Jens Haven ("Gneissberg")
(Elevation 5023'; Latitude/Longitude 58.9118° -63.7366°, Map 14L13, UTM 576303)

Topographic Map of Jens Haven: Click for map.

Jens Haven (Gneissberg) with Erhart in front and Torngasoak behind Photo: Andrew Lavigne (2004)

The name "Gneissberg" is a pun on "iceberg", "gneiss" and "Inselberg".

Route: The North-east Ridge (from the McCormick River Valley) John Andrachuk and Erik Sheer, 1978, first ascent. the climbers approached via the north-east ridge, on which John had put up a route the previous day via an ice couloir to about 3000'. They left base camp at 8:00 and reached the start of ice (about 1925') at 10:30. They cramponed up the couloir for 18 leads terminating around 3100'. Above that they climbed another five 150' pitches over class IV rock (Class IV =~ YDS 5.3 - 5.4), topping out on the ridge plateau at 3500'. They travelled along the ridge about 2 miles to the great col which is the most distinguishing feature of this mountain. Rather than attempting the unsound red gneiss in the col, they traversed along the south-west face until they were opposite the high point of the summit plateau. They then climbed three rock pitches of difficulty YDS 5.1 - 5.4 straight up the face. Two big gendarmes provided the major obstacles on this route. They reached the summit at 19:00, about 10:30 hours after setting out. They hurriedly built a cairn and took a few photos and as soon as possible started down. They retraced their route down and over to the col. But hoping to save time, they contoured along the south-east flank of the mountain rather than climbing and following the ridge from the col. In doing this they were slowed by the need to detour around the heads of several steep gullies. After traversing this face for about a mile they realized that with darkness approaching, they might not find where they had left their ice gear, so they decided to remount the ridge and set about extablishing a crude stone shelter for a bivouac. Sleeping intermittantly from about midnight till 6:00 the next morning, they started down the ridge, while a snow storm was gathering below them. They downclimbed many pitches in a violent windsquall, and finally staggered into camp at 14:00 as the storm was upon them. (1978 Torngat Mountain Expedition, A Report to the Newfoundland Dept. of Tourism, Ray Chipeniuk, 1979.)