Only in a JEEP: new height world record in a JEEP Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon

[BlueGerbil]

Daily report March 11, 2007

The old high-altitude world record mark has been reached

A hard day/ a good day/ an exhausted team

Wake-up time was 5 am. At around minus 15 degrees Celsius, we started our drive to the track at 6.30am and started the rise to our record cars to an altitude of 6120m at 8 am we were on the way with our entire team and everyone was struggling to reach the altitude of our “parking place”.



Afterwards we started. From 6120m, we went down a steep precipice, sometimes only centimetre by centimetre, which directly leads to a “sloping sea” that is out of glacier water. The key to success is – the same was with the rock lane – to overcome the sea. Those, who are not able to overcome the sea, cannot arrive at the plateau. This plateau is the only way to the glacier in an altitude of 6300m, which leads to the side of the crater. I had doubts before in 2005 but the sea had other big difficulties for us today. The ice was broken and soft. We actually could always break through to the bottom of the sea. We approximately reached the middle of the sea this way. The sea itself is only around 1.5m at its deepest point but enormously dangerous due to sloping. The problem that we were faced with today was the glassy, sloping, and frozen surface, more than 100m. It was impossible to cross the surface without ice spikes on the shoes, even more difficult with the cars.

-Side story-: During a satellite conversation today, my wife asked me, whether the Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited is really that good as I am describing. My answer was definitely Yes. We have several journalists with us, camera teams and participants who are all fascinated – including myself – by the performance of the cars.

However, any kind of locks and even the best tires could not stand the surface. No hold and stability means no hold and stability. Thus, we sent a ranger team, wearing ice spikes, to the opposite side of the frozen surface in order to place the ice anchors into the bottom. To this anchor, I connected my car (F1) with the front winch and Dieter connected his winch in my back-winch.

The advantages were the following: in case that the ice anchors does not stand the great strain, Dieter safeguard my F1 with the second car (F2) against strong drifts and total loss of the vehicle. Otherwise the only possibility would have been an escape from the car by a quick jumping off. This would have been the total loss of F1. Thus, I winched my way through the frozen surface with the aid of the Warn Powerplant.

It was exciting but it worked out. Well, F1 was on the other side, now it was F2’ turn. There were cable winches and belts of about 70m between F1 and F2 because I had stuck my car into a ditch. Then it became spectacular: when Dieter started winching F2, the car drifted immediately (the F2 was not safeguarded at the back). I saw what happened and so I accelerated my car as fast as possible. While sliding and drifting to the slope, F2 stick to the 70m-cable and I rushed forward. By moving forward, we could bring the speed of F2 under control and the car “skidded” from the frozen surface “ashore”.

“Holiday on ice” could not have produced it for television more spectacular. It was amazing!



Another question will be to find the best way of return. However, the top priority now has our record and we have made a real progress today. It was funny that suddenly, even on a very steep side (about 6100m) which was necessary to overcome, the car electronics told us, that it is not possible to go on like that. More exactly, the electronic control changed into emergency program due to a documented shortage of oxygen. I spoke to my car just like to a buddy and asked “him” where the actual problem is because we already have scarce oxygen for days. Obviously, the small molecules of the car thought the same, and decided to forget about the lack of oxygen after a re-start. We had full performance again.

Starting from the glacial lake, we drove on the old, familiar track until we reached the ledges. However, I decided not to climb the ledges this time but to try a new way on the right side of the mountain range. It was the right decision. After passing a field of snow penitents, on which edge we groped our way forward, we arrived at a drop from which we could drive into a slope. This slope – we have already been to an altitude of 6200m – ended on a small plateau (6300m). The great coincidence, that place marked the back of the hill of the old world record. Brilliant.



Now we accelerated both cars through an ice field and climbed up to an altitude of 6358m. We made it. For the first time in history, two standard cars are in an altitude of 6358m., an altitude that has never been reached by cars with standard fittings before. At the same time, it marks our starting point for Tuesday.

The fact that the team is very exhausted after this performance – even the way down took several hours – we will have a break tomorrow.
The upcoming time will be exciting because we discovered today that the glacier field is quite rifty. The tires will have to do an important job.

[BigDaveZJ]

Any chance you have some rough GPS coordinates of where you guys are at so we can check it out in Google Earth?

[PassRunnerZJ]

Wow, impressive! For us States folks:

6,120 meters = 20,078 feet
.8 bar = ~12 psi
6,358 meters = 20,859.5801 feet

[Snowman]

Quite impressive!!!! Those of us at sea level are breathlessly watching your progress!

[Mtn WJ]

Is it me or is the sunlight up there a little different. Kind of bright but a little diffused.

Very cool reports.

[BlueGerbil]

Daily report March 13, 2007
NEW RECORD !!!!
One tire in Argentina – one tire in Chile.
We made it.
The Jeep® Wrangler High Altitude World Record 2007 became magnificent true.
Both Jeep® Wrangler vehicles reached an incredible altitude. I am sure that this mark will not be broken in any time. We exceeded our own targets. We have been on the ridge.
We are really, really exhausted and just returned to the base camp – nobody is injured, no vehicle destroyed, no single tire damaged - detailed information is coming soon.
It was really incredible.
The new height record mark will be made public as soon as it has been verified.

The old record mark

On the glacier

A great view

Only in a JEEP...

Only in a JEEP....

The victorius team

[BlueGerbil]

Any chance you have some rough GPS coordinates of where you guys are at so we can check it out in Google Earth?

Sure.
The summit of the mountain is located at S 27° 06´22" W 68° 32´22".

[Mtn WJ]

Very Nice Congratulations

Only In A Jeep.


Any chance I can buy one of your blue jackets?

[Snowman]

"Jeep Only Parking" is a nice touch. Congradulations!!

[Skyline]

Congratulations!

What a great adventure!

I have two questions:

---When do we see you guys in a Jeep commercial on TV?

---Given the other teams from Kia and Mitsubishi, why are you so confident that your record will hold up? Are they attempting smaller mountains?

[go_big247]

No offense aimed at the great people with kia and mitsubishi, but those are only suv's, not jeeps.

[Skyline]

No offense aimed at the great people with kia and mitsubishi, but those are only suv's, not jeeps.

I would not discount these two efforts just because of the brand names.

Mitsubishi has some pretty rugged vehicles that are not made for the US market, just look at some of the rigs they enter in Paris-Dakar.

As for Kia, I'm not sure a Sorrento could 100% keep pace with a Rubicon, but it's a pretty capable 4X4, especially if you put some decent tires on it, maybe add a skid plate or two. Pretty comparable off road to a new GC, maybe better. And I don't know what models they make for outside the US, but I would not be surprised if they also have some rugged offerings that don't come to the US.

[MBATF]

KIA been making military vehicles for South Korea in the pass 10 + years. I wouldn't doubt their possibilities of making it. As well as the Mitsubishi

[Mtn WJ]

Well I am sure others can come up with a rig to do this. However Jeep just set the record in a stock vehicle. The others do not really offer a vehicle in the US market that will be capable of doing this stock. It will be a milestone either way and this is especially true in our market.

Kudos to DC Jeep for being the first and doing such a marketable job of it.

[Skyline]

The others do not really offer a vehicle in the US market that will be capable of doing this stock.

I do not see how a vehicle's US availability is relevant to a WORLD record.

However I do agree that this is one of the coolest 4X4 adventures I've ever seen, and can be a great marketing thing for Jeep.

[go_big247]

The some of the military vehicles that Kia makes are Jeep clones. LOL. Heres a link....
http://www.angelfire.com/nb2/jeeppickups/Kia.html

[BlueGerbil]

Daily report March 13/14, 2007
It was promised.
The Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited High Altitude World Record has come true.
On 3/13/2007, one tire in Chile, one in Argentina, we drive by two identical and standard Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 3.8 V6 to an incredible altitude of:
6646 meters above sea level
Only 251 meters below the top of the Ojos del Salado/Chile-Atacama we reach the top between both secondary summits.
Before telling the story of the record day, I would like to thank my family, particularly Karin, Christian, Nicole and Doris Jeschke and my entire team. Without their tremendous visible or invisible commitment it would not have been possible to achieve this performance.
I also thank Andreas Dolz, Dieter Glöß, Hubertus Franz, Joachim Beyer, Hans Siebenhaar, Sabine Jost-Schmitt, Jürgen Malieske, Eleonore Wangler, Dominik Liebehenz, Hendrik Pfefferkorn, Oliver Korac, Benjamin Strobel, Enrico Glöß, Andreas Stöhr, Eckhart Müller, Volker Schmidt, Barbara Kerscher, Brita Matthiesen, Thomas Stark, Jan Liska, Alexander Wohlfart, Felipe Avilés, Sebastian Martinez, Rodrigo Montalban, Mario Sepulvera and Maurico Orellana.
I formally and explicitly thank all the people in companies supporting and promoting us and I appreciate their belief in me. I especially thank Florian Laudan and Ralf Glaser (DaimlerChrysler/Jeep® Germany), Christian Fischer and Jörn Stövesand (Goodyear Germany), Hugo Burgers (Warn Europe), Bernhardt Wagenknecht (ODG) and Axel Taubenreuther (Taubenreuther). I also thank those people helping in the background and anyone supporting us even I was not aware of it. I am sorry but due to my bad condition, I cannot think of all the names right now.
It was the day of decision.
Even I did not want to believe it in the morning, it seemed to turn out to be a special day; a day on which a number of people would not restrain their feelings.
I had a very bad and restless night; I tossed and turned, was frightened and was in a bad mood when getting up. These were symptoms which I should have known from previous important days of decision. However, I probably did not want to think about a possible success so early. I was only worried about how to cross the glacier.
How often would we break in? How many tires would cut up on the razor-sharp snow penitents? Would we be mentally and physically strong enough to change the tires in an altitude of 6300 m and how often would we be able to secure the respective other car on the ice, in order to rescue it with the winches. Would the cars survive the snow penitents? Unbelievable what was on the way to happen.
We started at 6 am in order to be at a height of 5900 m when the first sunrays appear.
The night before, it had been snowing a lot on the Ojos and so I was not sure if it would be possible to move forward on the mountain. In my opinion, we could not have waited even one day more.
When starting the rise at the point of the rocky lane at 7.30 am, it turned out that, at least in the lower third of the volcano, it remained free of snow for the most part. After only 2 hours, the entire team reached its cars which had been parked at the glacier sea one day before. Additionally, the participants had essential material (including crossing aid and fuel) with them. Already in the base camp we had discussed and determined who was able to do the hard work in the altitude and could take the strain. In all 12 people took part, climbing with the Jeep® to the glacier at an altitude of 6340m. The rest of the team went back to 4500 m after wishing us good luck and saying goodbye.
Side story: One reader asked the following question: Where is the difficulty to climb up there?
Answer: It is probably life-threatening, because among other things, we had to work very hard for our success and did not use any additional oxygen. Those who have not experienced climbing to such altitudes cannot really imagine the strain you have to cope with.
Arriving at the glacier, the team was divided at first, to be reunited at the crossing.
Hans Siebenhaar started exploring the right side going onwards from the old world record mark, the camera team positioned itself on a hill, the rangers positioned their material and I passed through the left glacier side. The glacier extends over the whole plateau which is directly below the top of the main and
the side summit of the Ojos. It is sloping about 200 m at the smallest point. We wanted to cross exactly that place above the glacier wall. The reason for that was the quite hard and almost closed icy surface due to strong wind at this place.
From our point of view, there was no other possible way of crossing. After quite a while of exploring the track, I got a radio message from Hans. He told me that he found the best starting point from where we started.
Dieter and I decided to drive slowly one after the other in order to be able to protect the cars immediately if necessary. The Warn winches were ready. They had already helped us well on the glacial lake to cross it.
I was the first, driving slowly on the ice. However, there were around 40 m of broken ice and snowdrifts between the solid floor and the frozen surface. Even after the first meters, my Jeep® broke into the snow penitents. It was not possible to keep on going at that low speed.
The second try with high speed: The Jeep® crashed into the same holes but had enough drive to get out of it. I had to try it. I broke 2 times, 3 times, 4 times as if the wheel bases broke down. Patterns have been cut in the tire sides by the snow penitent poles but nothing happened except the following: I suddenly stood on hard ice with my F1. Of course, everyone was rejoicing. Dieter followed with F2 the same way later on. We made the start.
Meanwhile, Hans has moved further and marked the most favourable track while we were driving with the left tires on broken ice in order to keep the stability and not to slip off to the right side.
Phenomenal, how much strain the Goodyear Wrangler MTR tires were able to take, especially during the crossing of the glacier. Only with 0.5 bar air pressure they resisted any difficulties, sharp stones, razor sharp snow penitents, side pressure, even anything.
Everyone knows that for me and for many other people who accompanied my recent expeditions, there is no better offroad tire than this one. Family and friends know that I am not saying that because of partner obligations but due to constant proving of the Goodyear Wrangler MTR under extreme circumstances.
During this expedition the tire demonstrated its outstanding performance to all participants again and will demonstrate that to those who will see the pictures later on.
We continued crawling along the Ojos. The Jeep® broke through the ice, drove out again and forward! We were cheering at each other via transmitter. This morning, no one would have believed in being able to cross the glacier this way. We even did not have to use the crossing aids. Not even! The Wranglers are unbeatable.
Afterwards, however, we had a hard time on the glacier. When we had almost reached the edge of the ice field, I was lost in a deep snowdrift and Dieter had to pull me out with the winch. The second time I started more on the left side and so I reached solid land. Dieter followed and we were overwhelmed by this success. We made it. We were the only ones ever to cross the glacier of the Ojos del Salado by car. The best thing was, that with the place just reached, we surpassed the old record mark by 8 meters. New world record!
Hans, meanwhile climbing up to 6395m, marked the way until a little hill on the edge. When we arrived there with our cars, Hans was the first one who allowed his emotions full bent. The others and I followed later on.
The open edge of the world’s highest volcano was now in front of us; a wide field of boulders becoming steeper and steeper on the way to the crater edge or the secondary summit. All 12 people have been together and everyone got on the Jeep®! Both Jeep® were loaded with material and occupied by 6 people (2/4/1).
Dieter and I acelerated. That meant low gear ration, 1. gear, uncoupled stabilizers, locked differentials in front, in the middle and behind. The motors were spinning at about 7000 per minute and more. We climbed higher and higher.
The men’s voices in my car cracked, everyone said or shouted the numbers on both GPS systems which went up higher and higher. I desired to reach 6500m. 6470, 6480, 6490, 6500, 6510, 6520.
Only at the altitude of 6520m above sea level the full Jeep® got stuck in the loose volcanic rock. Amazing!
Now everyone and everything had to go out of the cars. We wanted to climb higher - unloaded. I manoeuvred the F1 around 200m backwards, Dieter did the same.
But: for another 42m of altitude, I had to change my ideal route by 150m.
Yet, I did not know what it meant but I had a fu… feeling when I got out of the car and looked down.
Then I thought: where is Dieter?
F2 did not make it. Dieter had got stuck with his Jeep® in my track. We stayed in contact and it was clear: he needed to come up. We wanted to mark the new world record altitude with both cars; we wanted to reach something which should not be possible to reach again. Thus, Dieter stepped the gas. It was the same procedure. I think, Dieter had to experience the same in his car and must have felt the same as I did. I gave him loud orders via the transmitter; I really wanted him to come up. I do not know if he heard me but he drove perfectly in any case. He drove close to my track, between the snow fields. And he climbed up.
F2 reached the record altitude of 6562m above sea level and stopped next to F1 after a few minutes.
Then the second time, the same as before. I could here the engines’ power; I held the wheel as if someone tried to steal it. My car climbed higher and higher, passing the team members gathering at an altitude of 6520m. I wanted the success. Absolutely.
Full power of the gas pedal, I clutched the steering wheel, I was totally fixed.
In order to climb higher, I had to swerve to the left to avoid a snow field. My Jeep® kept on drifting, 50, 100, 150 m crosswise to the slope. However, it climbed up meter by meter. Then we came to the end. F1 stopped at an incredible altitude of 6562 m. There is no other car that has ever been higher. Stuck in the volcano sand.
”Jeep Parking Only!”
was written on the sign. We were pleased as Punch. Meanwhile, the team climbed
up and hugged each other. They waved the flags, gave several, probably “highest” TV interviews and took many pictures.
I even forgot how to get back for a short time.
Afterwards, everything had to go fast. Some members got increasingly sick in this crazy altitude. Hans and Hubertus urged them to climb down immediately. I decided to stay with Dieter and the rangers with the cars, whereas the rest of the crew took the way back to the glacier. Nobody had an idea at that time what else would happen.
I always say: Fear is my best friend whatever I do. It sharpens your senses and protects you from bad luck. I felt fear again…. tremendous fear.
First I tried to secure the way back of F2 and asked Dieter to get into the car. I gave orders from outside, but despite careful operations, we did not manage to secure the way back of F2. The car changed more and more in a sloping position. When we looked down, we saw 300m of boulders, snow, ice, no chance to turn on the edge. Shi…
Dieter got out of the car and we discussed the situation. After a little while it was obvious: there was just one possibility for us and the cars, namely to climb up. We had to try to reach the summit which was above us and turned there. From our point of view, the area looked large enough. Since Dieter’s Jeep® had skidded under my car in the meantime, he gave him a try and I did what he did.
We made the clutch jumping, full speed, gripped the steering wheel, hoped and fought, wanted to make it – we had to manage it!
Dieter with F2 drifted higher and higher, meter by meter, over 300m crossways to the slope. When I had reached Dieter’s parking position, I had told him to keep on driving. Afterwards, my F1 and I reached the highest point, possible for vehicles to drive up and ever to reach: a small plateau at the end of the summit of the Ojos del Salado, the world’s highest volcano.
An altitude of
6646 meters above sea level
Dieter followed me and reached the same altitude.

Unbelievable, tremendous, phenomenal.
Of course, everyone gave his best. Of course, we returned. Of course, it was extremely difficult. Of course, we have been completely exhausted. Of course.
Just one more thing: Standing at our wooden hut and looking at he Ojos in the evening, a thin layer of clouds occured at the altitude of the plateau and surrounded the volcano like a garland, like a royal crown.
Thanks.
The team will be back in Germany at 21st of March.

[PassRunnerZJ]

Congratulations!!! Damn fine job to you and the team.

6646 meters = 21804.4619 feet
For us States folks.

[Snowman]

Congradulations!!

Your deeds surpass anything words can say!



Fatti maschii parole femine!

[MC]

Das Original

[BlueGerbil]

Personal Statem from Matthias Jeschke to the Jeep High Altitude World Record 2007:

There are many men and women whom I look up to.
Men and women who have achieved something very special and for whom I feel great respect.

I honour their courage and esteem their achievements.

However, people do not become outstanding persons merely on the basis of their intellectual, physical or sporting achievements.

From people who would like to be heroes, or even declare themselves to be heroes, I expect something more – an attitude towards others which is marked by respect and common decency.

In the normal way I do not react to everything that gets said, because I have had experience enough in the past with envy. Things were no different in 2005, though in the meantime there has been a change in quality. In those days they tried to tell us that people in other parts of the world had driven cars up to 7,500 and 8,000 metres, but this year the methods used were very different.

For this reason I am allowing myself to contribute a few clear words to the current discussion towards the Suzuki-team:

If anyone compares the events leading up to the exciting world altitude record in 2007 with the “David versus Goliath” story and feels compelled to call himself David, this suggests either insecurity or plain contempt for a competitor. Goliath was a soldier who disparaged and ridiculed a whole people. David came forward to put an end to this mockery and rescue his people.

It is barefaced impertinence to describe us as Goliath. The Extrem Events / Jeep Wrangler world altitude record team was a cooperation based on close friendship between Chileans and Germans. This highly successful expedition was carried out with the full cooperation of our Chilean partners and friends.

I am especially angry because, only a few days after the Jeep record, the Chilean rangers who escorted our expedition were insulted most offensively by persons close to Suzuki team circles and abused as traitors – because they had given help to foreigners. This is absurd!

We cooperated very closely with the regional government, the Governor, the Regional Ministry of Tourism, the rangers and various Chilean companies.

Everything was agreed on together with the authorities, with the aim – over and above the record itself – of making a special film to create publicity for the product, also for Chile, the Atacama Desert region and, most especially, the volcanoes. It must be evident to one and all that we needed equipment and manpower for a project of this kind. It would be futile to discuss our budget – most of which was invested in Chile anyway – with people who have never been concerned to establish the facts.
An expedition has to take possible emergencies into account. Persons who venture into perilous terrains and expose themselves to hazards – without notifying the authorities and during a time when no rangers were present on the mountain – are acting irresponsibly towards the people who may have to go to their rescue later, and are also spoiling the public image of the region – all the more so when they use a vehicle for the purpose which had almost gone up in flames during the earlier attempt.

The signboard set up together by the rangers and ourselves was intended as a reminder of the splendid achievement of an international team which had ventured up to enormous heights. People who proudly adorn themselves with such trophies have lost what little respect I still had for them. It is a matter of honour not to misappropriate a witness of this kind.

The Jeep Wrangler world altitude record 2007 (6646 metres, confirmed by Guinness World Records with a certificate dated 26 April 2007) was carried out in strict compliance with the Guinness rules. There is no evidence that these rules were observed during the Suzuki expedition. A driver who follows in the team’s tracks with an off-roader converted to a rock crawler, without exhaust certification or vehicle licence, and then claims to have climbed 30 metres higher, has not set up a Guinness World Record. There are many different reasons for this. Although required by the current Guinness rules, no official or independent observers were present during the record journey of the Suzuki team; according to a statement from the regional and area administration of the Ojos del Salado, the journey had not been authorised; no permission had been granted to drive up the Ojos del Salado; no confirmation had been received from a representative of the Regional Government; the two mobile GPS appliances were not firmly secured to the vehicle and thus open to manipulation. And so on.

Sorry, lads, but that just isn’t on.

A final word:
We can now obviously expect a reaction from Gonzalo B. G. and the team. Both of them will let their egos off the leash and serve up a variety of stories and statements. But there will be no more reaction from me. The facts are clear enough.

Yours,
Matthias Jeschke
Extrem Events

[jsteves]

It will be a frigid day in hell before a kia sorrento makes that trip.

CONGRATS to the entire team!

[bone11b]

Definitely an awesome achievement!!
CONRATS to everyone who took part in it!

[redzjon31's]

Looks like a fun job to me as well