

-Because we're such a good team,

-everything works like clockwork.

-We trust each other 100% and have

-complete confidence in one another.

-That's what kept us going.

-It sustained us.

-This is the first boat to arrive

-since last October.

-It's now July.

-That's how long they've waited

-for the season's food and goods.

-The boat was delayed

-for three days outside the fjord...

-..before sailing in

-through the ice.

-A remote village on Greenland's

-eastern coast has two names.

-Officially it's known as Tasiilaq...

-..which means 'like a still lake'.

-But the original name was

-Ammassalik - 'sea trout'.

-It changed

-when a man called Ammassalik died.

-Uttering his name

-was considered disrespectful.

-They changed the names

-of the fish, too.

-Most of the 1,600 population...

-..still hunt and fish for food.

-There's a first time for everything!

-There's a first time for everything!

-

-Certainly is!

-This is Michael Jorgensen

-and Caradoc's first reunion...

-..since the '95 success on Everest.

-They want to find a new route up

-the area's highest mountain...

-..100 miles north of Tasiilaq.

-Andre Roche and a Swiss team

-conquered Rytterkaegten in 1938.

-They climbed the western ridge.

-It remains the only route up

-this remote mountain.

-But Caradoc and Michael

-intend creating a new route.

-Flying to the mountains

-can be a mistake.

-There's a temptation to overload.

-Time is of the essence.

-They've 7 days to find a route, then

-a 30 mile trek down a glacier...

-..to rendezvous

-with a boat in a fjord.

-They can't make contact with anyone.

-The nearest village

-is 60 miles away.

-But they've had the advantage

-of seeing the mountain from the sky.

-That south ridge looks good.

-That south ridge looks good.

-

-Yes.

-I had a good look at the col

-the other side...

-..the descent

-the other side looked OK.

-The descent here on the north to

-come back looked reasonable as well.

-A couple of tricky spots

-but not too bad.

-They always said in school

-I'd end up with a pick and shovel!

-Mountaineers must be very wary.

-We dig caves

-in order to bury our supplies.

-Foxes and birds could destroy

-the food in our absence.

-What do you reckon?

-We've agreed the south ridge looks

-the best new route.

-Yes, positive.

-They will recce in the morning.

-One day dissolves into the next

-on these latitudes.

-Nightfall doesn't occur...

-..just shadows in the early hours,

-when the sun is low.

-It's the first time I've used skis

-for mountaineering.

-This is going to be

-very interesting.

-I'm looking forward to this!

-I went on a skiing holiday once.

-That was years ago. I should have

-learnt how to use them.

-Here's my chance!

-So, what do you reckon?

-It's like a textbook Alpine ridge

-isn't it?

-Such an opportunity is very rare

-for mountaineers.

-As Caradoc mentioned,

-it's a classic Alpine climb.

-A little ice and some snow...

-..and the steep ridge

-of an awesome, remote mountain.

-But the honour lies in knowing

-they'll be the first.

-If I stay upright, Michael's buying

-the first pint in Reykjavik.

-If I fall - the first round's on me.

-The first pint's on you, Michael!

-The first pint's on you, Michael!

-

-He's doing quite well!

-He's going faster and faster.

-It's a ski hope from Wales.

-He's going to join the Olympics.

-That was hard work.

-It was worth it.

-It was worth it.

-

-I spent some time chewing snow.

-The recce's over.

-The preparations are complete.

-But the weather has turned.

-They'll have to wait.

-

-Caradoc and his Danish friend,

-Michael Jorgensen...

-..are in a pass beneath

-Rytterkaegten's southern ridge.

-They start early, to cross a glacier

-before reaching rock.

-Nobody has succeeded

-from this direction before.

-I have to admit, your work's

-a little bit better than mine.

-This is where the ice ends.

-Looking up...

-..all I can see is rock.

-There are steep areas

-but also some easier sections.

-I hope we'll be able to move

-quickly together.

-This rock's a bit rotten in places.

-You can't trust it everywhere.

-You really have to watch it.

-Something looks good

-and then it moves.

-Especially on the lead.

-Yes.

-There might be a ledge around here.

-Right.

-It doesn't look too bad.

-A bit easier than that anyway.

-The thrill of finding a new route,

-gives climbers the biggest buzz.

-It'll run quite good. That's it.

-That'll be great.

-OK, climbing again.

-OK.

-This route enables us to change

-to the ridge's left side.

-Then we can find

-the easiest possible way through.

-There's a balance between

-competition and trust with us.

-For some reason,

-the balance is just right.

-I realised this when we faced a

-very difficult situation on Everest.

-It's impossible to create

-even between close friends.

-It's one step removed

-from simple friendship.

-We both work hard

-and trust each other's judgement.

-It looks hard up ahead.

-Say again?

-Looks like there's a good hard bit

-towards the top, it gets very steep.

-It gets much more steep now.

-Definitely getting steeper.

-Are you on safe ground, Caradoc?

-Are you on safe ground, Caradoc?

-

-OK.

-I made a small mistake there.

-Yes!

-Yes!

-

-You'd be on your way to Valhalla.

-Off to have fun and beer there!

-There's a nasty drop.

-It's safer going across the top.

-I think we'll have to belay here.

-I think we'll have to belay here.

-

-It's OK.

-Climbing in Greenland is weird.

-We're not worried about nightfall.

-It's a pleasure

-not to have to hurry.

-The last time Michael and I climbed

-together on Everest we had to rush.

-Either that or get caught on a ridge

-by the summit before dark.

-But here, there's constant light

-and plenty of air to breathe.

-We needn't worry about that either.

-We decided to climb in one push...

-..and not carry sleeping bags

-to lighten the load.

-It's been a long day. We'll have

-to deceive our bodies to stay awake.

-Interesting!

-The ridge rises by 2,000 feet

-in half a mile.

-After a 12 hour climb,

-the steep steps are still ahead.

-Crack.

-Yes?

-Yes?

-

-Is the rope getting squeezed there?

-Thanks.

-I think so.

-Cheers, Mike.

-To be the first to conquer

-this climb, as we have done...

-..in Greenland, is interesting.

-Nobody has been here before.

-Such an adventure is the greatest

-achievement in mountaineering.

-That was the last steep bit.

-From the distance,

-it had us worried.

-There's a loose rock here, Michael.

-There's a loose rock here, Michael.

-

-Alright.

-I'm glad it didn't hit my head!

-Serious hangover!

-There's a good foothold

-where it was though.

-I hoped this would be

-the last difficult pitch.

-Is there any more to go?

-The ridge was endless.

-We were both exhausted.

-The peak, success,

-Michael's company.

-I experience them all again.

-I can't imagine a better scenario.

-The wind is rising.

-Snow begins to fall.

-The route down looks impossible.

-We'll have to find the right route

-down, even though we're so tired.

-We now face

-a 12 hour downward climb.

-Most will be

-without the security of a rope.

-In these circumstances,

-only the best company will do.

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