Antarctica 2017: Spectre Team Finding Tough Going on the Frozen Continent

I wrote about the Spectre Expedition to Antarctica a few weeks back, just as the squad was preparing to get underway in the Antarctic. At the time, the team of Leo Houlding, Jean Burgun, and Mark Sedon were just finishing up their prep work in Punta Arenas and were getting set to fly out to Union Glacier. Since then, they have actually embarked on the journey and are now en route to their ultimate goal, the Gothic Mountains, where they hope to complete several climbs, including the second ascent of the Spectre, a 2020 meter (6630 ft) rock tower that presents a serious technical challenge.

The trio of climbers are actually using kites to ski across the Antarctic landscape, and so far they have met with moderate success. All told, they'll need to cover some 2000 km (1242 miles) to complete the expedition as planned, which includes nearly 70 days of travel, 20 of which will be spent in the mountains where they expect to climb without fixed ropes, bolts, or drilling of any kind.

As with most antarctic teams, the Spectre squad found it challenging to get started, but are starting to find a rhythm out on the ice. The winds haven't been all that cooperative thus far however, so they aren't skiing the larger distances that they would like. Currently, they are tent bound with poor conditions, but over the past few days they've covered as little as 10 km (6.2 miles) and as much as 42 km (26 miles), which doesn't sound all that bad by antarctic ski standards, but is't much at all when you're relying on kites to help you cover distances in excess of 100 km (62 miles) in a day.

The team had hoped to be at the Spectre by now, but they are still about 100 km shy of that goal, which means it could be a few more days before they set up Base Camp and begin surveying the rock spire. The original plan called for 10 days of travel to reach Gothic Mountains and begin the climb, but they actually thought they'd be there in 6 or 7 days total. Today is day 12, and they still haven't arrived at their destination.

The forecast does call for improved conditions starting today however, so they are hoping to make up some ground. Sitting in their tent the past few days hasn't helped their supply situation either, as they've begun eating into their food and fuel that was meant for use while on the wall. Hopefully they can overcome these early challenges and get to the Spectre within the next day or so. From there, they'll be able to start the challenging ascent of the South Spur of the mountain. A route that hasn't been taken before.

You can follow their progress on the team's official website, where they not only have live tracking but daily updates on their progress too.

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Video: Kite Skiing in Alaska

If you've read my updates on the progress of the explorers in Antarctica this season, you've no doubt seen a few mentions of kite skiers out on the ice. What is kite skiing actually? It is the use of a large kite to catch the wind, and pull you along across the snow and ice. If wind speeds are good, it can provide a lot of speed, allowing skiers to cover surprising distances in a short amount of time.

In this video we travel to another frozen landscape, as we follow skier Damien Leroy to Alaska where he does some kite-skiing of his own. In the two-minute clip you'll get a chance to see how kite-skiing works, and just how fast it can propel someone along. The results just might surprise you.

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Antarctica 2016: More Arrivals at the Pole

While the rest of us have been enjoying an extended holiday break, the skiers at the bottom of the world have been continuing their push towards various goals. The calendar may have now turned to 2017, but there are still several weeks left in the 2016 Antarctic season, and the explorers there are making the most of it.

As I mentioned in a previous post, Swedish solo-skier Johanna Davidsson arrived at the Pole on Christmas Eve, and in record time. Now, she's started her return journey back to Hercules Inlet by kite-ski. The winds haven't been all that favorable so far, so she has had to ski some days, but when they are blowing in her favor she's making good time. But, she admits she isn't rushing all that much and is enjoying "taking it easy" for the return trip. Going back to Hercules is usually easier and faster since much of it is down hill. Plus, when the winds are blowing it is possible to cover further distances. For instance, yesterday she managed to knock off 73 km (45.3 miles), which is equal to about 2-3 days of skiing towards the Pole.

Meanwhile, the Six-man British Military squad that we've been following all season reached the South Pole back on Christmas Day, and while they enjoyed a little down time there, they've already set off on the next leg of their expedition too. Now, they're looking to traverse the Shackleton Glacier on their return trip to the coast as well. They are currently traversing the tough Titan Dome, where conditions are very challenging, including -36ºC (-32.8ºF) temperatures. The team is tired, but in good sports and health, so they are pressing onwards.

Finnish skier Risto Hallikainen arrived at the South Pole over the holiday break as well, and has already launched his return journey to Hercules too. On his way to 90ºS he left behind a series of supply depots to help lighten his load, and give himself plenty of food and fuel for the return trip, which ExWeb says must be completed by January 27, which is when ALE will fly the last plane off th continent. The first supply depot will be picked up when Risto reaches 88ºS.

ExWeb reports that A four-person team guided by Ryan Waters, who was joined by Katrina Follows, Paul Adams, and Scott Kress arrived at the South Pole on December 30. The group has already flown back to the Union Glacier camp and are likely off the continent and on their way home.

Emma Kelty crossed the last degree on her way to the South Pole on New Year's Day. She hopes to arrive at 90ºS tomorrow or Wednesday, and after a brief stop will turn around and begin her attempt ski back to Hercules as well, time permitting. If she hopes to complete that journey, she'll need to pick up the pace however, as time is starting to become short. She's also hampered by a bad cough and deep, soft snow which is making it more difficult to make progress. Still, spirits are good and she is determined as ever.

Mike Horn is in the midst of his Antarctic Traverse by kite-ski, and while the winds have turned in his favor, it hasn't been an easy expedition so far. Yesterday alone he covered 160 km (99.4 miles), but it was over a hard surface covered in sastrugi that jarred his body at every turn. As a result, when he made camp he was exhausted and beat up, with 510 km (316 miles) to go to the Pole, which will only be the midway point as he makes his way to the other side of the continent. A few days back, it looked like the entire expedition was in jeopardy when Mike stopped for the night and discovered he had lost his cooking pot, which was custom made to integrate with his stove. He also lost several utensils, but the difficult part was how he would melt snow for water. Fortunately, he was able to jury-rig a system using his existing gear, and can continue to press on, but he was dangerously close to having to pull the plug altogether.

Canadian Sébastien Lapierre is closing in on the Pole, slowly but surely. He has now crossed over the 88th degree, and should arrive at the research station located there sometime next week. He has cleared the notorious sastrugi field in the 87th degree and is making better time now.

Finally, it should be noted that a new South Pole marker has been put in place at 90ºS. The old marker moves with the ice and had begun to drift way from the true location of the Pole, so a new one is put in place from time to time. After you've skied hundreds of miles to reach that point on the map, you definitely want to know you're standing in the right place.

That's it for now. More updates as the teams and solo skiers continue to make progress. Still lots to report on this unfolding season.

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Video: The Evolution of Kite-Skiing

If you read my updates from Antarctica with any regularity, you've no doubt seen me mention kite-skiers on more than one occasion. These are explorers who use a large kite and the power of the wind to pull them along across the snow and ice, often at a fairly rapid pace. But, the practice isn't just confined to the frozen continent, as there are kite-skiers found all over the world. This video gives us an idea of how the sport has evolved over time, and why it has become popular with skiers. It is a beautifully shot, short documentary that will leave you impressed with the skills that these skiers possess, and wondering if you're ready to give it a try yourself.

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Antarctica 2015: Running Out of Time

Following the sad news of the passing of Henry Worsley yesterday, there are still two teams out on the ice in the Antarctic, struggling to reach their respective finish lines. But the clock is most definitely ticking as the season grinds to a halt later this week. The last flight out is scheduled for Thursday – weather permitting of course. But depending on conditions, that deadline could get extended, although once this weather window closes, it doesn't open again for 10 months.

At the Union Glacier camp the staff and crew are busy packing up and preparing to leave the Antarctic once again. It has been another long and challenging season as they support the teams out on the ice, and no doubt more than a few of them are feeling the loss of Henry. But they are also a very professional team, and they know that there is a job to do before they head home once again.

South Pole skier Emma Kelty is still trudging ahead, slowly but surely making her way towards her goal. She's running a bit behind schedule, and feeling the pinch of time slipping away, but is also doing her best to reach 90ºS before the season runs out. As of her most recent update, posted on Friday of last week, she still had two degrees to cover before she reaches her goal. That equates to 222 km (138 miles) which is an awful long way to cover with such little time left on the clock. Personally, I'm not sure how she gets it done before the deadline, but we'll watch closely and hope for the best.

At the end of last week she not only received a resupply, complete with all kinds of goodies to help get her to the finish line, but she is now skiing with a new guide too. Apparently her pervious guide – Carl Alvy – had to depart Antarctica, so a new guide – named Patchi – has stepped in to take his place. The duo are now pushing hard to reach the finish line, and we'll just have to wait to see if they make it.

Meanwhile, elsewhere Devon McDiarmid and Stew Edge arrived back at Union Glacier earlier today. You may recall, the two men skied to the South Pole along with Mostafa Salameh, and Shahrom Abdullah, reaching that point back on January 17. While their companions hopped a flight back home, Dev and Stew used kites to travel back to their starting point. Their final push was an 18-hour day that ended with their arrival at the ice camp, which means they managed to ski the full distance back in less than 9 days. That's pretty impressive to say the least. They'll now get a few days rest before flying out to Punta Arenas, Chile.

As you can see, the 2015 Antarctic season is quickly coming to an end. In another day or two things will be wrapping up for the season, with everyone heading home. Hopefully Emma gets a chance at reaching the South Pole. She's worked very hard to get there, but time is definitely no on her side.

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Antarctica 2015: Worsley Approaching 89th Degree, Others Pushing Ahead

It continues to be a busy season at the bottom of the world, where the Antarctic teams are making their way slowly but surely towards the South Pole. Fresh snow and cold temperatures are testing their resolve at the moment, but most are in good spirits despite the tough conditions.

We'll start with an update on Henry Worsley, who has now been out on the ice for 46 days. As you probably recall, the British polar explorer is attempting the first solo and unsupported traverse of the continent, and despite a few weather set backs at the start of the journey, he seems to be steaming along nicely right now. At the moment, he is camped just one mile shy of the 89th degree, which means he is about 60 nautical miles from the Pole. He had initially hoped to reach 90ºS by New Years Day, and that might still be possible provided surface conditions and the weather cooperate. Right now, Henry says that things are going about as well as can be expected, and the skiing is a bit easier. If that continues over the course of the next four days, he may still reach the bottom of the world in time to celebrate the start of 2016.

Elsewhere, American solo-skier Doug Tumminello got a surprise supply drop a few days back. A Twin Otter aircraft operated by ALE flew overhead to and tossed out a package that contained a new teapot. The one he was carrying with him developed a crack, making it difficult to heat water and melt snow, and while the situation was manageable, it could have become serious if he found himself tent-bound due to poor weather with no way to create drinking water. The downside of receiving the package is that now Doug's expedition goes from solo and unsupported to supported, which is a minor distinction in the record books, but still an important one. Because he received outside assistance, he now has to give up the "unsupported" designation.


Italian kite-skier Michele Pontrandolfo continues to struggle with finding strong winds to pull his kites. He hasn't reported in since before Christmas, but at that time was hoping to reach the 75º so that he could hopefully get moving at a faster rate. He has already abandoned his attempt to reach the Pole of Inaccessibility, and is instead hoping to get to the Geographic South Pole instead, but it has been slow going for sure. At this point, he still has a lot of ground to cover before the season ends in a month.

Carl Alvey and Emma Kelty continue to push towards the Pole. A few days back they crossed their third degree, and picked up their first supply drop on Christmas Eve. Judging from the posted updates, it feels like the days are a real grind for Emma at the moment, although she continues to trudge ahead despite newly fallen snow making things difficult. The soft snow makes it much harder to glide on the skis, and most of explorers would prefer a harder surface so that they can go much further and faster on any given day.

Finally, the team of Devon McDiarmid, Stew Edge, Mostafa Salameh, Shahrom Abdullah remain on the trailing edge of the South Pole teams. They were the last squad to start, and have now been out on the ice for three weeks. Mostafa reports that over that time period he has already lost several kilos, as it is almost impossible to consume enough calories to maintain your weight when skiing to the South Pole. The group struggled with finding their rhythm early on, but they seem to be doing great now and working well with one another.

That's all for today. The next report isn't likely to come until after the New Year, but hopefully we'll have news of our first arrival at the South Pole by then.

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Antarctica 2015: Sastrugi and Whiteouts Make for Tough Sledding

The skiers in the Antarctic continue to press on towards the South Pole, despite challenging surface and weather conditions. Most are preparing to celebrate the holidays out on the ice, as it has been a difficult season already, and they all have a long way to go before they reach their respective finish line. Here's a quick update on the proceedings.

Henry Worley has now crossed the 87th degree and has found himself in the middle of a massive sastrugi field. That's causing him to slow down some, but he's been making up for it by skiing a bit of extra time. On his 40th day out on the ice, he's feeling strong and confident however, which is about all you can ask for at this point of the journey. In his most recent dispatch, he reports that he is once again skiing in a whiteout, using just his GPS as a guide. Despite those challenges however, he continues to make good time, and still hopes to be at the South Pole for New Years. 

The team of Devon McDiarmid, Stew Edge, Mostafa Salameh, and Sharom Abdullah continue making progress towards the Pole as well. They're approaching the end of their second week on the ice, and seem to have started to get their rhythm at last. Yesterday they skied an impressive 27 km (16.2 km) in high winds, which bodes well for their reaching their finishing point in a timely fashion. They did have a rare encounter with a bird while out on the Antarctic expanse as well. It isn't often that any birds fly into the interior of the frozen continent, but the team spotted one nonetheless. At the moment, they're steaming towards their first supply cache as well, which will give them some extra food and fuel for the remainder of the journey. 

ExWeb is reporting ath Luke Robertson is having issues with his solar panels functioning properly, and as a result he is conserving power in his electronic devices. He is able to receive messages sent his way, but he is limiting the number that he is sending back out. As a result, we're not getting as much info on his progress. He is doing well however, and seems to be skiing with high spirits. 

American Doug Tumminello is steal dealing with foot blisters and soft snow, but is continuing to knock off solid distances. Yesterday he reported 20 nautical miles, which equates to about 37 km or 23 standard miles. He did have a scare when he thought he was starting to develop frostbite on his toes, but was able to warm them and avoid it, at least for now. He suspect wet socks may have contributed to numbness in his feet, and will work harder to ensure he dries his socks properly each night. 

Carl Alvy and Emma Kelty continue pressing forwards despite the fact that Emma has frostbite on her inner thighs. The pair received a medical supply drop a few days back to provide some relief for the condition, which is painful to say the least. The pair have been skiing nonstop for ten days now, without a rest, and their legs are feeling it. But they have a long way to go yet to reach the South Pole, so they have to focus on covering some distance, particularly since they are now trying to make up for some lost time in the early stages of the expedition. 

Finally, Italian kite-skier Michele Pontrandolfo has finally found some wind, and as a result he has started to make up for some lost time too. Surface conditions are still challenging, and because he struggled early on he'll now avoid going to the South Pole of Inaccessibility, but will focus on reaching the Geographic South Pole instead. But, he's happy to finally be making forward progress after such a difficult start. 

That's all for now. More to come soon. 

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Antarctica 2014: Newall Hunter at The South Pole!

The Antarctic expedition season is starting to draw to close, with just a few more weeks to go before it wraps up for another year. While it hasn't been quite as active on the frozen continent has it has been in recent years, there have still been some tremendous efforts put forth by the skiers heading to the South Pole, and elsewhere. While most of us enjoyed the arrival of the New Year with friends and family, the explorers in the Antarctic have continued to press ahead towards their goals. That includes one skier completing his journey at last, while others are starting to draw near as well. 

Yesterday, solo-skier Newall Hunter arrived at the South Pole after spending 40 days out on the ice. He wrapped up his journey at approximately 3:30 AM local time, which mean he reached 90ºS only to find the entire research station there asleep. Fortunately one of the liaison officers noticed his arrival, and actually went out into the cold to meet him and snap a few photos. Newall than went inside where he found some cookies, a Coke, and a comfortable chair waiting for him. It was the first time he had sat down on a piece of furniture since he set out on his journey. He now plans to fly back to Union Glacier later today, and then wait for a flight to Punta Arenas, Chile before heading home. 

Congratulations to Newall on a job well done. He managed to ski from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole in just 40 days. That's a solid effort to say the least.

Meanwhile, Ian Evans reports that his team is nearing the end of their journey as well. As of Friday, when he made his last dispatch, the squad was a mere 49 miles (79 km) from the Pole, which means they could arrive as early as today. That arrival won't come soon enough, as Ian has indicated that the expedition has taken its toll, and he is feeling physically worn down from the challenges of skiing for hundreds of kilometers across the harsh, unforgiving landscape that is the Antarctic. 

Elsewhere, kite-skier Frédérick Dion is on the final approach to Hercules Inlet, and is picking up speed in the process. In his most recent dispatch, Fréd reports that he covered 190 km (118 miles) in a single day, which left him just 410 km (254 miles) to go before he is done. That report came last Friday, which means if the winds held over the weekend, he could very well be back on the coast today or tomorrow. Hercules Inlet will mark the end of a remarkable journey for the Canadian, who began by first traveling to the Pole of Inaccessibility from the Russian Novo Station, then proceeding on to the Geographic South Pole, before heading back to the coast at Hercules. It will certainly have been quite a whirlwind tour of the Antarctic. 

Fellow kite-skier Faysal Hanneche is finding the winds blowing more favorably for him in recent days as well. After struggling through the early stages of the journey, he is now picking up speed greatly. In his latest dispatch he indicates that he covered 125 km (77 miles) in single day, which is a massive increase over what he has been doing previously. With the clock ticking on the Antarctic season, he needs to continue to capture these winds, as he still has quite a long way to go before he is done. He has however, passed the point of receiving assistance from his logistics company operating out of Novo. That means that if he reaches the South Pole, he'll have done so unassisted, something that he can be greatly proud of. 

Finally, the trio of Are Johnson and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel are now 52 days into their expedition and are on the return trip from the South Pole back to the coast. Today they picked up their second re-supply, and enjoyed some fine snacks and treats as a result. The return journey is going much better as they are now heading down hill. As a result, they skied 41 km (25 miles) today, and are feeling very strong and in good spirits. 

That's all from the Antarctic today. More updates soon. 

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Antarctica 2014: Skier Evacuated From the Ice

I'll be making just a few posts today as we head into a long post-holiday weekend. But there are a few stories that I want to share none the less, including some updates from Antarctica where one skier has called for an evacuation. 

ExWeb is reporting that Swiss skier Vincent Piguot, who is traveling to the South Pole with a guided team, has asked to be picked up from the ice. Vincent is part of a group that includes guide Robert Smith, and teammates Paula Reid, Arabella Slinger, and Julian Thomas. According to the report, Vincent isn't in an emergency situation, he simply can't take the grind that comes along with skiing for miles across the frozen landscapes of the Antarctic day in and day out. The team has stopped for a few days to wait for a plane to come pick him up, while the rest of the group will continue on towards 90ºS. 

Elsewhere, Frédérick Dion continues his journey to Hercules Inlet. After visiting both the Pole of Inaccessibility and the Geographic South Pole, he now heading towards the coast, where he will complete his traverse of the Antarctic continent which began at the Russian Novo Station. A few days ago he managed to knock off 143 km (88 miles) in a single day, and as of his last update, he had about 607 km (377 miles) yet to go. Yesterday he enjoyed the New Year with a rest, but he should be back on the trail today. 

Fellow kite-skier Faysal Henneche continues to struggle to catch the wind however, although he has now elected to try a different strategy. Faysal is attempted to use longer ropes on his kite, with the hope that it will allow him to float the sail a bit higher, and pick up some breezes that have eluded him so far. This brings some risks with it, but at this point of the expedition he is more concerned with making progress. As of his most recent dispatch, Faysal should have crossed the 80th degree by now, which means he still has 10 degrees to go before he is done. That is still a long way to travel, and the days of the Antarctic season are starting to run short. 

That's all for today. Next week I'll get back to a regular posting schedule, and share updates on more of the skiers in the Antarctic. 

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Antarctica 2014: Frédérick on the Home Stretch, Others Press Forward

It has been another busy couple of days in the Antarctic, where the teams of skiers continue to press on towards their goal despite difficult and trying circumstances. The South Pole has now seen several visitors this season, but others are still heading towards the bottom of the world as quickly as they can.

We already knew that the trio of Are Johnson, and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel had reached the South Pole in time to celebrate Christmas. They arrived at 90ºS on Christmas Eve, and after spending a day recharging their batteries, the team has already struck out on their return journey to the coast. They have an additional 1100 km (683 miles) to cover on their way back to where they started, so while they were happy to reach the Pole, it was only the halfway point of the expedition.

Since resuming their journey Are, Stéphanie, and Jérémie have encountered poor surface conditions, with lots of soft snow, which has made for tough going. Additionally, they received a resupply at the South Pole, so now their sleds are very heavy once again. That said, the return journey should be an easier and faster one, as they will be traveling down hill, and over ground that they are already familiar with. Still, they are feeling the physical demands of the expedition more than ever, and it is going to be a long, slow haul to get back to the coast.

Canadian kite-skier Frédérick Dion also reached the South Pole, arriving at that point on Christmas Day. It took him nine days to travel the more than 800 km (500 miles) from the Pole of Inaccessibility to 90ºS, and while he was happy to add another milestone to his journey, Fréd isn't quite finished yet. He has already started on his journey to Hercules Inlet along the coast, which will be his final destination for what has been a long and difficult journey. He hopes to wrap up the final leg of the expedition in just five days, which would put him at Hercules by tomorrow. The winds will need to be working in his favor for that to happen, but even if he doesn't nab that record, there are several others he has the potential to set, including the fastest traverse ever. We'll have to see what his final numbers will be, but it looks like he'll wrap up the expedition later this week.


Fellow kite-skier Faysal Hanneche continues to press on towards the South Pole as well, although he hasn't found the winds to be quite so helpful as Frédérick. It has been slow going for sure, and often he is reduced to skiing without the use of his kite. Faceless last dispatch came on December 24, a day during which he only covered 6 km (3.7 miles). Frustration and exhaustion seem to be his biggest challenges, and with a long way to go before he is done, it isn't clear yet whether or not he'll actually reach 90ºS. Hopefully the winds will turn beneficial once again, and he can start covering longer distances at last.

Solo skier Newall Hunter is closing in on the Pole, and should arrive there sometime within the next week. As of yesterday, he had just 150 km (93 miles) to go until the finish, and since he is covering approximately 25 km (15 miles) per day, that would put him at the Pole around January 3 or so. It won't be easy covering those final miles however, as he too reports soft snow, which is making it harder to pull the sled. Still, he is just 34 days into this journey, and making great progress. Reaching the end in about 40 days would be an impressive accomplishment for sure.

Ian Evans and his team crossed the 88th degree this past weekend, inching them ever closer to the South Pole. He reports that the 60 nautical miles (111 km) between the 87th and 88th degree were by far the toughest of the journey. Not only did they continue to climb up the Polar Plateau, but they encountered plenty of sastrugi along the way. These hard ridges of packed snow and ice are obstacles that must be overcome by the skiers, as they make progress incredibly difficult and slow. Still, they hope to reach the finish line in another week or so as well, provided everything continues on schedule.

That's all from the Antarctic for today. More updates coming later in the week.

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Antarctica 2014: Frédérick Turns Toward the South Pole

As we head into the weekend, the Antarctic explorers continue to press ahead as best they can. Nearly everyone who is out on the ice at the moment now has the same goal – the Geographic South Pole. But no one is particularly close to 90ºS just yet, although several are closing in rapidly.

We'll start with an update on Frédérick Dion, the Canadian kite-skier who just wrapped up his journey to the Pole of Inaccessibility. Fréd reached that point at the start of the week, and for a time it was unclear where he would go next. But with plenty of food and fuel, he has decided to ski to the Geographic South Pole as well. After suffering days without wind, he now finds that the breezes have turned in his favor, and as a result he's making great time once again. Today he knocked off 175 km (108 miles), which must seem incredible after he struggled for so long. That puts him 590 km (366 miles) from the South Pole, so just three days away if the winds hold. But that isn't likely to happen, so it may take a bit longer. Perhaps he will reach the Pole by Christmas. In the meantime, the explorer is said to be in in fantastic spirits and enjoying his time in the Antarctic, having found renewed vigor after finally reaching the POI. In fact, he is enjoying it so much, that he is even pondering skiing back to Hercules Inlet after he has reached the South Pole.

Elsewhere, Faysal Hanneche is also kiting to the South Pole, and finding the winds to be far more fickle at his location. He's managed 150 km (93 miles) for the entire week, and is now 1747 km (1085 miles) from his goal. That is still a long way to go, but he remains confident that he'll be able to cover that distance in good time. Having started at the Novo station, he is approximately halfway to his destination. Hopefully he'll get solid winds soon to help propel him along. For now, he is happy to e out of the whiteouts and enjoying some clear days for a change.

Newall Hunter is also enjoying some much improved weather and surface conditions, which are allowing him to pick up the pace some as well. Now on his 24th day out on the ice, he managed to cover 28km (17 miles) with clear skies and relatively calm winds, and smooth snow. This is in contrast to a few days ago, when he could barely see the tips of his skis as the whiteout enveloped him. Those days are long, difficult, and hard on the morale, but they are part of the process of skiing to the South Pole.


The team of Are Johnson, and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel, experienced their coldest day of the expedition thus far. It was -50ºC/-58ºF with the windchill, which is just down right cold even when you're wearing the proper gear. The trio has now reached the top of the polar plateau, and are mostly skiing on a flat surface now, but with a nasty headwind, it was slow going the entire day. They still managed to cover 28.5 km (17.7 miles). That puts them at about 136 km (84 miles) to the Pole, which would put them on pace to finish their expedition on Christmas Eve. We'll have to see if they make it by then, as that would be the best present possible. 

Finally, Dutch adventurer Manon Ossevoort (aka Tractor Girl) is now just 300 km (186 miles) from the end of her journey. You may recall that she and her team reached the South Pole a few days back by driving to that point in Massey Ferguson tractor. It was slow going getting to 90ºS, but the return trip has gone much more smoothly. They should reach the Novo station today or tomorrow, and begin preparations for heading home. If the weather holds, they may be back with their friends and family for the holidays. 

That's all for today. More updates next week as we should get our first skiers arriving at the South Pole at long last. 

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North Pole 2014: The North Pole Season is Over!

It has been a long, and difficult, season in the Arctic, where numerous teams attempted to reach the North Pole on foot once again this year. Of course, only one of those teams was successful, with Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters becoming the first to complete a full expedition to the top of the world in over four years. But now the season has come to an abrupt end, as the support squad at Kenn Borek Air have shut down operations in the Arctic for another year. This has forced several teams to cancel their expeditions early, sending them home without achieving the objectives they had originally set out for.

We'll start with an update on Eric and Ryan. After spending 53 days skiing to the North Pole, the boys were extracted from the ice about a day and half after their arrival. Poor weather delayed the flight sent to retrieve them, but not for long. It gave the two men a chance to rest in their tent at last, and from the sounds of things, it was a whirlwind couple of days flying back to Cape Discovery, then on to Resolute Bay, where they packed gear, and prepared to go home. That happened yesterday, and from the sounds of things, both men are happy to be back with friends and family, and getting some much deserved rest. For now, they are content. Eric promises a recap of their North Pole expedition soon, which should make for interesting reading.

Elsewhere, the Expedition Hope team, which consists of Arctic explorers Bernice Notenboom, Eric Phillips, and Marten Hartley, are amongst those who have seen their adventures come to an end thanks to Kenn Borek pulling the plug. Yesterday was the last day for flights, and the team wasn't sure they could complete their journey with the amount of fuel and food that they have left. So, with heavy hearts, they were forced to abandon their attempt to ski from the North Pole to Cape Discovery. They were closing in on the 84th latitude when the decision was made.


Norwegian solo-skier Bengt Rotmo was making the same journey, and he will now be picked up once the weather permits as well. His home team tells ExWeb that the decision by Kenn Borek Air was made after they surveyed the ice while picking up Eric and Ryan last week. That survey indicated that  it was becoming increasingly dangerous to attempt to land a plane on the frozen Arctic Ocean, and the company could no longer guarantee the safety of its clients should an emergency rescue need to take place. Yesterday, May 12, was set as the deadline for the final flights to retrieve the remaining explorers, weather permitting. They should all be picked up within a day or two.

Jumping across the Atlantic to Greenland, Dixie Dansercoer and Eric McNair-Landry have finally gotten the good weather they've been hoping for since the start of their expedition. They are attempting to circumnavigate the country by kite-ski, covering 5000 km (3100 miles) in the process. The expedition was expected to take 80 days to complete, but progress was greatly hampered for the first few weeks of the journey due to poor weather. Now, 34 days in, they have started to really pick up steam. Over the past few days, they've been able to over more than 150 km (93.2 miles) per day, which as you can guess, has left them elated. They're finally on the move, and the kites are proving effective. While they are still behind schedule, they are making up ground at the moment. Hopefully that will continue to be case.

I will continue to monitor the progress of the teams in Greenland, but the Arctic season is now over for another year. From the sounds of things, conditions up north are not good, and it'll be interesting to see how many teams can actually complete an expedition to the North Pole in the future. The latest climate reports don't paint a very rosy picture for things to come. Expeditions to our Poles are only going to continue to get more challenging.

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North Pole 2014: Across The 89th Degree!

We had another update from Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters yesterday, keeping us posted on their progress as they make their way toward the North Pole. It seems more and more likely that they will indeed succeed in their expedition, as the finish line is now in sight. They still have some miles to cross before they are through, but it appears as if they will become the first team in four years to actually reach the Pole, traveling the full distance on foot. 

The boys passed another important milestone yesterday be reaching the 89th degree. As I write this, they are just 67.3 miles (108.2 km) from the Pole. That should put them at roughly 4 days away from reaching the top of the world, which matches my previous prediction of them wrapping up their journey on Monday. It is important to note that they aren't quite finished yet however, and there is still a lot of tough ground to cover. But barring any unforeseen accidents, they should wrap things up early next week. I will, of course, keep you posted as they near the end of the expedition.

Meanwhile, ExWeb has heard from Yasu Ogita, who is now back in Japan and sharing his experiences from the ice. You may recall that the solo-skier was out on the ice for 42 days before he called for an evacuation. Yasu says that he is in fine condition. No issues with fatigue or frostbite, he simply ran out of time and didn't have enough supplies to keep pushing forward. He even indicated that he rationed his food when he encountered a storm day, during which he stayed tent-bound, not moving as intense blizzards raged around him. He had seven such days out of his 42 on the ice, and during those days he didn't eat any of his food in order to ensure he had plenty for the days he was on the move. Even still, that wasn't enough to allow him to reach the Pole. He simply encountered way to much rough ice, and was moving far slower than he had originally anticipated. 

The Expedition Hope team is back on track after receiving a resupply a few days back. Their sleds are heavy with food and fresh supplies once again, and they were successfully relocated to a new location on the ice in order to continue their journey south. This team began their adventure at the North Pole, and are on their way to Cape Discovery now, which is the exact opposite direction that Eric and Ryan took. As of this morning, the team is closing in on the 85th parallel, so they are making excellent progress towards their finish line as well. 

ExWeb reports that solo-skier Bengt Rotmo is making solid progress on his North Pole to Cape Discovery journey as well. After leading two separate clients across the last degree to the North Pole, he is now taking the time to enjoy a little adventure of his own. He is closing in on 89ºN, and by all accounts is feeling good and moving well. 

Over in Greenland, Dixie Dansercoer and Eric McNair-Landry are trying to remain upbeat, even though they continue to be battered by storms. They have once again spent the better part of the last three days in their tent, while they wait out the 4th or 5th (they say they've lost track!) storm to hit their area. The forecast says conditions should improve in the next few days, so they are hopeful that they can finally start to cover some decent mileage. So far, their progress has been greatly hampered by the conditions, and after 23 days on the ice, they have yet to find their groove. Originally, this 5000 km (3106 mile) expedition to circumnavigate Greenland was expected to take rough 80 days to complete. Whether or not they can still mange to finish in that timeframe remains to be seen.

More news from the Arctic as it becomes available. 

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North Pole 2014: Resupply and Relocation

With the clocking ticking on the 2014 Arctic season, there is still quite a bit to report from up north. While we're down to one team making its way to the North Pole, there are several heading in the opposite direction, or chasing other objectives in the Arctic at the moment. The conditions remain very difficult of course, but the potential remains for the completion of the first successful North Pole expedition in the past four years.

Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters continue to press ahead with their attempt to reach 90ºN. With time starting to become a precious commodity, they've now added an additional 2.5 hours of skiing to their day. After being out on the ice for 45 days, they still have 140 miles (225 km) to go, with approximately 10 days worth of food and fuel left. Simple math says they need to cover 14 miles (22.5 km) per day to reach the Pole. Preferably, they'd want to have a little extra time in there, just in case.

Fortunately, things seem to be improving for the duo. They have had better ice, and the leads that they have encountered have been frozen over as well. That has allowed them to pick up the pace some, hitting 17 nautical miles (31.4 km) in a single day. They have also passed the 87th parallel, which is a major milestone too. As they near the Pole, conditions should continue to stabilize, helping to increase their speed further. If everything comes together as it should, they have a legitimate chance of completing their expedition.

Japanese solo-skier Yasu Ogita was successfully retrieved from the ice last Wednesday. He had been traveling north for 48 days, but poor weather and ice conditions prevented him from covering the ground that he needed to in order to reach the Pole. He was tent bound on several occasions due to weather, and simple ran out of time. With food and fuel running low, he called for an extraction, and he is now back in Resolute Bay, waiting to go home.




The Expedition Hope team received a resupply over the weekend to help them on their expedition. The trio of skiers that includes Eric Phillips, Bernice Notenboom, and Martin Hartley, are traveling from the North Pole back to Cape Discovery, and have had their fair share of difficulty along the way as well. Bad weather has plagued the team as well, and negative drift has sent them further east than they had intended, so they were also planning to be relocated closer to their original course. With the resupply and relocation out of the way, they hope to get back to traveling south this week.

Over in Greenland, Eric McNair-Landry and Dixie Dansercoer continue to struggle for every mile. They are now nearly three weeks into their attempt to circumnavigate the country by kite-ski, and the weather has been almost completely uncooperative. They had hoped to use their kites to cover large distances in a single day, so far they've had few opportunities to kite at all. So, instead they ski along as best they can, covering 15-18 km (8-10 miles) per day, while dreaming of eventually picking up speed. They're going to need to if they want to finish this journey. The 5000 km (3100 mile), 80 day expedition won't be an easy one, and they are already well behind schedule for what they had harped to accomplish.

That's all for now. I'll post more updates as it is warranted. With Eric and Ryan inching closer to the Pole, we'll have to keep a close eye on their progress. If they do manage to complete the journey, it'll be one of the more impressive accomplishments in polar exploration in recent memory.

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North Pole 2014: Barneo Closes For The Season

Just a few quick updates from the Arctic to get things started this morning. First off, the Barneo Ice Camp officially closed on Tuesday, as the final travelers and researchers were picked up from the ice and began their long journeys back home. The temporary camp, set up annually a degree off the Pole, served its purpose well this season, allowing numerous adventurers to come and go from the Russian side of the ice. A new camp will be built next spring to continue support efforts in the Arctic once again.

One of the final people to leave the North Pole this season was Norwegian explorer and polar guide Bengt Rotmo. He'll now ski south on the Canadian side of the planet, making his way towards Cape Discovery on Ellesmere Island. He began his journey on Monday, and will spend the better part of the next 6-8 weeks in the Arctic.

He'll be heading in the same direction as the Expedition Hope team, who have a few weeks head start, and are making good time, but have had to battle very poor weather at times. Starting at the North Pole is easier than ending there, but skiing to Canada is still a big challenge.

There hasn't been any word yet on whether or not Yasu Ogita has been retrieved from the ice. The solo-skier had called for extraction last weekend, but poor weather left him tend bound while he waited for a flight to come pick him up. That flight may have happened yesterday, but we're still waiting on confirmation. After 45 days on the ice, it was clear that he wouldn't have enough food nor fuel to reach the Pole, so the veteran polar explorer was forced to abandon his expedition once again.


Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters don't appear to have any plans on pulling the plug on their North Pole expedition, and they are slowly but surely inching closer to the Pole. Today marks their 40th day out on the ice, and they will pull within 200 miles (321 km) of the goal. They are carrying enough supplies for about 15 more days in the Arctic, but considering they are still facing extremely poor conditions, the success of their expedition is still up in the air. They are covering longer distances at last, but with just over two weeks to go, they'll still have to average approximately 13.3 miles (21 km) per day. Coincidentally enough, that is exactly how far they travelled yesterday.

Finally, over in Greenland, Dixie Dansercoer and Eric McNair-Landry  are now two weeks into their attempt to circumnavigate the country by kite-ski. The weather hasn't been particularly cooperative so far, as a result, they aren't covering the miles that they would like to at this point of the journey. They are remaining patient however, and hope to make up for lost time as conditions improve. They have been tent-bound for the past few days while they wait out a storm, but are anxious to get back on track. Considering this is a 5000 km (3106 mile) journey, that could last up to 80 days, they still have time to make up ground. But they are also aware that the clock is ticking, and they need to get moving soon.

That's all for today. More updates to come soon.

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North Pole 2014: Bad Weather And Negative Drift

While any expedition to the North Pole is fraught with challenges, the past few days have been especially trying for the teams heading to the top of the world. Bad weather kept them tent bound for longer than they would have liked, and that resulted in negative drift pushing them in the wrong direction. It can be frustrating to run the polar treadmill, but sometimes that is the task at hand. Still, they are picking up speed and making solid progress. The question now is whether or not there is enough time still on the clock for them to complete their journeys.

A few days back, Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters were praying for some wind to help harden the newly fallen snow. The fresh powder was making it hard for them to pick up speed, and they found themselves working very hard to gain traction. The winds arrived with a vengeance however, blowing in at around 45 mph (72 km/h). At that speed, it is tough to just stand up on skis, let alone push forward. At one point, they covered just 100 meters in an hour of travel, which should give you an indication of just how trying the conditions actually were. Things have improved somewhat since then, and Ryan and Eric have managed to hit their best distance yet, covering 11.5 nautical miles (21.3 km).

Unfortunately, negative drift has begun to impact the expedition, due in no small part to the winds. One night while they slept in their tent, they drifted 5 miles (8 km) to the north-northeast, which is not the direction they want to be moving. They'll have to make up that distance on their way to the Pole, and I'm sure they are happy that they weren't drifting south. For those who don't know about negative drift, it is the phenomenon in which polar ice, floating on the Arctic Ocean, moves due to currents and the wind. Generally it is away from the North Pole, which can cause explorers to lose ground while they rest. It is not uncommon for instance, for skiers to cover 10 miles in a day, only to lose 3 or 4 miles while sleeping at night. The further north they travel, the more stable the ice gets however, so hopefully it'll be non-factor in the days ahead.


Eric and Ryan crossed 85ºN last week, and in the process they came across the tracks of another polar explorer, Japanese solo-skier Yasu Ogita. According to ExWeb, Yasu continues to press forward on his own, and is in good physical condition, although the long days out on the ice have occasionally taken their toll on his spirits. To help lighten his load, Yasu has abandoned this kayak, which he had brought along to help cross open leads, but had little cause to use it over the course of his more than five weeks out on the ice. The hope was that he could pick up speed by dropping the excess weight, and so far that has proven to be true, as he is routinely hitting about 20 km (12.4 miles) per day. But negative drift has had an impact on his travels as well. While stuck in his tent during a blizzard, Yasu actually gave up 22 km (13.6 miles), while he waited to get underway once again.

The Expedition Hope team is traveling in the opposite direction of Ryan, Eric and Yasu. They began their journey at the North Pole and are skiing south to Cape Discovery in Canada. While that will be an easier route to take, it is still incredibly tough and demanding. The three-person squad consists of Eric Philips, Bernice Notenboom and  Martin Hartley, all polar veterans with past experience in the Arctic. They have experienced negative drift as well, causing them to veer substantially off their intended course, and giving up some mileage as they float to the northeast too. But so far, they are making solid progress, particularly now that the winds have died down some, and the blizzard has passed.

Jumping over to Greenland, where the weather improved just long enough for Dixie Dansercoer and Eric McNair-Landry to hop a flight out to the starting point of their attempt to circumnavigate that country by kite-ski. Since they got underway late last week, things have not exactly gone their way. A succession of storms have kept them tent bound for more days than they'd like, although when they have been able to use their kites, they've made solid progress. In five days they have managed to cover 206.9 km (128.5 miles), which will give you an indication of just how different it is to use a kite, versus just skiing on your own. Still, with more than 5000 km (3106 miles) to go on this expedition, they'd rather be skiing, than sitting in a tent waiting out the weather. Unfortunately, another bad storm was due to hit their region today, so they are likely back in the tent, waiting for things to improve.

That's all for today. I'll keep a close eye on these expeditions as they proceed. The teams heading to the North Pole are starting to run low on days, so it'll be very interesting to see if they can actually reach 90ºN before they call for extraction. It is going to be an incredibly tough challenge to do that.

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Antarctica 2013: Solid Progress For All Teams

The past few days have seen high winds sweep across the Antarctic continent, but that is to be expected this time of year. Despite conditions however, nearly all the teams are reporting solid progress on their various expeditions to the South Pole. It seems that most are now finding their groove and covering more milage, although few are anywhere close to finishing their journeys just yet. If things stay as they are however, it seems it could be a busy New Year at the bottom of the world.

It has been a few updates since we checked in with Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere, the two members of the Scott Expedition. Now, after nearly 55 days out on the ice, they are simply in a daily grind as they push on towards the South Pole. Daily distance have slowly started to creep upwards and they are steadily getting closer and closer to 90ºS, which in this case will be the halfway point of their expedition. As of this morning, they still had 1096 miles (1763 km) to go before they are done, but the incredibly hard work should be behind them now, although I doubt that is much consolation after nearly two months on the frozen continent.

Richard Parks continues to push ahead with his speed record attempt on the South Pole. He continues to take solid chunks of milage out of the distance and now, with ten days to go, it appears that he has a shot at achieving the record, although it is going to be tough. Now that he has hit his stride, he's been routinely traveling 43 km (26.7 miles) per day, and as of this morning he still had 454 km (282 miles) left to go. If he can manage to eek out a few extra miles each day, he should still have a chance of arriving ahead of the current record pace. It's going to be close, so we'll be watching intently over the next few days.


The Willis Resilience Team is marching ever closer to their goal. After conducting a environmental research survey by vehicle early on, and even stopping at the Pole during that stage of the expedition, teammates Parker Liautaud and Doug Stoup later started skiing to 90ºS as well. The ski portion of the trip began at the Leverett Glacier, which is about 640 km (397 miles) from the South Pole. Yesterday, the duo passed the 88th degree, so they are quickly closing in on the finish line. On their website, they make several mentions of breaking the speed record, although they aren't doing the full distance from Hercules Inlet, so it is doubtful that anyone will recognize their achievement as such.

Chris and Marty Fagan are making good progress on their ski expedition to the South Pole. The married couple has now passed the 84th degree and have been on the ice for a little over two weeks. So far their morale has remained high and they seem to be enjoying the challenge. Right now, they're covering about 9-9.5 miles (14-15 km) per day, which isn't going to set any speed records, but will get them to their goal before the season ends in January.

Daniel Burton continues to struggle with the terrain in the Antarctic and he is discovering why no one has ever ridden their bike to the South Pole before. Each day seems to be quite the struggle, with soft snow, high winds and continued steep climbs keeping him from really opening up the speeds and distance that he'd like. Still, he is showing a lot of grit and determination as he covers roughly 15 nautical miles (27.7 km) per day. He estimates that if he continues to hit that distance, he'll be able to make it to the Pole on the supplies that he has and in the time allotted.

Finally, kite skier Geoff Wilson's fortunes continue to be governed by the winds. When he has strong winds, he makes good time, each mile bringing him closer to the Pole. When the winds are quiet, he has a rough day out on the ice, making very little progress. Yesterday was just such a day, although things improved some today. He now sits just shy of the 86th parallel, but he's really had to earn the miles. While being pulled along by his kite today, his skis caught on the ice, sending him sprawling onto the ground. The high winds continued to drag him along the surface while he struggled to get to his feet. As a result, he has shredded his mittens and some of his other gear, but fortunately he didn't lose anything, including food.

That's Antarctica for you. Nothing is ever easy. More to come soon.

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Antarctica 2013: Success At The South Pole, Tough Going Elsewhere

It was another busy, active weekend in Antarctica, where the teams are now in the stage where each day is a real grind. Progress for most has been slow and steady, with few real milestones reached. The South Pole still feels like a distant place for most of the skiers, although each day brings them a bit closer. With days out on the ice still ahead of them, it seems that only the weather changes at the moment, and usually not for the better.

The big news coming out of the weekend is that the South Pole Allied Challenge team completed its journey to the South Pole on Friday. The group that included soldiers wounded in the line of duty from the U.K., the U.S. and other Commonwealth countries skied three degrees to the Pole, spending about three weeks out on the ice to do so. They were relieved and happy upon reaching their destination, and now they have made their way back to Novo Station before catching a flight to Cape Town and eventually back home. Amongst the skiers were Prince Harry of the British Royal Family, as well as actors Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) and Dominic West (The Wire). The expedition was undertaken with support from the Walking With The Wounded organization, which helps servicemen and women injured in the line of duty to get back to their lives. Congratulations to the entire team.

Elsewhere, Richard Parks is now 11 days into his attempt at the speed record for skiing to South Pole from Hercules Inlet. He has now started to cover 40 km (24.8 miles) per day, which is an excellent pace, but probably not fast enough to break the record. He is hoping to cover the 1125+ km (700+ miles) distance in just 23 days, but with 12 to go, he still has approximately 775.3 km (483 miles) Left to cover. That means he needs to be hitting 64.5 km (40 miles) per day for the rest of the tip. That's an awfully big increase when surface conditions aren't cooperating. Soft snow has continued to make progress a challenge and will likely do so for most of the rest of the journey.


South Pole cyclist Daniel Burton is having his share of issues with the weather. The past few days have been whiteout conditions for him, which has made progress incredibly slow. Last week he estimated that if he could continue to hit 15 miles (24.1 km) per day, he could make it to the Pole with the supplies at his disposal. Yesterday he only managed about half of that, which means he'll have to make up the difference a some point. Hopefully this isn't a trend that will continue, as he would like to become the first person to ride all the way to 90ºS. Right now, that looks like an uphill battle to say the least.

Kite skier Geoff Wilson reached the 85th degree earlier today and now has just 545 km (338 miles) to go before he reaches the Pole. If the winds stay in his favor, he should have no problem reaching that point before his projected goal of Christmas Day. He is certainly starting to feel the rigors of the expedition however, as his legs have become increasingly weary from traveling over the rough surface. He has also overcome a possible food shortage by simply putting in more mileage. If he covers the final distance the Pole more quickly, he won't have to worry about his food situation as much.

Finally, 16-year old Lewis Clarke and his guide Carl Alvy have hit their first patch of bad weather. They had whiteout conditions as well yesterday and it made for very tough going. Without the contrast of the sun to help show them the way, it was hard to stay on course and make progress. Without a horizon to help focus them, it can become incredibly disorienting, leaving them hopelessly lost. With that in mind, they only skied for five hours yesterday, returning to the safety and shelter of their tent. Hopefully conditions will improve once again today, as the boys have been making good progress so far and are on course to have Lewis become the youngest person to ski to the South Pole ever.

That's it for a busy Monday. More to come throughout the week I'm sure.

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Antarctica 2013: South Pole In Sight For Allied Challenge Team

It has been a busy week at the bottom of the world. The South Pole skiers have been putting in a lot of time and effort on their way to the finish line, and for most of them that point is still quite a long way off. But for one team, the end is now in sight and they should reach 90ºS later today.

The first ski team to arrive at the Pole this year will be the South Pole Allied Challenge squad. You may recall that this team actually started as three individual units that were racing the final three degrees to the South Pole, but that race was suspended over concerns of safety. At that time, all the teams merged into one and continued on together. Now those efforts will pay off, as the combined squad will arrive at the South Pole today. This team includes Prince Harry, as well as actors Dominic West and Alexander Skarsgård, who are the celebrity patrons of the expedition.

Elsewhere, Richard Parks continues his efforts to break the speed record for skiing to the South Pole from Hercules Inlet. He has definitely started to hit his stride and is knocking off more distances as he goes, but he still faces quite an uphill battle. Yesterday he covered 40.6 km (25 miles), which leaves him with an estimated  897.4 km (559 miles) to go. The sobering truth is that that means he'll need to average 59.8 km (37.1 miles) per day for the next 15 days in order to achieve his goal. While he continues to increase his speed and distance, that seems like a herculean task over the days ahead.


Aussie Geoff Wilson is back on the trail and speeding towards the South Pole. He is kite skiing to 90ºS and has some momentum behind him now. At the moment he's heading towards a Russian research station, where he'll drop off some gear and say hello to the people living and working there. He is now under 900 km (560 miles) to the Pole and he is hoping the winds will help him get there by Christmas Day. That seems achievable, provided the weather cooperates – something that hasn't happened much so far this season.

Daniel Burton achieved a milestone yesterday on his attempt to ride his bike to the South Pole. He managed to cross the 81st latitude, which means he has crossed his first degree. He's also hitting a solid 15.1 miles (24.3 km) per day, which should allow him to complete one degree every four days. If he can stick to that schedule, he feels like he can finish the expedition. He ask feels that even though he has only crossed one degree, the worst is behind him. He's no longer struggling up hill and the largest crevasse field is now behind him, which should help him to pick up the pace in the days ahead.

The Scott Expedition has finally reached the top of the Antarctic Plateau, after nearly 50 days out on the ice. That means that the terrain has leveled out and moving takes less effort, but the temperatures have gotten colder as they are now at 2652 meters (8700 ft) in altitude. The boys are quite tired, but they continue to move ahead. I suspect from now on they'll cover more distance and pick up their pace. After dropping another supply depot a few days back, their sleds are the lightest they have been since the start of the expedition. Ben and Tarka still have 1182 miles (1902 km) to go before they are done – remember they're going to the Pole and back to their starting point – so there is a lot of distance to travel, but they'll be heartened by the fact that they long climb is now behind them.

Finally, 16-year old Lewis Clarke is starting to pick up speed in his attempt to become the youngest person to ski to the South Pole. He now has just over 600 miles (965 km) to go but he seems to be finding his groove and covering increasingly longer distances each day. He is still days away from reaching the Pole, but he is doing all the things he needs to do in order to be successful.

There will be more news from the Antarctic next week and soon we'll see climbers on Vinson as well.  Stay tuned for more very soon.

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Antarctica 2013: The Coldest Place On Earth

For the Antarctic explorers that we've been following over the past few weeks, yesterday was mostly just another day out on the ice. Most are making slow, but steady progress towards the South Pole, but the frozen continent isn't being particularly hospitable. High winds, cold temperatures and whiteout conditions are all part of the norm there, and at times all of those things conspire to make for tough going. The skiers have now entered "the grind" where they're simply in a monotonous routine that they'll just have to stick with until the very end.

It is important to note that it is currently spring in Antarctica (summer begins 10 days) and this is the time of the year when the weather is at its best. This was underscored earlier in the week when it was announced that researchers have located the coldest place on the planet and it is in Antarctica. The exact location is known as the Valkyrie Dome, which is found in East Antarctica. Back in August of 2010, the mercury dipped to -135.8ºF (-93.2ºC) as recorded by NASA climate satellites. That beat the old record of -128.6ºF (-89.2ºC), which was recorded at a Russian research station also in the eastern part of the continent. The researchers warned that at those extreme temperatures it can hurt your lungs just to breathe. It is so cold in fact that carbon dioxide gas would freeze to a solid, creating dry ice. One researcher estimated that without protective gear to keep you warm, a human being would survive just three minutes. Now that is cold.

Fortunately, Richard Parks isn't dealing with those kinds of conditions on his attempt at the speed record to the South Pole. Richard is now six days in and fighting an uphill battle. Two days ago the winds were so bad that he only managed to cover 9.6 km (6 miles) before returning to his tent. Yesterday was much better, has he knocked 34.8 km (21 miles) off his total, but he still has roughly 977.5km (608 miles) to go. At this point, I'm not sure how he can break he record. He simply isn't able to cover the distances he needs to do so. That could change, and it'll take a herculean effort on his part to do so, but the weather is going to have to cooperate first. Strong headwinds and lots of soft snow on the surface are working against him at the moment.

South Pole cyclist Daniel Burton did finally get a good days riding in yesterday. He has also been plagued with high winds and poor surface conditions, but yesterday he managed to cover 15.3 nautical miles (28.3 km). He says that if he can manage to average 15 miles per day, he should be able to reach the Pole as expected. If his average drops below that, he may not have enough food and supplies to complete the journey. Either way, it is going to be a struggle all the way to the end. He has started to take a different approach to the ride however. Initially he was hoping to be on the bike for 10 hours, but now he will ride for five, stop and have a good meal and melt more snow for drinking water, before proceeding for a second shift of five hours. He hopes the break will keep him more rested and energized.

Kite skier Geoff Wilson reached several milestones yesterday thanks to strong winds and improved surface conditions. First, he was extremely happy to clear a section of difficult ice and be out in the open once more. That allowed him to cover 170.9 km (106 miles) in a single day. That means, thanks to his kite, he was really moving out there. He also crossed 80ºS and found a Russian road that runs all the way to the South Pole. He's going to stay close to that road as he passes through major crevasse fields between 81-83ºS. That should help keep him safe in that treacherous area. Finally, he also set a new record for an Aussie traveling solo in Antarctica. Geoff has now covered 1159.4 km (720.4 miles), more than anyone else from his home country has done on their own. He is now more than halfway to the Pole, with just 1050 km (652 miles) to go. After his epic day yesterday, Wilson is taking a rest day today.

Finally, the Scott Expedition has completed a bit of a milestone themselves. After 46 days on the ice, the last of which was particularly draining, they have now put the bulk of the climbing behind them and have nearly reached the top of the Antarctic Plateau. That means relatively smooth and straight sailing all the way to the South Pole. Yesterday they dropped another supply depot for their return trip, which has also lightened the sleds considerably. Hopefully that means they'll be picking up the pace in the days ahead as they near the halfway point of their journey. Total distance yet to go: 1222.2 miles (1967 km). Hand in there boys.

That's it for today. More soon I'm sure.

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