Logos for the Frozen Five

A project as large as our own obviously requires a memorable, well designed and informative logo. Over the past year of preparations and planning, our friends have designed several excellent motives based on the overall Svalbard theme. The various entries to the unofficial “Frozen Five Logo Competition” are displayed throughout the blog.

Since we were so pleased with all the designs, we’ll be using most of them for some purpose or other. Our colourful map-based logo will remain in use in our digital publications, where an abundance of colour is not restrictive. The polar bear head, designed by Jiří “Brko” Červinka, suits itself well to promote our URL and the Frozen Five adventure component. You should be able to find it on our pulkas as we leave Longyearbyen. The unofficial winner of the unofficial competition, and the logo that will be worn on the heart of the team members as we ski out of Longyearbyen, was designed by Ulli’s arty sister Anke. It illustrates the circular nature of our trip remarkably well, and includes the sharp peaks that Spitsbergen got its name from (In “Barents-Dutch” Spits = sharp, berg = mountain).

Thanks to you all!

Mediální partner Svět Outdooru/Media partnership with „The world of outdoor“.

For the english version, please scroll down…

S českým outdoorovým serverem Svět Outdooru spolupracuji již od roku 2005 který jsem strávil na Špicberkách. Tenkrát jsem testoval různé arktické vybavení, mimo jiné sáně a školní stany. I při této expedici je Svět Outdooru náš mediální partner, ve kterém budou průběžně vycházet články s tématikou expedičního vybavení a každodenního života v Arktidě (viz zde). Pro Svět Outdooru budeme mimo jiné testovat expediční boty od firmy Crispi, vlněné prádlo norské firmy Devold a expediční stany firmy Hilleberg.

Svět Outdooru je unikátní server, na kterým naleznete testy spousty zajímavého vybavení, jeho nezávislé hodnocení a hodně rad o všech možných outdoorových aktivitách. Rozhodně doporučujeme jeho návštěvu!

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I have been working together with the Czech outdoor server Svet Outdooru (loosely translates as “the world of outdoor”) since 2005, when I spent a year on Svalbard testing various Arctic-related gear. Following from this partnership, the server will be our media partner for the Frozen Five project, acting as a lliason between us, outdoor manufacturers and outdoor-oriented people in the Czech Republic. If you speak some Czech, make sure to have a look at their website (http://www.svetoutdooru.cz/)!

Kim

Proti mrazu oblékáme Devold! The Frozen Five wear Devold!

For the english version, please scroll down…

Při tak náročných podmínkách jaké na Špicberkách nalezneme, je správná termoregulace nezbytně nutná. Jakýkoliv pot během chvilky nečinnosti zamrzne, poté navlhne oblečení a následně hrozí silné podchlazení. Základem udržování tepla a pohody na těle je vlněná spodní vrstva, nejlépe ze slavných novozélandských ovcí Merino.

Jsme velice rádi že můžeme nosit spodní prádlo norské firmy Devold, která už od roku 1853 vyrábí kvalitní spodní prádlo, otestované mimo jiné na expedicích na oba světové póly. Prádlo Devold, typ EXPEDITION, je ideální do chladných a mrazivých podmínek, až do -50°C. Prádlo je vyrobeno ze 100% čisté merino vlny impregnované pro lepší odvod vlhkosti. Navíc je konstruováno z dvou spojených vrstev, čímž se ještě více zvýší tepelná izolace.

Výhod používání vlněného oblečení je hned několik. Vlna hřeje i když je vlhká, perfketně izoluje a je velice prodyšná. Navíc ma samočistící efekt, čímž pádem je možné prádlo Devold nosit při dlouhých, náročných expedicí při kterých není možné prádlo mýt. Smrad ve stanu je velice nepříjemná záležitost, ale při používání vlněného prádla je i toto udržováno na minimum. V neposlední řadě se jedná o přírodní vlákno, které na ovcích vyroste rok co rok a lehce se recykluje.

Více informací o produktech firmy Devold naleznete na adrese http://www.devold.no/. Na český trh oblečení dováží firma North Trappers. Po návratu z expedice budeme o produktech Devoldu referovat mimo jiné na serveru Světa Outdooru.

Vřele děkujeme za podporu!

Kim a spol

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In such extreme environments as that of Svalbard, it is vital to correctly thermo-regulate the body. Any sweat produced during a body’s activity will instantly freeze, causing dampness of the clothes and a real danger of hypothermia. In short, if you sweat, you’re dead. A basis for keeping the body warm and comfortable is through the use of woollen underwear, best of all from high-quality New Zealand merino wool.

This is why we’re extremely happy to be able to wear Norwegian woolen underwear from Devold. This company manufactures woolen garments since 1853, high-quality gear that has been tried and tested on expeditions to both poles. The Devold underwear, especially the EXPEDITION model, is ideal for cold and frosty environments, with temperatures down to -50°C. The garment is made from 100% pure merino wool, impregnated for better vapour transfer. In addition, its dual-layer set-up greatly enhances the thermal isolation properties.

The advantages of using woolen underwear are numerous. Wool is warm even when wet, perfectly isolates and has good breathability. In addition, woolen fibers have a “self-cleaning mechanism” that allow it to be worn on extended expeditions like the Frozen Five without worrying about the smell in the tent. Furthermore, the natural make-up of woolen fabric make this a renewable and easily recyclable resource.

More information on the wide range of Devold products can be found on http://www.devold.no/. The whole range is imported to the Czech Republic through North Trappers. Thanks for their support!

Frozen Five get NZAC grant!

We've received a grant from the New Zealand Alpine Club to help cover the increasing costs of this expedition. The grant, administered by the Overseas Expeditions Committee at the NZAC, will help cover the costs associated with shipping equipment to Svalbard and distributing it to the various food depots.


It's a great honour to have the NZAC on board this expedition. The Club, and its members, is active in mountaineering on all continents, with a stronghold on the South Island's own backbone, the Southern Alps. Its arguably most renowned member and Everest-conqueror, Sir Edmund Hillary, has trained in the New Zealand peaks before his Himalayan adventures. The internationally acclaimed name of the NZAC stands for itself. Thanks to the NZAC!

Heaps of Chocolate

After a week of intensive preparation, the Frozen Five left the sunny and warm weather of France to head back to their duties (except Lucas of course). Apart from skiing across the Vercors mountains, we became experts in list writing last week, we are setting up new records in that domain, with our dozens of ‘Todo’, safety and food lists!!

Talking about the food, I have to say that figuring out the right amount of chocolate to bring on the expedition was an extremely tricky thing! Chocolate is a vital need to our team members and I’m sure that most of them would not even get out of their sleeping bag if we ran out of chocolate!! After a complex calculation, our hungry food-masters Hella and Mats came up with a reasonable result of 60kg!

Hella, who had an extra day to enjoy France, joined Lucas and Marine for a little rock-climbing adventure, on an easy-sunny 100m route in the Chartreuse mountains. After spending the whole day in tshirt Hella concluded (in her best kiwi slang) this was good training for Svalbard: “It’s great matey, we’re accumulating heaps of heat before we freeze our butts!”

Cheers,
Lucas

A Grand Traverse of the Vercors

This week the five friends of the Frozen Five crossed the most beautiful part of the Vercors range, in south-eastern France. Starting near Monestier-de-Clermont and finishing in Corrençon-en-Vercors, Lucas’ planned route included an 800 m climb onto the High Plateaux of the Vercors Range, followed by a couple of days of skiing across the somewhat forested alpine plateau.

Since this trip was the last preparation we’ll have before the actual expedition as a team, we tried to make use of most of the expedition equipment. Walking to the train station in Grenoble, the lucky ones that saw us were impressed by Lucas’ monster telemark boots, Ulli’s expedition “trainers”, Hella’s brand-new pants (you don’t have to take them off to go to the toilet…), Mats’ shiny new skis and Kim’s video camera set to make the trip’s moments eternal. And that’s not even considering the shiny, red tent that we slept in. With two entrances, plenty of cooking space and a well though-out design, these tents will surely prove to be a nice home on the upcoming two and a half month trip.

Throughout our three days out on the plateau, we experienced rather warm conditions during the day, but also well-below freezing (Mats’ educated guess stands at -10°C) during the night. No frostbite this time, for which we’re all grateful. The skiing conditions, while far from perfect, allowed us to ski the majority of the way, pulling the pulka (a sledge that allows its owner to pull much more gear than would be possible in a backpack) throughout.

And, of course, being together allowed us to discuss important aspects of the expedition, notably food, safety and our equipment. More specific blogs about these aspects will follow soon…

Greetings from France! The Frozen Five Team