#6: Marmorbreen

Straight out of our windless camp we started climbing Marmorbreen (glacier). The light was magnificent with alpenglow on the mountain tops and inky valleys receding below. As we gained altitude a bitterly cold headwind picked up from the NW and chilled our noses and fingers. Mitts, neoprene masks and goggles made their debut. Lunch was a pretty chilly affair but the ramen noodles, crackers, salami and cheese warmed us from the inside at least. After lunch we slogged for another hour to reach a point just shy of Hellefonna (icecap) summit (746m) after which we could enjoy some flat and undulating terrain that took us to a lovely campsite overlooking the east coast of Spitsbergen, namely Agardhbukta (Agard Bay). Photo of last night’s campsite. Usually we avoid a cluster of tents, preferring a line of tents side by side, but a dearth of flat sites among the moraine forced our hand.