Mt. Ashley, the highest peak in northwestern South Georgia, has been climbed for the first time on record by Caradoc "Crag" Jones of Wales and Skip Novak, an American citizen living in South Africa.

The 1145-meter peak is relatively accessible from the coast but had received little attention previously, as it lies outside the Allardyce and Salvesen ranges.

In late October the pair, perennial visitors to the island over the last two decades, returned once more aboard Novak's yacht, Pelagic Australis.

The ascent, from base camp, took nine hours. Six hours of descent through thick mist and snow—the pair needed their GPS to find the col and their skis—brought them back to the Pelagic Australis.

• Full report with photographs: Alpinist.com