Antarctica 2014: Faysal at the South Pole!

There was surprise news out of the Antarctic today, where kite-skier Faysal Hanneche has checked in from the South Pole, bringing an end to his very long, and sometimes frustrating expedition. Faysal set off from Russian Novo station back on November 14, and has struggled mightily with poor surface conditions, incredibly bad weather, and a lack of wind for much of his journey. After two months out on the ice, he is now on his way back home.

I've been following Faysal's progress in my regular Antarctic updates ever since he got underway. In recent days however he did not share his daily distances, and while reading his reports is seemed that he was not covering the mileage that he had hoped for. This led me to believe that he was still a very long way from the Pole. In fact, his last mention of any distance was back on January 7, when he indicated that he still had 674 km (418 miles) to go. It seems he was making great progress after all, and was able to reach his destination with plenty of time to spare.

Faysal reports that he reached the Scott-Amundsen station at 11 PM French time last evening. He was greeted by the crew there, and welcomed inside the station, where he was able to get a warm meal and some rest. His stay at 90ºS will be a short one however, as he reports that he'll fly back to Union Glacier today, where he'll soon catch a flight back to Punta Arenas, Chile as well.

Congratulations to Faysal on completing this long and difficult journey. He rarely had anything go in his favor on this trip, and I'm sure it is a huge relief for him to now be done.

Meanwhile, the trio of Are Johnson and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel are back on the trail today. After a resupply, their sleds are heavier than they have been, but the clock is ticking on their return journey from the Pole, and they must now average 40 km (24.8 miles) per day to reach their end point in time to catch the final flight off the continent. That will be a tall order, but today they managed to hit that number exactly after 11 hours of skiing. The next two weeks are going to be incredibly tough for this team, but if they can reach Hercules Inlet before January 28, they'll become one of the few squads to ski to the South Pole and back again. The race is on.

That's it for today. The Antarctic season is nearly at an end, with just some climbing teams on Vinson to follow and one or two teams still skiing. Updates on the season will be more infrequent now that there is less to report, but I'll still follow the progress of those last explorers and post about their final push to the end.

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Antarctic 2014: Faysal Still Waiting for the Wind, Newall on to Vinson

The number of teams to report on in the Antarctic has now dropped considerably. Most of the squads have wrapped up their expeditions by now, and are heading home. But there is still a few weeks to go before the frozen continent shuts down for the season, and there are still a few teams trying to accomplish their goals out on the ice.

As expected, the four-person team led by Robert Smith that included Paula Reid reached the South Pole over the weekend. The group reached 90ºS on Saturday at about 5:20 PM local time. Traveling along the Messner Route, the squad took 46 days to cover the 890 km (553 mile) journey. There has been no update since their arrival, but if the weather has held as expected, the group should be back at Union Glacier by now, and preparing to fly to Punta Arenas to start their trip home.

Meanwhile, kite-skier Faysal Hanneche continues to struggle on his expedition. He began at the Russian Novo station and has been trying to make his way to the South Pole, but the winds have simply not cooperated in recent days. In his most recent dispatch, Faysal talks about how he had to ski without aid all day, only to make camp and have the wind pick up. Hoping to cover some distance, he quickly broke camp once again, only to find that in the low light he wasn't able to make out the sastrugis or other surface obstacles. After falling twice in 500 meters, he decided to call it a day, and made camp once again.


It is clear that Faysal is starting to feel frustrated. He had intended to kite ski to the Pole, but without wind, his plan has not come together as he had hoped. As a result, he still has hundreds of kilometers to go before he is done, and the deadline for the season is closing fast. To make matters worse, he still hasn't raised all of the money he needs to get a return flight off the continent. According to ExWeb, he has set up a fund raiser page here to do jus that. He needs to come up with 3000 euro ($3530) in order to get a flight back to South America.

Newall Hunter wrapped up his solo expedition to the South Pole last week, but he isn't done with the Antarctic just yet. He has since moved over to Mt. Vinson, where he has already climbed up to Camp 2 in his attempt to summit that mountain. If the weather holds and he is feeling physically fit enough, a summit bid is likely by this coming weekend.

Finally, Are Johnson and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel took a rest day yesterday as they geared up for their final push back to the coast. They have already skied to the South Pole, and are now on their return journey back to Hercules Inlet. They now have 14 days to wrap up their expedition, and still have 570 km (354 miles) left to go. That means they have to ski 40 km (24.8 miles) each and every day just to get to their end point on time. That's a tall order, particularly when they are already exhausted, and they have not been hitting those distances with consistency in recent days. Hopefully the rest day will give them the energy they need to cover the final portion of their journey.

January 28 is the absolute last day to catch a plane out of the Antarctic. If the teams have not finished by then, they will have to be picked up where they are at, and taken off the ice. That leaves them just two weeks to finish. The clock is ticking, and for several of these explorers it is going to be a tough push to the end.

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Antarctica 2014: Two More Teams Arrive at the South Pole

The number of teams skiing to the South Pole has been reduced by two, as more skiers arrive at 90ºS. With the end of the Antarctic expedition season nearly in sight, things are starting to wrap up at the bottom of the world, and while it is almost time to pack it in again for another year, there are still a few hardy souls out on the ice.

Earlier this week, Ian Evans and his squad reached the South Pole, arriving at about 5:45 PM local time on Tuesday, January 6. The team, which also consisted of guide Keith Heger, and Brits Andy Styles and Bradely Cross, made the journey along the Messner Route, covering some 890 km (553 miles) in the process. The team set off on November 24, which means it took them almost exactly 44 days to finish the sojourn across the ice.

In his final report, Ian says that he is now the oldest Canadian to ski to the South Pole. He also indicates that there was no major outpouring of emotion when they reached the finish line, just a numb feeling and a sense of relief that the journey was over at last. He reports that he and his teammates are completely exhausted, with no energy left in the tank. Fortunately, he has already flown out to Union Glacier, and should be on his way back to Punta Arenas, Chile soon as well.

They're not the only team to wrap up their South Pole excursion this week. The four-person squad that includes Paula Reid should finish their journey today as well. As of last night, the team was just 14.5 km (9 miles) from the Scott-Amundsen station, which they reported seeing before clouds set in. That means they should finish early today, and could potentially catch a flight out to Union Glacier this afternoon too. The weather is predicted to take a turn for the worse however, so they may ended up stranded at the Pole for a few days instead.

Congratulations to each of these men and women. Skiing to the South Pole is quite an accomplishment, and each of them should be very proud of their efforts.


Meanwhile, Faysal Hanneche continues to struggle, with the wind. The kite-skier has not had much luck in having strong gusts to help pull him to the Pole, and as a result, he still has hundreds of miles to cover before he is done. As of his last report, Faysal indicated that he still had 674 km (419 miles) to go before he is done, and with time running short, that may be a tall order. If the winds turn in his favor, that is more than doable, but considering how much he has struggled so far, a successful end to his expedition is not guaranteed.

Sastrugis are not helping his cause any either. Faysal also reports that he has been battling the ice ridges that accumulate on the surface for the past few days too, and they have taken their toll as well. Going over or around the sastrugi can be time consuming and energy sapping work, which is coupled with the frustration of frequently falling down. Still, Henneche continues to press ahead and is determined to give his best effort until the very end.

Finally, the team of Are Johnson and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel continue to steam along on their return trip to Hercules Inlet from the South Pole. They are now on Day 55 of their expedition, and have covered another 35.5 km (22 miles). They report that the weather has warmed some, allowing the trio to ski without the need for wind jackets today. They hope to reach their final supply depot in the next few days, and after that it will be clear sailing back to the coast. They're also racing against the clock to a degree, but considering how well they are moving, it seems that they will be in a good position to wrap up the expedition before the season closes at the end of the month. 

That's all from the Antarctic for today. Soon there will be only a few teams left to report on. I'll still keep updating on their progress. 

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Antarctica 2014: Frédérick Dion Completes Antarctic Traverse

We have another update from the Antarctic today, where one explorer has made history, and others continue to inch closer to their ultimate destination at the South Pole. It now appears that within the next few days the number of expeditions that we'll be following will drop significantly, as the end of another season looms at the bottom of the world.

We'll start with an update on Canadian kite-skier Frédérick Dion, who has now reached the Antarctic coast at Hercules Inlet after more than 54 days out on the ice. During that time, he has traveled from the Russian Novo Station to the Pole of Inaccessibility, then on to the Geographic South Pole, and back to the coastline. His route has covered 3620 km (2250 miles), as he set four speed records along the way.

The expedition was not an easy one for Frédérick, especially in the final day. According to his home team, the explorer kite-skied for 24 hours and 53 minutes straight, covering an unbelievable 627 km (389 miles) in the process. During that time, he managed to catch winds that exceeded 100 km/h (60 mph), which can be extremely dangerous for a kiter.

Apparently, the expedition wrapped up over this past weekend, and Fréd has already caught a plane back out to Punta Arenas, Chile on Sunday. That means he is off the ice and headed back to Canada for a much-deserved rest.

Congratulations to Fréd on an amazing expedition through one of the harshest and most challenging environments on the planet.


Meanwhile, elsewhere two other teams are fast approaching the South Pole. Yesterday I indicated that Ian Evans' squad should reach 90ºS any day now, and while we continue to wait for word of their arrival, another team is closing in on the end too. The four-person group that includes Paula Reid has crossed the last degree and is now making its way to the finish line too. They expect to arrive sometime on Friday, wrapping up their journey at long last.

With those teams quickly approaching the end, that will leave just solo kite-skier Faysal Hanneche and the team of Are Johnson and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel out on the ice. Faysal continues to press on towards the South Pole after struggling to make meaningful progress early on. But the winds seem to have turned in his favor, and he has picked up the speed in recent days with a sense of urgency in his movements. Meanwhile, Are, Stéphanie, and Jérémie have already been to the South Pole and are now skiing back to their starting point on the coastline. They are making good progress, but have a long way to go until they are done too. The next few weeks should prove interesting as these remaining explorers race the clock to the end.

That's all for today. More updates as the news warrants it.

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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: Are, Stéphanie, and Jérémie at the Pole and Near Disaster for Frédérick

Just a quick update from the Antarctic today to share the news that Are Johnson, and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel have arrived safely at the Geographic South Pole as expected. The team skied the final 26 km (16.1 miles) today to arrive on schedule. It took them 39 days, 6 hours to complete the journey, which began back on the Antarctic coastline, and traveled along the Messner Route.

The trio have already begun celebrating Christmas Eve at 90ºS, where they've had a tour of the Antarctic research station and a good meal while chatting with the staff assigned to the base. They'll now spend the next couple of days resting and recuperating, before they start their 1100 km (683 mile) return trip to the coast. While they are happy to have reached the Pole, it is only the halfway point of their expedition, and they still have a very long way to go before they are done.

Meanwhile, kite-skier Frédérick Dion is on his way to the South Pole, and should arrive there today or tomorrow as well provided the winds stay in his favor. A few days back though he had a very close call that could have resulted in a true polar disaster. While he was kiting, strong winds lifted Fréd and his kite completely off the ground, and tore the guide lines that run between him and his sled. Ultimately he was tossed into the air and pulled 300 meters, finally coming to a halt on the snow and ice.


But since he was no longer attached to his sled, he wasn't sure where it was, and in the featureless landscape of Antarctica, it can be incredibly difficult to get your bearings, and spot a tiny object, which just so happens to be white as well. As you probably already know, in the Antarctica the sled is the explorer's lifeline. It carries his or her food and fuel, their tent, spare clothing, emergency equipment, and so on. Without it, Fréd would have been stranded quite literally in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, after 20 minutes of searching, he was able to locate the sled and continued on his way. It turned out to be quite a productive one at that, as he ended up covering 127 km (79 miles), pulling him ever close to the South Pole in the process.

Our other kite-skier, Faysal Hanneche, continues to struggle with the wind and is making much slower progress towards the Pole. As of now, he is across the 77th degree, which means he still has a very long way to go before he is done. A few days back he was able to cover 51 km (31.6 miles) in a single day, which is far faster than most skiers can go, but he isn't putting up the impressive distances that we've seen out of Frédérick. Both men started at the Russian Novo station, with Fréd first skiing to the Pole of Inaccessibility before turning to the the Geographic South Pole. It now looks like he'll arrive well ahead of Faysal, who has battled poor weather much of the way. Hopefully the winds will continue to fill his kite, and he'll be able to start making more steady progress moving forward.

Finally, after 29 days out on the ice, Newall Hunter has reached the top of the Polar Plateau, and is now heading due South to the Pole. He reports that the actual temperatures in the Antarctic at the moment are about -10 to -20ºC (14º to -4º F), which isn't too bad. Unfortunately, the wind adds to the chill in the air, making it incredibly uncomfortable. Newall says that while moving it is easy to say warm, but stopping for a break can be painful. Fighting off frostbite is a constant battle, and in his latest dispatch he reports that his chin actually froze to the inside of his mask today. That sounds painful and incredibly cold indeed.

That's all for today. My next update will come after Christmas. Hopefully there will be more good news to post at that point.

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Antarctica 2014: Christmas Eve South Pole Arrivals

The past few days have been busy ones for the Antarctic skiers, some of which are now nearing their ultimate goal of the Geographic South Pole. The weather continues to be a challenge, as high winds, frigid temperatures, and whiteout conditions remain the norm, but that is typical for this time of year, which is actually the calmest season at the bottom of the world. But the finish line is now in sight, and it is now looking like a few of the explorers will have a very Merry Christmas indeed. 

The trio of Are Johnson, and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel, look like they will be the next team to reach 90ºS. As per an update today, they are now just 26km (16 miles) from that point, which they expect to reach tomorrow afternoon. That will allow them to celebrate Christmas at the South Pole, where they'll rest, regain some strength, and have a few good meals with other people before starting the return journey. By the time they get to the Pole, they will have been out on the ice for 40 days. That's a good time for skiing across the Antarctic, and it has no doubt taken its toll on their bodies. 

Meanwhile, Frédérick Dion is also nearing the Geographic South Pole, although it remains unclear as to whether or not he'll make it for Christmas as well. His latest update indicates that he is closing in on the 88th degree, but since he is kite-skiing, his progress is mostly dictated by the winds at this point. If he gets strong winds that blow in his favor, there is a chance that he'll cover the distance necessary to reach the Pole by tomorrow or Thursday as well. Yesterday he knocked off 107 km (66.4 miles), which if he continues to do that, he'll have a great shot at joining Are, Stéphanie, and Jérémie for a holiday celebration. As you probably already know, Fréd first skied to the South Pole of Inaccessibility before proceeding on to 90ºS. Once there, he'll evaluate his plans for possibly skiing back to Hercules Inlet. 

Faysal Hanneche is another kite-skier trying to reach the South Pole, but is battling the elements mightily. Faysal has had more poor weather, which has slowed his progress once again. High winds are good for kiters, but not when whiteouts prevent you from seeing the surface around you. That can be dangerous for regular skiers, but when moving at high speeds while kiting, it is incredibly treacherous. To make matters worse, the explorer is starting to see signs of frostbite in his feet, which is becoming painful as well. He still has quite a distance to go before he reaches the South Pole, but thankfully the winds have turned more in his favor, and he is starting to pick up speed. 

Solo-skier Newall Hunter has now been out on the ice for 28 days, and has found a good rhythm that is allowing him to cover 28+ km (17 miles) per day. This weekend he picked up a resupply, which provided him with extra food and water for the final push to the Pole. As of now, he is about 280 km (173 miles) from that point, so he is still a number of days away from wrapping up his expedition. Yesterday he ran into a bit of trouble when he entered a crevasse field covered in about 4 inches of fresh snow. Fortunately he didn't suffer any injuries, or damage to his skis and sled. Still, it underscores the dangers of skiing in the Antarctic, where the weather and surface conditions will constantly test your awareness. 

Canadian Ian Evans and his team of skiers passed a significant milestone a few days back, reaching the half-way point on their journey to the South Pole. After picking up a resupply, they turned due south at last, and are likely to reach the finish line sometime next week. They have quite a few miles to go before they are at 90ºS, but the team is in good spirits and enjoying the journey so far. 

Finally, Manon Ossevoort (aka Tractor Girl) has wrapped up her return trip to Novo station. After driving a Massey Ferguson tractor to the South Pole in awful conditions, the return trip went much faster and easier than expected. They wrapped up the journey yesterday, and are now preparing to depart the frozen continent for home. 

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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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Video: To The South Pole and Back - The Hardest 105 Days Of My Life with Ben Saunders

Last year, during the busy Antarctic season, explorer Ben Saunders attempted one of the most difficult and brutal expeditions ever when he traveled to the South Pole, and back to the coast, along the same route that Robert Falcon Scott took back in 1912. The journey covered more than 1800 miles (2896 km) and lasted 105 days, pushing Ben to his very limits. In this fascinating TED Talk, he speaks openly and candidly about that journey, and what he learned about himself along the way. This is some insightful stuff from an explorer who had to deal with everything imaginable on his adventure. Definitely a video you don't want to miss.

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Antarctica 2014: Teams Progressing Towards the Pole

Earlier in the week I posted an update on the progress of Frédérick Dion, who had just completed his expedition to the Pole of Inaccessibility in Antarctica. While there isn't much new to report on his part, the other teams out on the ice are continuing to make progress, despite difficult conditions. So, while we wait to see what Fréd's next move will be, here are some updates on the other explorers traveling across the frozen continent at the moment.

It feels like kite-skier Faysal Hanneche has had to deal with the worst weather of anyone who is currently in the Antarctic. He has constantly had to battle whiteout conditions on his way to the South Pole, and today was no different. He reports that another storm rolled through his area, cutting visibility dramatically, and making it incredibly difficult just to see the contours of the ground. Fortunately, he wasn't dealing with any sastrugi at this point, and the higher winds allowed him to cover 53 km (33 miles), despite the challenging conditions. He still has a long way to go to reach the Pole however, as his current position puts him 1843 km (1145 miles) from that point. Considering he spent a couple of days tent-bound earlier in the week due to storms, I'm sure he's happy to be making any progress at this point.

Meanwhile, the team consisting of Are Johnson, and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel continues to speed right along. After 33 days out on the ice, they are now just 194 km (120 miles) from the South Pole, as they continue to knock off about 25 km (15.5 miles) per day. If hey stay on their current pace, that would put them at 90ºS sometime around Christmas Day. We'll have to see if they make it to the Pole in time to celebrate the holiday, but they are covering solid distances on a daily basis, despite high winds and incredibly cold temperatures.


Solo-skier Newall Hunter is experiencing the ups and downs of skiing in the Antarctic as well. Yesterday, he skied for more than 8 hours in an almost complete whiteout. It was so bad that he could barely see the tips of his skis as he moved over difficult ground. But as soon as he stopped for the evening and made camp, the sun came out, and the weather was as clear as could be. He's now been out on the ice for 22 days, and has roughly 400 km (248 miles) to go before he wraps his journey. So far, he seems in good spirits and fine health.

There hasn't been many detailed updates on the progress of Paula Reid, just an occasional brief note and the ability to track her progress. On Monday of this week, her team reached Thiels Corner, a supply depot where they were able to pick up extra food and fuel. Everything seems to be going according to plan thus far, with several more weeks to go until they reach the Pole.

Finally, Dutch adventurer Manon Ossevoort is on her way back to the Antarctic coast. After wrapping up her expedition to the South Pole by Massey Ferguson tractor last week, she's finding it much easier going to drive back in the opposite direction. As of today, she and her team have just 1092 km (678 miles) before they are completely done. Currently they are covering approximately 300 km (186 miles) per day, which means they should be back to their starting point at the Novo station by this weekend. If the weather holds, and they have a bit of luck on their side, they just might make it home for Christmas.

That's all for today. More Antarctic updates as the news warrants.

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Antarctica 2014: Tractor Girl at the Pole, Frederick Still Stalking the POI

It has been another couple of busy days in Antarctica, where the teams are pressing ahead with their expeditions, despite conditions continuing to be challenging at times. Yesterday we had our first arrival to the South Pole, marking the end of one journey, while a kite-skier patiently waits for the wind to return.

We'll start today's update with news about Dutch adventurer Manon Ossevoort aka Tractor Girl. It has been a dream of Manon's for some time to drive a tractor to the South Pole, and on Tuesday she accomplished that feat at long last. The journey covered more than 2500 km (1553 miles) over 17 days, starting at the Russian Novo Station. Along the way, they encountered incredibly tough weather and surface conditions, which slowed progress to a crawl and extended the trip for a few extra days. Now, they'll take a little breather, before beginning the long journey back to the coast.

This expedition was not only conducted to give Manon a chance to realize her dream, but was also meant to commemorate the 1958 journey to the South Pole by Sir Edmund Hillary. The legendary explorer led the first motorized expedition to that point, after he and Tenzing Norgay became the first men to summit Everest five years earlier.

Congratulations to Manon and her entire team on reach the South Pole. Enjoy the drive back.

Elsewhere, Canadian kite-skier Frederick Dion continues to patiently wait for his opportunity to wrap up his expedition as well. The winds have not been in his favor in recent days, and while he is now just 90 km (56 miles) from the Pole of Inaccessibility, he can't quite reach the finish line. A few nights back, he was awakened by the stirrings of the wind, only to find that they were blowing in the wrong direction. So, for now, he sits and waits for his opportunity to forge on. In the meantime, he rests, reads, and eats.

It is a bit unusual for a kite-skier in the Antarctic to simply wait for the winds. Most explorers would at least continue to make progress by skiing under their own power, although that is much more of a physical challenge, and travel is at a very slow speed compared to when they are kiting. I'm a bit surprised that Fred hadn't prepared for this possibility, and isn't at least covering a few kilometers each day in an effort to get closer to the POI. Hopefully the winds will turn in his favor soon.


Faysal Hanneche is also kite-skiing in the Antarctica, although he is headed to the Geographic South Pole instead. He has had issues with weather and wind so far too, but continues to press ahead as best he can. In his recent dispatches from the ice, he has shared his early inspirations for visiting the polar regions of the planet, and discussed his training as well. For a solo-skier, it can be a long, lonely journey that starts well before they ever hit the ice. Faysal is also hoping for the return of the winds soon, so he can speed along on his progress too.

The team of Are Johnson, and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel, continues to press forward on schedule. The team crossed the 87th degree yesterday, as they inch ever closer to the South Pole. They also covered 29 km (18 miles), which is their best day yet. They hope to reach their second resupply point today, and then take a rest day tomorrow, as they prepare for the final push towards their goal. So far, morale seems high, and spirits are good, despite extremely cold temperatures and howling katabatic winds. 

Newall Hunter is also making great progress, reaching Thiel Corner on his 16th day out on the ice. The Corner is the point where the Messner Route to the South Pole joins with the Hercules Inlet Route, so now he's squarely headed for 90ºS. After covering 25 km (15.5 miles) yesterday, he now had 570 km (354 miles) to go before he reaches his finish line. Still a long way off, but progress has been steady, and all milestones are important. 

It has been a few days since Ian Hunter last updated his expedition blog, and at the time the team was making its way up the Polar Plateau. That is long, slow work, that requires plenty of physical effort and stamina to complete. Once they reach the Plateau however, it is smooth sailing (relatively speaking) to the Pole. For the Canadian, the most challenging thing so far has been the complete lack of change in the environment. Ever night they camp at a new site, which looks nearly identical to the one from the night before, and the night before that. The Antarctic can try your patience and morale in many ways, and the unending white landscape can wear on the explorers after a time. With any luck, in his next update Ian and his team will have crawled closer to the Pole, and have their spirits lifted by their progress. 

That's all for today. More Antarctic updates as news breaks.

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Antarctica 2014: Frédérick at the Pole of Inaccessibility?

It was another busy weekend on the frozen continent, with teams pressing forward on their attempts to ski to the South Pole, or other destinations in Antarctica. As you might expect, challenging conditions persisted over the past few days, but that didn't stop the explorers from making progress, with one skier potentially etching his name in the record books.

As we start the week, we're awaiting confirmation of the current location of Canadian kite-skier Frédérick Dion. As of Saturday, when he posted his most recent dispatch, Fred was just 98 km (60 miles) from his goal – the Pole of Inaccessibility. That means, that with a little luck and some strong winds, he may have reached that point yesterday, or could finish up the expedition today. Until we get confirmation from his home team however, we'll just have to wait for the news of his arrival at the POI.

For those who haven't been following Frédérick's progress, the Pole of Inaccessibility is defined as the point on the Antarctic continent that is the furthest from any coastline. In this case, the POI is found at 82º06'S, 54º58'E, which is about 878 km (546 miles) from the Geographic South Pole. The POI is considered to be one of the more difficult places to reach on the continent due to its remote location, and once Fred reaches that point, he'll be the first person to do so without resupply, with a start from the Russian Novo station. I expect we'll get confirmation of his finish by tomorrow or the next day, so stay tuned for updates.

Meanwhile, Faysal Hanneche continues his kite-skiing expedition as well. He also started at Novo, and will traverse the continent to Union Glacier, with a stop at the South Pole along the way. When last we checked in with Faysal, he was tent-bound and waiting out a storm. Over the weekend, he returned to the trail, making slow, but steady progress, towards the Pole. On some days, he is able to use his kite to catch the wind, and cover excellent distances. On others, the wind is nonexistent or too rough to kite, so he presses forward under his own power instead. Yesterday was one of those days, but as with all polar explorers, Faysal takes what he can get.

The team of Are Johnson, and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel, are now 24 days into their journey to the South Pole. They are skiing at a solid pace, generally knocking off between 23-24 km (14-15 miles) per day, despite challenging conditions. They have been climbing steadily uphill to the Antarctic Plateau, and making good progress, but temperatures remain cold, with high winds creating whiteout conditions throughout the day. They should reach the top of the Plateau in another day or two, and then it will be straight on to the Pole, with the weather and surface conditions providing the biggest challenge moving forward.

South Pole solo-skier Newall Hunter is battling whiteout conditions as well, which has made for difficult going now that he has entered his first crevasse field. As you can imagine, navigating through this section of ice can be difficult under the best of conditions, but when visibility is cut down to nothing, it can be a terrifying, nerve-wracking affair. Just how bad was it? Newall says that he couldn't even see far enough to pick a place to pitch his tent for the night. He had to walk over an area multiple times to ensure that it was flat and safe before he could proceed with building the tent. It was so disorienting that he fell a few times, and was only able to maintain his orientation by staring at the tips of his skis. In other words, these whiteout conditions are incredibly difficult for the skiers, and exhausting to continue through. Fortunately, the weather is expected to improve over the next day or two.

Updates from Paula Reid have been sparse so far, but her team continues to press forward towards the South Pole as well. As of this morning, she was checking in from just past the 84th parallel, so she still has plenty of distance still to go. One of the team mates commented on the temperatures that are being reported by their tracking device, which indicate much warmer weather than expected. But the device sends an update from inside the tent, which is a warm and cozy refuge from the Antarctic conditions. On the trail, the temperatures are hovering around -20 to - 30ºF (-28 to -34ºC), with the windchill making it even worse.

Finally, Manon Ossevoort continues her quest to drive a tractor to the South Pole. She has now crossed approximately 2150 km (1335 miles) in 16 days, which puts her about 2550 km (1584 miles) from her goal. The team is considerably behind the schedule they had set for themselves, but are counting to press forward none the less. Originally they had planned to be at the South Pole yesterday, but with 300 km (186 miles) yet to go to get to that point, it will be another few days before they arrive. Then they'll begin the long arduous trek back to their starting point, across terrain that has been described as some of the worst that Manon's veteran support team have ever seen. Snow conditions are said to be soft, and the heavy tractor is sinking into the powder, making it incredibly slow going, and unstable at times. Still, they are pressing ahead, and hope to reach 90ºS later this week.

That's all for now. More updates as the news warrants.

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Antarctica 2014: High Winds and Whiteout Conditions Test Skiers

It has been a couple of very trying days in the Antarctic. Weather conditions have been brutal for most of the South Pole skiers, with high winds and whiteout conditions reminding them just exactly where they are, This is all part of what it takes to travel on the frozen continent of course, but that doesn't make it any easier when they're caught out in a storm. Most of the explorers having been making the best of the situation, and covering as much ground as they can, while others are currently tent-bound, and waiting for things to improve.

The high winds don't bother Frédérick Dion all that much. The Canadian kite-skier uses those winds to propel him on, and he is now nearing his ultimate destination – the South Pole of Inaccessibility. As of Wednesday, when he released his last update, he was just 267km (165 miles) from his goal. Considering he had knocked off 101km (63 miles) that day alone, it is possible that he could reach the POI today or tomorrow. With a little luck – and wind – on his side, he should wrap up the expedition this weekend. It won't be easy however, as Fred reports lots of sastrugi in the area, which are keeping him on his toes, and ensuring that his final stage of the journey will be a difficult one. Still, I would expect an update by Monday that says that he has become the first person to ski unsupported to the South Pole of Inaccessibility via the Russian Novo Station. Stay tuned for more updates on Frédérick's progress.

Fayasal Hanneche – the other kite-skier out on the ice - isn't having quite as an enjoyable time on his journey through the Antarctic. After covering just 3km (1.8 miles) on Thursday, he has spent all of today stranded in his tent, waiting for a major storm to abate. While the high winds can be a boon for a kite-skier, the whiteout conditions conceal obstacles, which can be far more dangerous when traveling at high speeds. Fayasal says that in order to pass the time while stranded spending days in his tent, he watches movies such Lawrence of Arabia and Kingdom of Heaven. He also reads a lot, and spends the time resting, preparing for the chance to continue his journey.


Whiteout conditions have been the norm for Are Johnson, who is guiding Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel to the South Pole. Over the past couple of days, they have skied in near-zero visibility thanks to strong winds and fresh snow. Never the less, they have continued to make great progress knocking off more than 23km (14 miles) per day. They are climbing uphill now, on their way to the top of the Polar Plateau, which makes for hard work even in the best of conditions. They have also been experiencing meter-high sastrugis, which cause them to work harder to cover the same distances as well. Yet the team is reportedly in good spirits, and enjoying the journey thus far.

Solol-skier Newall Hunter has been struggling with the whiteout conditions as well. He compared his journey over the past two days to walking inside a ping pong ball, as visibility was almost nonexistent, and all he could see around him was white. This can be very disorienting and humbling for the explorers, but they trudge on as best they can, usually navigating with a compass or GPS rather than by site. To add to the frustration, fresh snow fell, making it more difficult to ski, and causing his sleds to stick or flip over. The end result was very slow going, but eventually the skies cleared, and conditions improved enough for him to make up for lost time.

Finally, Tractor Girl, aka Manon Ossevoort, is finding her journey to the South Pole in a Massey Ferguson tractor to be more challenging than she expected. Originally, the plan had been to reach 90ºS by December 7, but with that deadline looming, it appears that she, and her support team, will not make it on the date that they expected. Yesterday, the team reached their refueling point, where extra gas was dropped last year in preparation for this trip. They spent half of the day refueling, and doing some minor repairs to the equipment, before proceeding on. The fuel dump should give them everything they need to reach the South Pole now, it is just a matter of time before they reach that point, with weather and surface conditions creating the main obstacles.

That's all for this week. Stay tuned for more progress reports next week, including the possibility of Frédérick Dion reaching the Pole of Inaccessibility by Monday.

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Antarctica 2014: Closing in on the Pole of Inaccessibility

It continues to be a busy week in the Antarctic, where the explorers are pushing ahead toward their respective goals. While most are squarely focused on skiing to the South Pole, others have other objectives in mind, and one explorer is closing in on what is quite possibly the most remote place on the planet.

Canadian kite-skier Frédérick Dion posted an update yesterday in which it was revealed that he is now just 400 km (248 miles) from the Pole of Inaccessibility. If he were skiing under his own power, that would seem like a daunting distance to cover, but with strong winds, he may be able to reach the POI by this weekend. Yesterday alone Frédérick was able to cover 92 km (57 miles), and that wasn't even close to his best day out on the ice so far. The explorer expects to face steady winds as he nears his goal, but even with that challenge, it is only a matter of days before he has finished the expedition.

For those who don't know, the Pole of Inaccessibility is defined as the location that is furthest from all of the Antarctic coastlines. That point is found at 82º06'S 54º58'E, which also happens to be the location of another Russian research station. That puts it roughly 878 km (546 miles) from the geographic South Pole, which gives you an idea of how far away Dion is from the other skiers at the moment.

Meanwhile, fellow kite-ski Faysal Hanneche is experiencing the worst weather conditions that Antarctica can throw at him. After skiing half the day today he encountered whiteout conditions that made it impossible to see more than a few feet in any direction. He tried navigating by GPS, but soon realized the dangers of not being able to identify obstacles such as sastrugi and cracks in the ice, so he abandoned his efforts to press on any further. With conditions that dangerous, he elected to instead set up camp, climb inside his tent, and wait out the storm. Hopefully that will mean he can hit the trail again tomorrow, but a storm like this one can last for days in the Antarctic, and he is prepared to wait if necessary. Faysal began his journey at the Novo station, and is now on the way to the South Pole, before continuing on to Union Glacier.


The trio of Are Johnson and Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel are back on trail again today as well. After receiving a resupply on Monday, they took a rest day yesterday to regain some strength and stamina. Reportedly they had good skiing conditions, with smooth terrain and decent weather, which allowed them to knock off another 25.8 km (16 miles) of their journey to 90ºS.

The South Pole is the eventual destination for Newall Hunter as well, and after 8 days on the ice he is reporting great skiing conditions. Clear skies, moderate winds, and warm temperatures have made him a happy skier thus far. Yesterday he covered a distance of 23 km (14.3 miles), which is a solid pace for the start of his expedition.

Dutch adventurer Manon Ossevoort is about halfway through her journey to the South Pole in a Massey Ferguson tractor. She began at Novo Station back in late November, and expected to finish the journey by December 7, but it now looks like it will take a bit longer than that. Surface conditions have made for slow going so far, and while she isn't skiing, she still has to deal with cracks in the ice, poor weather, and subzero temperatures.

Finally, there was sad news from the Antarctic this week as well. A contract worker at the Amundsen-Scott research station, located at the South Pole, passed away a few days back. His name was Thomas Lawrence Atkins, and he was in Antarctica in a support role for the research scientists there. Atkins was 40, and the cause of death has been ruled as "natural causes." My condolences go out to his friends and family.

That's all for now. More updates as the news warrants.

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Antarctica 2014: Lonely Days on the Ice

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday here in the States, it has been a few days since I've posted an update on the unfolding Antarctic season. While we have been gathering with friends and family over the past few days, and enjoying some great food in the process, the explorers and adventurers on the frozen continent have continued their struggles to reach the South Pole, or similar destinations. It has not been an easy couple of days for most, with the true challenges of the Antarctic now starting to emerge.

We are about three weeks into the season, and the rigors of the journey have begun to take their toll. No where is that more evident than with Canadian kite-skier Frédérick Dion, who has had to face some of his biggest fears over the past couple of days. According to his home team, Fred called on the satellite phone a few days back in tears, as he entered a massive sastrugi field that he thought would tear his makeshift sled apart. You may recall, his sled suffered major damage awhile back, and it looked like he might have to cancel the expedition. Fred was able to fix the damage however, and has continued on. But the latest area of rough ground that he has been traveling through looked like it might cause his handiwork to come undone, and he was unsure what would happen if it did. Dion is on his way to the South Pole of Inaccessibility, and is now at a point where if he were to become injured or suffered a major equipment failure, an aircraft would not be able to come evacuate him from the ice. That fear and uncertainly, not to mention having been completely alone for three weeks, was unnerving for the Canadian. Fortunately, he was able to rally, and gain confidence as he traveled. On Saturday he knocked off more than 130 km (80 miles), and moved through the danger zone without much difficulty.

At times it is easy to think of these Antarctic explorers as tough, stoic men and and women, who are hardened against loneliness and fear. But Frédérick's latest dispatch gives us a peek into their psyche, and reminds us that they are human just like the rest of us, sharing in our own insecurities and uncertainties. Dion is doing quite well, and is set to reach the POI in good time, and by sharing his worries with those who are following along at home, he gives us new insights into what it is like out there on the ice.


Fellow kite-skier Faysal Hanneche is facing different problems on his journey to the South Pole. Over the past few days, he has had very little wind to help pull him along, which means he has resorted to walking and skiing across the Antarctic. That has made for slower travel of course, but Faysal has nearly made his way to the top of the Antarctic Plateau, so he is continuing to make the best of the situation. His journey will be a traverse of the Antarctic continent, having set out from the Russian Novo station, he'll first travel to the Pole before returning to the coast at Union Glacier.

Are Johnson and his clients –  Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel – continue to make good progress towards the South Pole as well. The trio are skiing towards their destination, and covering approximately 27-28 km (16-17 miles) per day in temperatures that are hovering around -40ºC/F with the windchill. Earlier today they skied to a supply drop, where they picked up more food and fuel for their journey. This was met with much anticipation and relief, and signals a nice break from the routine. Tomorrow they'll take a rest day to regain some strength as they sleep, eat, and enjoy some downtime before returning to the trail on Wednesday.

Newall Hunter has now been on the ice for six days and is sharing some of his experiences as well. He has been covering about 26 km (15 miles) per day, which is a good pace for so early in the expedition. Newall says that he generally skies for about two hours before taking a break, which allows him to catch up on food and water. Those breaks are important, but he says that when he stops, he gets incredibly cold, so he prefers to keep moving as much as he can. This is just one more challenge that the explorers face at the bottom of the world, as they continue to press forward toward their goals.

Paula Reid is finally off and running after a few delays to the start of her expedition. She isn't posting much in the way of dispatches about her experiences, but we can still track her progress none the less.  She is skiing to the Pole along the traditional route from Hercules Inlet.

Finally, Tractor Girl Manion Ossevoort has launched her journey to the South Pole in a Massey Ferguson tractor. She has been out on the ice for nine days now, having started from the Novo Station. While driving to the South Pole presents its own set of challenges, it is not really the same as skiing. Still, the team supporting the project is making great progress, and they are on an adventure all of their own. If all goes according to plan, they should arrive at 90ºS by this weekend.

That's all for now. I'll post more updates later in the week.

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Antarctica 2014: Bitterly Cold Temps and More Arrivals on the Ice

The 2014 Antarctic season is in full swing now, with more teams setting off for the South Pole amidst  "brutally cold" temperatures and high winds. Even during the austral summer, conditions on the frozen continent can test a person's resolve. With miles of open expanse in all directions, surface conditions that are incredibly difficult, and visibility often reduced to zero, it can be difficult to continue to forge ahead. But on the other hand, Antarctica is a stunningly beautiful place that is about as remote as any on the planet. All of those things, and more, are running through the minds of the skiers, many of whom have barely begun the long journey to the South Pole.

We'll start today with an update from Are Johansen, the guide who is taking Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel to the Pole. He reports that temperatures have dropped below -40ºC/-40ºF, with winds that are making things very challenging. But, the team has also managed to cover an additional 21 km (13 miles) in a little over seven hours of skiing. That's a solid distance for these opening days, especially as they pull themselves up to the polar plateau, gaining altitude as they go.

For their part, Stéphanie and Jérémie seem to be holding up well to the rigors of the trail. They making great progress, and seem well prepared for the journey. In their most recent dispatch they talk about the heavy sleds they are pulling behind them as they travel across the ice. Those sleds are their lifelines, packed full of gear and supplies. But it seems they are already thinking of ways to lighten their load, and are considering dropping some extra items that they feel they may not need such as a computer and possibly solar chargers. It is interesting that they are already looking for ways to go faster, even though they've been out on the ice a fairly short time, and have plenty of season left to go. The sleds themselves will naturally get lighter as they make progress, burning food and fuel along the way. They must feel especially burdened however if they are discussing plans to drop gear so soon.

Meanwhile, Canadian kite-skier Frédéric Dion ran into more problems with his sled over the weekend, and had to make some serious repairs this time. In order to ensure he doesn't run into problems, the explorer actually used a saw to cut the sled in half, then pieced it back together using tools and fasteners that he had on hand. The result is a smaller, more secure sled, that will also see its load lighten over time. Fred is on his way to the Pole of Inaccessibility, and needs his gear to function at a high level. He hopes that this latest round of repairs will allow him to progress without further problems.


After fixing the sled, Fred ran into a different issue – low winds. He is in a bit of a calm area at the moment, and as a result, his distances covered have dropped dramatically. On Sunday he managed just 17 km (10.5 miles) as he conserved his energy for when the big winds return, and he can put his kite up once again. The forecasts indicate those winds will return soon, so he'll be back on his way to the POI before we know it.

A couple of new expeditions got underway yesterday as more explorers and adventurers arrived on the ice. Amongst them was Paula Reid, who is skiing the full distance to the South Pole from Hercules Inlet. She has only just barely gotten underway, and her dispatch yesterday says she is testing gear before she really sets out. I would imagine she'll start covering longer distances today as she launches her bid to reach 90ºS.

Another expedition that set off yesterday is that of Manon Ossevoort, a Dutch woman who is driving a tractor to the South Pole. She's starting at the Russian Novo station, and is targeting an arrival at the Pole on or around December 7. Manon claims that it has always been her dream to drive a tractor to the bottom of the world and now, after years of planning, she's set off to do just that.

Finally, ExWeb has posted an interview with polar explorer Keith Heger, who shares some insights and tips for traveling in the Antarctic. Keith says that prospective South Pole skiers should stay organized, trust in their preparation, and never forget to have some fun along the way. He also shares his five favorite gear items, which include his Iridium Go satellite communicator, his Ibex Tuck SoftShell pants, and a specially made banana chocolate chip bread that is baked by his wife. Keith further goes into the food that keeps him fueled up on the Antarctic as well, where calories are of the utmost importance.

That's all for today. More updates as the season continues to unfold.

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Antarctica 2014: More Skiers Hit the Ice, Slow Progress Elsewhere

It has been a few difficult days in the Antarctica, where the season is ramping up nicely. More South Pole skiers arrived on the frozen continent on Saturday, after suffering a one day delay in getting out of Punta Arenas due to poor weather. Meanwhile, others continue to battle hight winds and the dreaded sastrugi – ice ridges that form on the surface, creating obstacles that slow progress. All of this is pretty much standard operating procedure in the Antarctic however, and is all part of traveling in the highest, coldest, driest place on the planet.

A big Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft had been scheduled to shuttle more explorers to the camp at Union Glacier last Friday, but that flight was scrubbed due to bad weather. Fortunately, it was only delayed by a day, and as a result, South Pole skier Newall Hunter is now on his way towards 90ºS. He spent part of yesterday skiing away from his drop-off point, and has been testing his gear to insure everything works properly. If all goes according to plan, he should hit the trail today and start the long journey from Patriot Hill to the Pole. Over the coming weeks, we'll be following his progress closely as he makes his way across the frozen expanse.

Presumably Ian Evans is also out on the ice, although he has not updated his blog just yet to indicate his current whereabouts. He has been scheduled to fly out on last Friday's flight as well, so it is logical to assume he was on the re-scheduled flight on Saturday instead. He could be at Union Glacier, and preparing to get underway, but until his website is updated, we'll just have to wait to find out where he is exactly.


Meanwhile, Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel, and their guide Are Johansen, continue to press ahead. The team is currently knocking off somewhere in the neighborhood of about 23 km (14.2 miles) per day, which is a solid effort at this point of their expedition. They are seeing their progress slowed by sastrugi however, which can take the energy out of the legs, and slow progress dramatically. Still, they are happy with how things are proceeding thus far, despite a difficult headwind and temperatures that are hovering around -30ºC/-22ºF.

Canadian kite-skier Frédéric Dion continues to make great progress on his way to the Pole of Inaccessibility. Last week he suffered a setback when his sled suffered severe damage, but he was able to repair it to a degree, and continue on with the expedition, at least so far. After stitching up the 30 cm crack in the side of the sled, he was able to catch the wind with his big kite, and cover an impressive 150 km (93 miles) in a single day. That was enough incentive for him to for go calling it a day, and climbing inside of his tent for rest. Instead, Fred chose to push on, collecting a few extra miles in the process. Right now, he and his home team are keeping a close watch on the repaired sled. If it fails, he would have to cancel the expedition altogether. A replacement sled belonging to polar explorer Dixie Dansercoer is stashed at the Novo station, and could be delivered to Frédéric in a pinch, but to do so would mean that he would have to abandon his "unsupported" designation. He is understandably reluctant to do that at this point, so for now he'll press ahead, and hope his repairs hold.

Finally, Faysal Hanneche is starting to see some solid progress on his attempt to kite ski from Novo to the South Pole, then on to Union Glacier. After being tent-bound for several days last week, he has been making solid progress with good winds as well. After covering 60 km (37 miles), Faysal reports that he found himself in a large sastrugi field, which is exactly where he didn't want to be. If sastrugi are a problem for skiers, they are even more challenging to kite-skiers, who are generally traveling at a much higher rate of speed. Hopefully he'll pass through the field in short order, and will have better skiing all the way to the Pole.

That's all for the start of the week. Stay tuned for more news out of the Antarctic soon.

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Antarctica 2014: Trouble on the Way to the POI

The 2014 Antarctic expedition season is well underway now, with teams of skiers making their way towards the South Pole, and other destinations across the frozen continent. While travel in Antarctica has become somewhat common place in recent years, it is still a very difficult, and in hospitable place, which one explorer found out yesterday. Meanwhile, the next flight to Union Glacier is still on track for tomorrow, as yet more expeditions prepare to get underway.

Canadian kite-skier Frédéric Dion ran into a bit of trouble yesterday, and it could put his entire expedition in jeopardy. Dion set off from the Russian Novo station back on November 11 with the intention of kiting to the Pole of Inaccessibility, which is defined as a point that is located furthest from any coastline on the Antarctic continent. Using his large kites to catch the wind, Fréd has been zipping along quite nicely, covering more than 500 km (310 miles) in a relatively short period of time. With him he has a specially designed sled that can best be described as a kayak on skis, which carries all of his gear and supplies. It is essentially his lifeline while out on the ice, and it is the one piece of equipment that needs to function properly in order for him to successfully reach the POI.

Yesterday, when he contacted his home team, it was with the grim news that the kayak had suffered a 30 cm (11.8 inch) crack, this making it very difficult to continue. Dion immediately initiated an attempt to repair the crack, but it took 5 hours to do so, and he made no progress at all yesterday. He will attempt to continue today, although we'll all have to wait to see if the sled will be able to stand-up to the rigors of the Antarctic.


In addition to his issues with his kayak-on-skis, Fréd is also dealing with a bit of frostbite on his nose.  Otherwise, he says that he is in great physical condition, and eager to continue, although he admits that his morale has taken a hit with the damage to the sled. He is still fully stocked with supplies, has 50 days remaining on his schedule, and is determined to press on however, so there is a good chance he could still reach the Pole of Inaccessibility. He's going to need a little luck on his side though, with the hopes that no further damage will be done in the days ahead.

Meanwhile, fellow kite-skier Faysal Hanneche is finally back on the trail, and heading towards the South Pole. He spent three consecutive days inside his tent as high winds and whiteout conditions made it impossible for him to progress. He was finally able to get moving again yesterday, but made just 6 km (3.7 miles) of progress due to amount of time it took him to simply dig out his buried tent. He hopes to make better time today, as he has a lot of ground to cover. Faysal set off from Novo station as well, and will traverse the continent to Unction Glacier, via the South Pole.

Stéphanie and Jérémie Gicquel, along with guide Are Johansen, are continuing to make solid progress towards 90ºS as well. They have now been underway for six days, and yesterday the managed to knock off a solid 22.5 km (14 miles). Considering that they are still in the early stages of the journey, that is a good distance already. The route from Patriot Hills to the South Pole requires skiers to first climb to the Antarctic Plateau, which can take days, and keep progress to a minimum in the early going. Most South Pole skiers pick up speed at they overcome early obstacles, find their rhythm, and get more accustomed to the work. The fact that they are able to cover such solid distances in their first week of skiing bodes well for the team.

Finally, the next flight out of Punta Arenas to Union Glacier is still scheduled to take place tomorrow.  It will carry the next wave of South Pole skiers, including Newall Hunter and Ian Evans, both of which are heading to 90ºS independently of one another. They should be underway in just a day or two, depending on the weather conditions.

That's all for today. Things are starting to get interesting in the Antarctic, and I'll have more coverage soon.

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