TESTAMONY – Gaëlle, software engineer in Grenoble, is telling us of a once in a life-time experience : the day she walks over a glacier, on a Highline.
"August 25, 2016, it is four in the morning, and this is probably my last tour of duty on the base camp. Tomorrow, the camp is moved to Sydcap, four hours by boat from here. I climb the rock piles overlooking the camp and the fjord to enjoy one last sight. After six weeks of blue skies storm, the sky is overcast. The fjord bathed in new light and a completely different landscape is revealed to us. It's already day, heavy clouds envelop the mountains. They stain the fjord deep blue-gray, which further emphasizes the white Icebergs. They parade brighter than ever. "
The Iceline today haunts me. Tinted unreal images of white and blue parade before my eyes, and I still feel the fresh breeze of the glacier on my skin. Iceline. A term found unanimously more appropriate than "highline glacier."
The idea of a Iceline was born there a month and a half on the glacier Edward Bailey. This glacier is a huge flat river flowing over the Renland: it is more than ten times the sea of ice. Evrard had spotted a circus on the glacier front, and wanted to install a line there. At that time, the idea didn't appeal to me. It must be said that it was very hot, and we had measured that the glacier was melting ten centimeters per day! With the ice screws heating in the sun, it left us very little time once the anchors were in place. The front of the glacier, on which the cirque was located, had impressive cracks and was steadily collapsing. I didn't trust it at all.
On the Renland, I never restarted Evrard. I think he felt the idea scared me too much, because he never spoke about it again. Three weeks go by. During this time, I am familiarizing myself with the ice cream. We spend most of our days tramping on the glacier with bags ranging from 17 to 35 kilos, ah, the joys of portage ! On "rest" days, it's an icefall on the front of the glacier, abseils in the mills, and rafting in the bédières. Through all of these adventures, I get used to moving in the middle of this white mass with a thousand blue reflections. I feel more and more serene in this magnificent playground that mother nature offers us.
After the Renland, we are moving the camp on the edge of Hare Fjord. The landscape is less extreme, steep mountains give way to hills scorched bushes. At the bottom of the fjord, the ice sheet, the Greenland Ice SheetTurns into a small glacier that ends up in the water.
When I get to the glacier, I feel right now in my heart that this is the right. He is magnificent. Bowls, cracks and crevices collide. The glacier front plunges straight into the fjord. Seen from above, it looks like a layer cake.
Regular, whole sections collapse in a crash, creating small icebergs. This chaos amazes me and draws me. The whole team is hypnotized in the same way, and we give it without hesitation the title of most beautiful glacier that we have encountered so far. The urge to stretch a line in the middle of this wonder takes hold of me and never leaves me. A few days later, I told Evrard about it. He is immediately thrilled: it's decided, tomorrow we are going to stretch a highline in the middle of this glacier! The euphoria takes hold of me. I'm eager to. I'm going to bed with a smile on my face and my head full of dreams.
On the big day, we take off from the camp quite late. The whole morning is dedicated to scientific manipulations, and the beginning of the afternoon to another madness: Evrard and Laurent decided to jump from the glacier front. A nice jump 18 meters in water at 3 °.
It is 18 hours, the handling is finished, it's time for the highline! In France, it would be too late for a long time, but in Greenland no problem: the night does not exist.
At 19:30 we find the spot we like amid the chaos: a large fault parallel to the glacier front, depth of about fifteen meters. A visibly line is 25-30m, and entitles the Fjord.
We quickly realized the passage of the strap through the cracks, and installing anchors on ice screw. We chose to do a master item tied on three points, and a general backup on a pin. I would have put an extra point, but only eight pins ice, and must make do. la line is beautiful in the evening light. It makes its way amidst the white edges, turquoise blue scales and night blue crevasses.
It is 20 h 15 when the anchors are finished. Even if the night does not really falls, we are no longer in July, and the sun disappears below the horizon behind. The twilight settles in slowly and the wind joins in the fun. Before everyone is turned into an ice cube, we decide to come back tomorrow morning to walk the line. It’s wiser. The "night" will freeze the anchors and give them a little strength. I wear a smile that never leaves me. I am excited. Can't wait for tomorrow!
"Today is your day! "Near the line, that's what everyone keeps telling me. Since last night, the team has been fighting for me, and I don't want to disappoint them. They give me a lot of energy, it's great to see them all so happy for me. If I want to succeed at all costs this line, it is also for them.
When you arrive on site, surprise, ice melted around the pins. They bathe in a small puddle, useless. Evrard re-sink pins, while I check the Equalization of slings. The line is short enough to make the voltage entirely by hand: no pulley is used, only swallow soft strap in the blocker. In the end, a beautiful line of 29 m, with 2 meters of boom. Installation and voltage is carried out effectively in less than one hour, all over. It is estimated to have a big time ahead of us to enjoy safe onlineBefore the anchors do begin to melt.
Undressing. I take off my tits and polar both my pants, my shoes and cleats. I will ascend above the line with the minimum: barefoot, with tights and a long-sleeve. I advance. I try to ignore the world around me. They distracting me a bit, but at the same time, their excitement and encouragement motivate me more than ever. I feel good. Ironically, I have full confidence in these ice anchors. No room for fear, this line is mystical, and I owe him my best.
Je me lève. Mes jambes tremblent un peu. Un pas. Deux pas. Trois pas, … et c’est la chute.
Les ancrages n’ont pas bronchés devant cette première mise à l’épreuve. Tout va bien. Je me relaxe en m’allongeant au milieu de la ligne. Je respire profondément, et je recommence. Je me lève, et cette fois-ci, je vais jusqu’au bout. C’est beau. C’est unique. Je me retrouve en suspension au-dessus d’une crevasse bleue turquoise. Face à moi trône le fjord bleu-gris rempli d’icebergs. C’est irréel.
No way to stop or pause. This Iceline an hour of existence, and I intend to exploit it fully. For 30-45 minutes, like a dream, I move on the line. I hang by the feet, I walk or I just sit down to enjoy the view.
I get off the line exhausted. I gave him everything. Thirty minutes later, she finally dismantled. Ice rumblesA new pan glacier collapses in water. The glacier reminds us that it is alive. In a few weeks, this crevasse no longer exist. Repetition is impossible. A magic moment. A Unique Iceline. I call it The Ephemeral.
Characteristics :
- Name: The Ephemeral
- Length: 29m50
- Set-Up: Polyester Tubular: Cosmic, of SlackInov, 6% On elasticity
- Voltage / Arrow: Tension hand, 2m50 Arrow
- Height: ~ 15m above a crevasse Glacier.
