By Emily Crawford

April 4, 2002 A daring solo trip to remote eastern Greenland is one of nine fast-and-light climbing expeditions supported by grants announced this week by the American Alpine Club.

Twenty-eight-year-old adventurer Mike Libecki, of Salt Lake City, Utah, will depart for Greenland in July and brave icy seas and polar bears en route to untouched granite walls that have been compared to those in Yosemite. The AAC gave a total of $14,000 to support Libecki and five other winners of the Lyman Spitzer Climbing Grant, awarded annually to climbing expeditions that attempt "bold first ascents or difficult repeats of the most challenging routes in the world's great mountain ranges."

Three other expeditions received Helly Hansen Mountain Adventure Awards, which provide teams with $2,500 and Helly Hanson expedition apparel. The awards are given to explorers committed to human-powered expeditions that are non-commercial, and non-researched based.

"All of the grant winners are unique. However, one thing they all have in common is that their expeditions push the boundaries of the climbing world," said AAC Development Director, Chris Chesak.

Libecki, who last fall completed a 600-mile-plus trek across China's Taklimakan Desert (see "Desert of No Return"), says the rewards and benefits of solo expeditions make the increased danger and workload worth it.

"The challenge of going solo is enormous, and the accomplishments are so rewarding—you have a sense of complete and utter responsibility," he said. "You can climb for 30 hours and sleep for 20 if you want to without compromising with a partner. There is something about going solo just brings you closer to life. "

Other Lyman Spitzer recipients include Brian Block, of Ames, Iowa, who, along with two teammates will attempt an alpine-style climb of Denali's east face after a 40-mile approach. Oakland, California, climber Steve Schneider will lead a three-person team on a free-climb of the south face of Otgon Tenger, the tallest granite wall in Mongolia. Micah Raphael, of Boulder, Colorado, is heading a four-man expedition to Greenland, where he hopes to establish a new route on Nulamasortorq and attempt to free-climb the Italian Route on the west face of Nulamsaortorq's Third Pillar.

Two other Lyman Spitzer teams are focused on first ascents: Josh Warton of Boulder, Colorado, and his partner will attempt The Flame, a spire in the Karakoram region in the Himalayas. And Cedar Wright of Yosemite, California, and a teammate are heading to Baffin Island, where they will try the Spanish Route up Mount Thor.

Helly Hansen Award winner Lorne Glick of Telluride, Colorado, and three teammates will attempt the first ski-descent of Cerro Fitzroy, the largest peak in Argentina's Patagonia. David Morton of Seattle, Washington, will attempt to put up new routes on Nangpai Gosum Peak in Nepal with his partner. The two-man team will not use porters or Sherpas above their base camp. Pete Dronkers of Reno, Nevada, and his partner will explore the mountains of Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic.

Chesak noted that while the AAC grants are relatively small, they're also targeted at non-commercial expeditions that don't have significant sources of funding.

"One of the things that is most important to us as a climbing organization is to support small teams—not larger expeditions as they tend to be better financed and more commercial. These teams have less impact on the environment, and travel and climb in a fast-and-light style."

For more on the AAC's grants program, go to http://www.americanalpineclub.org.