17 December 2005
ALASKA

The preparations go on in earnest. Karl has been trialing the new 'Kokatat' Gore-Tex dry suits that he and Dimitri will wear continually while crossing the Bering Straits. The general plan from hereon is that Dimitri will join Karl in Fairbanks on 10th December to trial their gear and shortly after Karl will go to Unalakleet (where he finished last winter) and will begin his walk to Cape Prince of Wales and the Bering Straits, with Dimitri joining him at Nome. During that last leg they will continue to test equipment and hopefully arrive well in time to catch the right conditions for a crossing. At present Karl is experimenting with a kite borne camera. The aim is for the camera to relay pictures of ice conditions down to the two walkers. Karl reports that the trial has been very successful and a good picture can be obtained on a small screen on the ground. There are adjustments to make to add to the stability but otherwise the kit will be ready for the Bering Straits.

9th October 2005

Karl returned from Colombia, arriving back in Alaska earlier this month. Since then he's been extremely busy preparing for this last leg across Alaska, from Unalakleet to Cape Prince of Wales and then of course, an attempt at crossing the Bering Straits. An important part of this preparation has been meetings with other adventurers who have experience of the Bering Straits. A lot of very valuable information has been gained here. Karl will attempt the crossing in company with Dimitri Kieffer, an endurance racer of great experience whom he met on the trail last winter. As both men wish to have a go at the Bering Straits, it seemed the most obvious and safest way would be to combine their efforts. Karl will now walk to Nome where he will meet up with Dimitri in December. They will then both set out for Cape Prince of Wales, giving them time to test equipment on the way to the Straits.

5th April 2005

Karl reached Unalakleet on the Alaskan coast on 27th March 2005. There was no chance of him making it up to Cape Prince of Wales and the Bering Straits in time for a crossing this spring. A lot of the snow and ice had already started to melt. Karl flew back to Fairbanks and after sorting out and storing his equipment has flown back to Colombia to be with Catty for a while. We are also hoping that whilst down there he will be able to have his front teeth fixed, hopefully implants, as the cost there is a lot less than the US. He has to leave the US (Alaska) anyway as his visa is due to expire soon and he will need to leave the country to renew it. Karl has learned a lot over the last winter and will put this knowledge to use in the snow and ice of this year's coming winter. Until then he plans to keep up a strict fitness regime as overall fitness is essential when working hard in extreme environments. Karl will be slowly preparing and training through the summer, waiting for the first snows in autumn. We apologise for the fact that this update may not change for some time, but should something of note come to light we'll be sure to pass this on.