It is always great to see mountaineering and exploration get some mainstream press in this day and age. In this case, it comes from the television show CBS This Morning, which recently shared video footage from an expedition that we covered way back in December in which Alex Honnold, Cedar Wright, Conrad Anker, and a host of other great climbers traveled to the Antarctic to take on a group of challenging peaks. Those three men were on set to talk about their adventure and you can watch the interview in the video below.
Showing posts with label Antarctica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Antarctica. Show all posts
Antarctica 2017: Ben Saunders Reaches South Pole, Halts Expedition
Perhaps the biggest news from the past couple of weeks is that British polar explorer Ben Saunders reached the South Pole on December 29, marking a major milestone on his attempt to ski solo across the continent. But, what was to have been just a temporary stopping point turned into the finish line for Saunders, who decided to pull the plug on his expedition at 90ºS.
When he reached the Pole, Ben issued a statement explaining why he decided to end his attempt to make a solo traverse of the Antarctic and basically it came down to simple logistics. He said that when he arrived at the South Pole he felt good, although a bit more physically and mentally drained than he had expected. But, the real challenge was that he had used up more food and supplies than he had planned for just getting to that point. That left him with a narrow margin for error on his return trip to the coast and that was a risk he simply wasn't willing to take. So, it was with a heavy heart that he announced the end of the journey.
Remember, Saunders was following the same route as his friend Henry Worsley, who attempted a solo traverse a couple of years back. Worsley pushed himself to the absolute limit and came up a bit short on his return journey, having to be evacuated some 30 miles from the finish line. He would later die from exhaustion and a number of ailments that he picked up on his journey. Ben no doubt remembers his well and decided to make the prudent – but tough – decision to call it quits.
As I write this, Ben has already departed Antarctica and his making his way home. A flight back to Punta Arenas, Chile allowed him to exit the continent yesterday. He is no doubt now looking forward to returning to the U.K. to visit friends and family, and take a well deserved rest.
Ben isn't the only Antarctic explorer who reached the South Pole while we were away. Antarctic Ghurka Scott Sears also arrived at 90ºS, reaching the point on the globe the day after Christmas. He completed the standard crossing from Hercules Inlet to the Pole in roughly 38 days, which is a solid pace along that tough route. He caught a flight off the frozen continent back on December 29, and expected to be back in London in time for New Years.
I'll post updates on the other ongoing Antarctic expeditions in the next few days as there are still plenty of others who are making their way towards their final goals. The Antarctic expedition season typically runs through the end of January, so we should have some interesting news yet to come.
The Antarctic Mapping Challenge
Barney Swan, Martin Barnett and Kyle O’Donoghue are currently undertaking a grueling 600-mile, 60-day trek to the South Pole. You can follow their progress on an interactive map. The South Pole Energy Challenge map shows the progress made so far and also features video updates and photos taken on this epic 600-mile journey.
The interactive map of the trek features aerial imagery of
Antarctica 2017: Ice Maidens at the South Pole, Others Soldier On
It was the Ice Maidens who marked their arrival at 90ºS on December 17, arriving 26 days after they set out on their 1700 km (1056 miles) expedition to traverse the frozen continent. They planned to spend a full day resting at the Amundsen-Scott Base located at the Pole before they continued on their way.
This milestone is a major one of course, and no doubt brought plenty of encouragement to the six ladies who have undertaken this historic journey across Antarctica. But the South Pole is only 577 km (358 miles) into their crossing, so they still have a very long way to go. They've also faced grueling conditions along the way, with -50ºC/-58ºF temperatures, high winds, and whiteout. Additionally, several of the women are also suffering from polar thigh, a condition that results from over exposure to the cold, giving rise to painful bumps and blisters.
Still, the members of the team are ready to continue on and should have hit the trail again today. They resupplied at the Pole and will pick up another supply cache en route to their finish line. They are racing the clock somewhat, as the final flight out of Antarctica is expected on January 30 and since they had a two week delay to their start due to weather, there is little cushion remaining in their schedule. We'll keep you posted on the team's progress.
Elsewhere, the Antarctic Ghurka Scott Sears continues to make solid progress and now hopes to arrive at the South Pole in time for Christmas Dinner next week. He's now been out on the ice for a month, and is routinely knocking off about 30 km (18.6 miles) per day. A few days back he wandered into a massive sastrugi zone that has made it tough going, but once he clear that and passes the 88th degree, it should be clear sailing to 90ºS. The zone between the 87th and 88th parallels is well known for being extremely difficult thanks to its surface conditions, but Scott should clear that area in another day or two and start picking up steam again.
Other teams are chipping away at their respective routes as well. Rob and Barney Swan are now 300 nautical miles (345 miles/555 km) from the South Pole, while Ben Saunders now faces 532 miles (856 km) until he reaches his exit point. The Spectre team is on their return trip now and has a brutal 1367 km (849 miles) to go before they're done. That said, with some help from the wind and their kites, they may be able to cover that distance pretty quickly.
Stay tuned for more updates from the frozen continent.
June 23, 2010
Antarctica Set Aside for Science – 1961
On this date in 1961, an international treaty was signed that established Antarctica as a region for peaceful scientific use and outlawed any military use of the continent.
Quick Quiz
1. Antarctica has an area of approximately 5,500,000 square miles. This is ____.
a. 5 times the size of the U.S.
b. half the size of the U.S.
c. one and a half times the size of the U.S.
2. Antarctica is _____.a. connected to South America
b. surrounded by water
3. Ice and snow cover _____.
a. 20% of Antarctica
b. 99% of Antarcticac. 75% of Antarctica
ANSWERS: 1.c – 2.b – 3.b
I am busy making every day special by taking a trip through California, Oregon, and Washington.
The daily posts will be minimal during my trip. Happy summer to everyone in the Northern Hemisphere!