THE Irish Antarctic Expedition has begun its attempt on one of the continent's major mountaineering challenges - the unclimbed Mount Roots in South Georgia.
The expedition's joint leaders, Frank Nugent and Paddy Barry, set off at first light yesterday for the 2,281 metre mountain.
Though not particularly high, the peak is regarded as technically difficult and has been unsuccessfully attempted many times.
Among those who have tried have been British military personnel based in the Antarctic garrison in South Georgia. If time permits, the Irish expedition may also try to climb the island's highest mountain, the 2,934 metre Paget, which was first ascended in 1954.
A support team of three was due to accompany the pair yesterday on the "walk in", via a glacier, in an effort to find a suitable base camp location. Speaking to The Irish Times by satellite phone, Mr Nugent said that the main challenge would be the constantly changing weather.
Paddy Barry is an experienced sailor and climber, while Mr Nugent was deputy leader of the Irish Everest expedition.
Winds of up to 130km/h (80m.p.h) which swept across Ireland this week are almost a daily occurrence on the Antarctic island.
"It's like a pendulum," Mr Nugent said. "Forecasts mean very little. So we are giving ourselves five to six days, hoping we will get at least one clear day to go for the summit."
Mr Nugent said that the expedition was still recovering from the Shackleton traverse, which it completed successfully last week.
"It tore the heels out of us, and the boots we had with us didn't help," he said. "In fact, I don't think we quite realised how much the sea journey, three capsizes, and the mountain journey took out of us till this week, but we are well recovered."
The other members of the expedition will keep radio contact with the climbers from the rescue yacht Pelagic.
