This summer, British rock climber and mountaineer Leo Houlding headed to Mount Asgard (2,015m) on Baffin Island with Wilson Cutbirth and Waldo Etherington.
After 34 days, their expedition has ended unsuccessfully. Houlding commented that Asgard is the mythical home of the Norse gods, where they decide the fate of men, and the gods decided that their fate would be bad weather. They experienced only 48 hours of stable weather in over a month.
In his early rock-climbing days, Houlding once grumbled about having to walk a kilometer to a wall. Since then, among other long-distance adventures, he has kite-skied 2,000km across Antarctica to climb the difficult Mount Spectre. But this Asgard journey might have been a step too far.
“I don’t think I’ve ever carried such a heavy load [40kg] so far [240km],” wrote Houlding on social media. “I won’t be disappointed if I never have to again.”
Waldo Etherington (left) and Wilson Cutbirth. Photo: Leo Houlding
