SAMAYA x OLI FRANCE

 

 

Driven by his "Ultimate 7" project, which aims to climb the highest peak on each continent from the lowest point using human strength alone, British climber Oli France, after a first edition in Africa, headed for North America to link Death Valley to the summit of Denali in 64 days and over 5,700 kilometers. On his return home, Oli tells us about his journey.

 

"I've been dreaming about this Ultimate 7 project for over ten years. Over the years, I've kept coming back to the idea. While waiting for the moment to take the plunge, I've been developing my physical and technical skills, while enriching my experience. In September 2023, I took the plunge from the lowest point in Africa to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

 

For this second phase of the project, I'm starting from North America's Death Valley and working my way up to the summit of Denali, a journey of 5,600 kilometers. Travelling by human power alone presented its challenges. The first section took 41 days by bike. I cycled through Death Valley, along the west coast of the USA, into Canada and across Alaska. I was totally self-sufficient and wanted to do it the pure way, without support vehicles and carrying my own gear. My bike weighed around 50 kilograms. The gradient was accumulating and I was struggling to move forward efficiently with the headwind lacerating me.

 

I remember that three or four days into the trip, my body was already broken. I was pedaling into the wind, falling behind and questioning the whole expedition, wondering if it was really possible. For the first two weeks, I had to break through a barrier of pain and try to adapt to the difficulties of the journey.

 

I had to keep a tunnel vision on the objective. I always had to look at the big picture. I've been on a lot of tough expeditions over the years and I've learned that moments when the body and mind are put to the test are only temporary.

 

Yes, it's hard.

 

Yes, it means suffering.

 

Despite starting the trip with a quickly damaged body and swollen tendons, after three weeks on the bike, all these problems began to disappear. The last three weeks on the bike, I felt really strong, as if my body had adapted. This "long duration" section of the expedition allowed my body to adapt. By the time I got to the start of the walking section at Kroto Creek, I was feeling great.

 

Yet this was the section I found the most difficult. Reaching base camp on foot was a real ordeal, so difficult was it to find your way. 99% of climbers fly directly to base camp in a small plane. For me, doing it by human power alone meant doing a lot of upstream research to try and find a route through the hills, bushes, rivers and this immense glacier.

 

Aaron Rolph, Mike Stevenson and Ryan Gorman joined me at this point to complete the expedition together. It took us eight days to cover 122 kilometers. In those eight days, we didn't meet a soul. We were completely alone in this wilderness, populated by grizzly bears whose footprints we found just 20 metres from our tent.

 

The route was very demanding. We endured snowstorms, freezing temperatures and encountered wild animals such as elk and bears. Walking was made tricky as we were heavily laden with 60 kilograms spread across our pulkas and bags. This included skis, food, our tents Samaya and sleeping bags. One day, it took us nine hours to cover three kilometers because of the trees and bushes that our equipment kept getting caught on, because of the incessant sequence of ascents and descents and because of the small cliffs we had to cross to reach the glacier. It was a very arduous process.

 

But there's always a way forward. Even when I stumbled with my pulka and navigated through dangerous crevasses, I maintained absolute concentration. Having the team with me helped a lot because we could support each other. If anyone had any doubts, we encouraged each other, which helped to keep up the pace. I often think of the rhythm of the metronome, which swings from left to right but is always constant. This metaphor helps me stay focused on making constant progress, even if it's slow, even if it's small steps.

 

The mental aspect of this expedition is based on my past experiences. All my previous expeditions have prepared me for it. I think it's easy to become too comfortable at home. So 99% of my training is done outdoors, exposed to the elements of the British winter - rain, hail, strong winds. Exposing yourself to discomfort on a daily basis helps to keep you sharp and ready.

 

Having the right equipment is the second essential condition for a great expedition. Especially in the mountains: having a reliable tent is crucial. The Samaya BASECAMP was the ideal tent. There were days when we had to shelter from storms all day long. We felt protected and safe despite extremely strong winds and heavy snowfalls. This tent, weighing just a few kilograms, offers incredible shelter in the mountains. We had to bivouac for 6 days in a row at an altitude of 4,500 meters because of a snowstorm. Spending so much time in a tent can be a tricky situation if it's unreliable. For us, this wasn't a problem. As soon as the weather calmed down, we went out to clear and build snow walls to protect ourselves. Otherwise, we stayed in the tent, playing cards, cooking, eating, drinking and getting ready for the rest of the trip. I couldn't imagine a better shelter for the four of us.

 

Once the storm had subsided, we were able to set off for the final push and reach the summit of Denali, at 6,190 meters above sea level. The sensations we experienced up there were indescribable. And yet, they weren't the ones that made the biggest impression on me.

 

One particular day as we approached base camp has remained etched in my memory. After traversing the most difficult parts, we arrived on the glacier with base camp in sight. The sun was shining, we were in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness. It had been days since we'd seen anyone. We were making good progress as a team, everyone was feeling good, and we were invaded by a feeling of euphoria that rarely happens. It was an incredible feeling. It's for these moments of life that we go out into the wilderness. It's for these moments imprinted in time that leave a special flavor in the memories."

 

Photos by Aaron Rolph @aaronrolph