How do they live? What do they feel? Mission Scoresby team kindly accepted to answer questions everyone is wondering about. They try to share their outstanding experience in 10 questions/answers. Or more...

Il tend une main et la crevasse du glacier, qui semblait immense, semble soudain bien facile à franchir. Raphaël attend sans s’agacer, apaise les inquiétudes, console les jours de galère. De ses nombreuses années de scoutisme, il en a gardé l’esprit bon camarade, solidaire, et le rire, franc. Aujourd’hui étudiant à l’école d’ingénieur Ense3 à Grenoble, Raphaël Dein a été sélectionné par la Fondation Grenoble INP pour participer à l’expédition Mission Scoresby. S’il résume son rôle à celui de « touche-à-tout », Raphaël, prompt à « filer un coup de main » sans broncher, a une présence quotidienne discrète mais nécessaire. Car la tâche est parfois difficile : il y a ces longues heures de portage, celles passées à poser des capteurs sismiques aux côtés des scientifiques sur des moraines « infernales ». Raphaël soupire parfois, mais le plus souvent prend sur lui ; il « résorbe », dit-il. Comprenez : souffrir sans subir, effleurer ses limites pour mieux comprendre, donner sans attendre… A 23 ans, le Nantais d’origine a les reins bien solides. Et les jambes, aussi. Elles l’ont mené sur les glaciers du Groenland, dans les entrailles des grottes glaciaires et à quelques mètres du sommet de la calotte du Renland. Une aventure qu’il ne vivait, jusque-là, qu’à travers des récits palpitants mais romancés. Aujourd’hui, il peut vivre « pleinement » – et pour de vrai – sa passion pour la montagne.

Raphael sneaks into the bowels of the glacial cave
(Photo Evrard Wendenbaum / Nature Evolution)

What were you looking for when you came here?
To expand my passion for the mountains, to live it fully through a long and strong experience. Understand, too, how an expedition works and experience it from the inside.

What is your fondest memory?
Semolina bathed in fish soup, accompanied by a large sausage (laughs). In reality, the departure of the expedition from Husavik, Iceland. There were whale watching shuttles around us - whale watching - and we were lucky enough to see their geisers accompanying our departure by boat. Everyone was on deck. It was amazing.

The worst ?
It will still revolve around food! It was a day we just ate at the back of Lake Catalinadal, not far from the diffluence of Edward Bailey glacier. I left with Olivier seek Aurelie, who drew from the side of the mountain. On our return to camp, I felt drained, I was visibly dejected.

What you have learned in camp life?
I've already done a lot in scouting but here we are in extreme environments, so different. But this adventure, which is human above all, I especially learned to be fully attentive to others.

Ice ax in hand on the Apusinikajik glacier, Raphaël helps scientists in their work on a daily basis (Photo Marie-Lilas / Naturevolution)

What do you hate doing the most in camp life?
Place seismic sensors on infernal moraines.

What surprised you in Greenland?
First of all the mosquitoes: it is surprising and… unpleasant! As for the landscapes, even if I imagined mountains a little less steep, I expected that a bit. It looks like the needles of Chamonix, it's really beautiful.

First of all the mosquitoes: it is surprising and… unpleasant! As for the landscapes, even if I imagined mountains a little less steep, I expected that a bit. It looks like the needles of Chamonix, it's really beautiful.
Animals, such as polar bear. And the Arctic wolf is a mythical animal that has always fascinated me.

What is your shipping book?
I read a book by Mike Horn, "Conqueror of the impossible." I admit I am relatively disappointed. It's too brutal.

In a word, how would you define porting?
Reverse. Some include ...

What is your favorite lyophilized?
A lyophilized dessert: chocolate mousse, it's a carnival.