Stefan, Angus, Charlie and Archie. Picture: The Coldest Crossing.
THE plan was a grand one — walk 400 kilometres across mountains, glaciers and volcanoes in five hours of dusk a day to become the “youngest, fastest and officially first people to cross Iceland unsupported in winter.”
Four weeks on the young British explorers are back in Reykjavik branded an ‘expensive joke' after being rescued multiple times and publicly dressed down for claims that are “simply not true”.
Despite their failings, the plucky team has refused to admit defeat, saying “they did accomplish what they set out to do, inspire young people to explore the outdoors.
Here’s what happened on the world’s strangest social media expedition.
‘STRANGE CLAIMS’
The Coldest Crossing was the brainchild of Charlie Smith, 19, a young adventurer who claims to be the youngest person to cross Iceland from north to south in summer.
He set out to repeat the feat in winter with three friends and score his own “personal chance to get a blistering face, blistering feet, possibly frostbite, eyes which might freeze over and teeth which might fall out.”
Fellow students Angus Dowie, 19, Stefan Rijnbeek, 20 and Archie Wilson, 19, plus a cameraman and photographer would be on the trip, that would be turned into a film designed to inspire young people to get out and explore.
“The ethos behind this is because we want to encourage people our age to get outside and do more things like this,” Mr Smith said in the pilot.
“It’s so much more beneficial to you in terms of life, in terms work, than doing stupid holiday’s getting drunk. This is what gives you a better perspective.”
But the claims quickly came under scrutiny from local mountaineers who said it was “simply not true” they would be making the first solo traverse of the country.
Icelandic Alpine Club climber Sveinn Fr. Sveinsson posted a lengthy piece online saying they were “not first. Not by a long shot.”
“Iceland has been crisscrossed many times, mostly by Icelanders but also others, for many years. We have a rich mountaineering culture,” he wrote
“The thing is that in Iceland we are kind of old school in mountaineering and climbing ethics. We just do firsts, if you need parameter two or three attached to it, it’s not a first. And preferably you go out, do your thing and then maybe talk about it.”
Mr Sveinsson said the first trouble began when the group had to be picked up after breaking down en route to their starting point.
Then just 25 kilometres in they were forced to call on Iceland’s search and rescue team again after being hit by Storm Desmond. The team sheltered in the nearby village of Kópasker however geography student Angus Dowie was forced out by a “pre-existing lung infection.”
“This infection was not caused by the weather conditions but exacerbated by the physical exertion required for the expedition.,” the group said in a statement at the time.
“Icelandic Search and Rescue did provide transport for the member from their location in the north but the other members skied to Kópasker on their own power.”
Four UK adventurers have refused to “admit defeat” saying they wanted to inspire others to get out into national parks and have their own adventures. Picture: The Coldest Crossing.Source:Supplied
Onwards. By 10 December the group was back underway from a different town, Akureyri, nearly 200 kilometres south. Six days later they were forced to call for help a second time after one of them suffered from frostbite on both feet.
“The two remaining healthy members of The Coldest Crossing did not feel it was in their best interest to continue on with the expedition with their current team size,” Charlie Smith said.
The final nail in the coffin was a “freak storm” on 29 December that saw two people “soaked in rain through their clothing”.
The remaining members were picked up by Iceland’s search and rescue team and taken to the capital to recuperate.
Many have praised their courage for the attempt, but others say the trip was self-indulgent. Picture: The Coldest Crossing.Source:Supplied
The debacle led Icelandic MP Karl Garoarsson to brand the mission an “expensive joke” on Facebook.
“Is it normal in such circumstances that the hikers do not pay the cost of the rescue? Or buy insurance?” he said.
Mr Sveinsson praised the team for their spirit and preparation, but said the social media mountaineers might want to take a few tips from the “old school” climbing community.
“They might want to think about just having fun adventures for themselves, not somebody else,” he said. “Being assisted four times on the same trip is a pretty blunt indication that you were way out of your depth.”
He also advised them to be honest with their online output, saying it would be far more interesting to see a team mess up and learn from their experience.
“If they just try to keep up appearances like on the social media platforms, posting stuff after rescues without mentioning them, it’s not going to be interesting.”
What do you think of their efforts? Continue the conversation on Twitter @newscomuaHQ | @Victoria_Craw
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