British Baffin Island 1999

This was the first team of British climbers to visit the Stewart Valley in the Great Eastern Fjords of Baffin Island - 'more impressive than Yosemite'! Bad weather - snow on 27 days out of 31 - had a major influence on the trip, with flights re-routed and delayed: transport from Clyde River to the area by skidoos took two days, whilst the return journey was accomplished in eight hours. Despite this, climbing in shifts by day and night in temperatures down to -17C, they achieved the first ascent of the 900m Citadel Wall, by a route which they called 'The Endless Day' (A3+/ VI / ED+) reaching the summit in very welcome sunshine.

In addition to the expedition as a whole receiving an MEF grant, Louise Thomas was awarded the MEF Alison Chadwick Memorial Grant for 1999.