Antarctica 2011: The Clock Is Ticking...

The 2011/2012 Antarctic Season is starting to wind down as the teams close in on their final goals and the  days quickly march by. ALE has set the date for the last flight out at January 27th, which is just two weeks away from today. That means that a number of the explorers will be racing the clock right up until the end, and for some there is no room for error as they approach the home stretch.

One of those skiers is Norwegian Aleksander Gamme, who is attempting to become the first person to go solo and unsupported from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole and back again. He has been making good time, and covering large distances (56km in one day!), but as of Tuesday of this week, he still head half-way to go on the return trip. Still, Gamme seems to be strong, focused, and determined, and unless there is some unforeseen issue that arises, he seems poised to reach his goal. Bad weather or equipment failure could slow him down, but I believe he's going to make it back to Hercules in time for the flight out.

Aussies Cas and Jonesy are hoping to accomplish the same feat, and I'm not quite so optimistic about their chances. They have also picked up the pace, but as of this writing they still have 588km (365 miles) to go.  That means they'll need to continue to average roughly 42km (26 miles) per day on the return trip to make it back on time. As I mentioned earlier this week, that is doable, but it is going to be one tough challenge. Check out their latest video update from the ice below.

Meanwhile, one solo skier who is closing in on the finish line is Felicity Aston, who now is less than 200 nautical miles from Hercules. Felicity started her journey at the Ross Ice Shelf and is hoping to become the first woman to traverse the continent solo. She stopped by the South Pole on her journey as well, and is now making good time on her return to the coast. While she's not done yet, she does have a bit more of a cushion that some of the other skiers.

Sam Deltour and Dixie Dansercoer continue their epic traverse of Antarctica as well. They've been using kites to cover large distances, and so far, after 53 days out on the ice, they've covered more than 3345km (2078 miles). The duo took the past couple of days off to rest and recuperate, and now they're waiting for the wind to pick up again so they can resume their journey. They plan on staying in the Antarctic well into February as they pursue one of the longest expeditions ever to that cold and hostile place.

Finally, the Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race continues as the the Scott Team closes in on the Pole. As of today, they still have 63.6 nautical miles to go, but improved weather has meant that they've been able to pick up the pace some, and they now hope to be at the Pole to celebrate Robert Falcon Scott's arrival on Monday. Their mates on the Amundsen Team completed their journey a few days back, and now wait for their friends to join them.

Antarctica 2011: More Arrivals At The South Pole

As the clock ticks toward the fast approaching end to the Antarctic season, more explorers are arriving at the South Pole, while others struggle on towards their own personal finish lines.

There were two notable arrivals at the Pole yesterday, with Mark Wood being one of them. Mark reached 90ºS after 50 days on the ice and 612 nautical miles covered on foot. He did the last 20 of those miles yesterday alone, and said that as he approached the Pole, it felt like he was dragging a truck behind him. Tired, but happy, Mark will now take a few days to rest before flying back to Hercules Inlet and then Chile, where he'll immediately head to Canada, and start planning for his solo expedition to the North Pole, an excursion that will bring an entirely different set of challenges.

Joining Mark at the South Pole yesterday was Australian Mark George, who completed his own solo, unsupported ski journey in 44 days. Today, he is enjoying a rest day and soaking up the feelings of success at having completed his goal, and while he had been considering kiting back to Hercules, he now has given up on that idea due to time constraints. Instead, he has decided to spend his remaining time in the Antarctic on a "Mystery Tour," which means he'll be skiing and kiting in what ever direction and speed the wind, or his legs, will carry him. He says he may stay for only another couple of days or he may continue his exploration right up until the last ALE flight heads out, but either way, he's going to take advantage of his remaining time in that amazing place.

The Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race has was won yesterday as well, when the Amundsen Team reached the South Pole after crossing more than 700 nautical miles to reach that point. It took them 68 days, in sometimes horrendous conditions, to get to their finish line, where they wait for the mates on the Scott Team to join them. As of this morning, they still had 110 nautical miles to go before they arrive at 90ºS, where they will no doubt be more than relieved to hang up their skis for awhile. This Antarctic journey has not been an easy one for either of these two squads.

Meanwhile, Felicity Aston continues her solo traverse of the continent on skis. Having left the South Pole behind days ago, she's now on her way to Hercules Inlet and making solid progress. She located one of her resupply caches yesterday and was happy to have plenty of food again. She's consuming more than 5000 calories per day as fuel, but reports that she has lost lots of weight on this expedition as well. One causality of the journey – one of the toenails on her right foot has completely fallen off, which is not uncommon on long distance journeys such as this one.

Finally, Cas and Jonesy are keenly aware of just where they stand. Having covered 1560km (969 miles), they still have 733km (455 miles) to go before they return to Hercules. They also have just 18 days to cover that ground, which means they'll have to average more than 40km/day (25 miles) to make it. That is certainly doable, but it isn't going to be easy. The wind at their backs, and good weather conditions, has helped, but it is going to be a real challenge. They're not giving up however and seem as determined as ever to complete their mission. Good luck boys!

Climber Becomes First To Climb "Second Seven Summits"

Earlier this week, Italian mountaineer Hans Kammerlander became the first person to climb the "Second Seven Summits," which are the mountains that are the second highest on each of the seven continents. Kammerlander complete his quest in Antarctica, where he reached the top of the 4851 meter (15,916 ft) Mt. Tyree. According to the Adventure Journal, Hans is just the eighth person to nab that summit in the past 15 years.

Kammerlander climbed his first "second-seven" back in 2001, when he successfully topped out on K2, the second tallest mountain in Asia, and the world for that matter. At the time, he wasn't even considering the other second-tallest peaks, but in 2009 he summited Ojos del Salado, a 6893 meter (22,614 ft) mountain in South America. With that one under his belt, Hans began to form the idea of climbing the remaining "second-seven" summits.

With his new goal clearly defined, the Italian went on to climb Mt. Kenya (5199m/17,057ft) in Africa, Mt. Logan (5959m/19,550ft) in North America, and Dychtau (5204m/17,073ft) in Europe, as well a Oceania's Puncak Trikora (4730m/15,518ft) in Indonesia. That left Mt. Tyree has the lone obstacle to completing the Second Seven Summits, and now that is finished as well.

Congrats to Hans on a job well done. This wasn't exactly a highly publicized expedition and he deserves a tip of the hat for the accomplishment.

Jordan Romero On Today Show

Teen-age Seven Summiteer Jordan Romero appeared on the Today show this morning to talk about his recent climb of Mt. Vinson in Antarctica, and the successful completion of his goal to become the youngest person to climb the highest peaks on each of the seven continents. In case you missed the interview, you can watch it in the video below, where you'll see a remarkably mature and composed young man who has stayed focused on his dreams and has worked very hard to achieve them.

In the interview, Jordan also talks about what adventures he might be pursuing in the future. He indicated that while he would like to take a little time to relax and reflect for now, he also wants to continue inspiring other kids to go after their own goals through his Find Your Everest initiative. The 15-year old also hinted that a journey to the South Pole may be in his future as well. As you can tell from the video, he seemed to really enjoy his time in Antarctica, which he calls the most beautiful place he's ever visited.

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Antarctica 2011: More Updates From The Ice

In yesterday's update I mentioned a number of teams that had reached the South Pole at last, but also noted there were plenty of of other updates to come. Today I'll touch on a few of the other explorers out on the ice who are continuing their own expeditions through the Antarctic.

One of those explorers is Norwegian Aleksander Gamme, who is attempting to become the first person to make the journey from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole and back again. Aleksander completed the first leg of that journey on December 26th, but he didn't linger long at the Pole and started the return journey the next day. He knows that he is racing the clock and is hoping to get back to where he started before the last plane leaves on January 27th. He is currently covering roughly 30km (18.6 miles) per day and is feeling good. You may recall that Cas and Jonesy are also hoping to make a there-and-back-again journey from Hercules, but they are currently running a few days behind Aleksander. The two Aussies reached the Pole on New Year's Day, and have already started their return trip as well.

The two teams in the Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race continue their long, slow trek to the Pole. The Amundsen squad are actually starting to close in on their target, and now have less than 95 nautical miles to go until they hit 90ºS. At their current pace, they'll likely reach the finish line early next week, while their mates on the Scott Team are now looking at an arrival around the 18th or 19th of the month. Both teams report horrible weather today, with high winds creating complete whiteout conditions. Typically that would be a good excuse for a rest day in the tent, but since they're running behind schedule, rest days are now at a premium. Supplies are a bit light as well, and they'll be rationing their remaining food until the very end.

One team that has long since come and gone from the Pole is Dixie Dansercoer and Sam Deltour. The boys are now 43 days into their planned three month long expedition, and now have covered more than 2695km (1674 miles) in their traverse of the continent. They've hit a spell of high winds, which are the bane of the skiers but are very welcome to the kiters, so they've picked up their pace quite a bit and are now covering as much as 120km (74.5 miles) per day. Yesterday was cause for celebration, as Sam turned 27 and the men shared a couple of candy bars in his honor.

Finally, Felicity Aston is well on her way to Hercules Inlet after starting on the Ross Ice Shelf and swinging by the South Pole. She has crossed the 86th parallel and is making good progress, although high winds and rough sastrugi have been physically punishing of late. Hercules is located at 80ºS, so obviously she still has a long way to go before she's done, but the Brit remains upbeat and undaunted in her efforts to become the first woman to traverse the continent solo.

Antarctica 2011: Jordan Romero's Summit Photos!

As I mentioned last week, on Christmas Eve, teen-age mountaineer Jordan Romero reached the top of Mt. Vinson in Antarctica, completing his quest to climb the Seven Summits. In the process, Jordan became the youngest person to ever achieve that feat and has served as an inspiration for others around the world. Jordan and his family have now returned home to Big Bear in California and a much deserved rest, but I thought you might be interested in seeing a couple of summit photos from his final Seven Summits climb. Check them out below.

Thanks to Clay at No Boundaries for sharing these!

Antarctica 2011: More Teams At The Pole!

It has been a busy New Year at the South Pole, where more teams have begun to arrive, bringing an end to an epic journey for some, while others will continue on. The season is starting to run short however, and the clock is ticking for those explorers who hope to make a return trip to Hercules Inlet.

One of the teams that we have been following closely are the two Aussie boys Cas and Jonesy. They've had a rough go of it almost since the start, but they reached a major milestone yesterday by finally getting to 90ºS. It took them 62 days to make the journey from Hercules to the Pole, but at long last they reached that point, which was cause for some celebration. The won't take long to revel in their achievement however, as they have to turn around and start heading North today. They hope to become the first team to make the unsupported round trip journey from Hercules and back, but the final plane off the continent is scheduled for January 27th, which leaves them a little more than three weeks to get back. They do have a few things working in their favor that can help them move a bit faster. Their sleds will be lighter on this leg and they'll be moving down hill most of the way. Still, it'll be a real challenge for them to reach the finish line in time.

Also reaching the Pole since our last update is Richard Weber's team, which hit 90ºS on December 29th. The skiers managed to cover the last two degrees, the equivalent of 120 nautical miles, in just six days, which is quite impressive under any conditions. They had hoped to kite ski back to Hercules along with South African Howard Fairbank, who completed his own solo and unsupported trek to the Pole last week. Howard decided that that journey took a bit too much out of him, so he has now decided to fly back to Hercules instead. Weber and one of the remaining team members still intend to kite ski back, and have already started the 1000km (620 mile) return journey to the coast.

Australian solo-skier Mark George is closing in on the South Pole as well, although he still has a few days to go before he's done. As of this morning, Georgie is at 88.13ºS and battling sastrugi has he makes the long slow journey south. Mark expressed frustrations at his current pace in his latest dispatch, as conditions haven't been conducive to making good time the past few days, but that is all part and parcel with travel in the Antarctic, and the explorers know that before they ever start out. Today is Mark's 38th day on the ice, and it seems likely he'll finish off his journey in about 40 days total. Not a bad pace at all.

Mark Wood estimates that he is roughly 8 days from the Pole, as he has now crossed 87.5ºS. He continues to battle white out conditions and sastrugi as well, and his broken ski bindings continue to give him problems nearly every day. For the first time in nearly a month and half, he did have contact with other humans today however. Mark ran into a group of Norwegian kite-skiers who left the Pole a few days ago and are now kiting back to the coast. They spent a few minutes chatting with one another before me moved on, but after 42 days on the ice, it must have been good to see another person.

There are still plenty of other teams to post updates on as well, but I'll reserve them for tomorrow. The Antarctic season is now starting to wind down, but there will be a lot of action before that last plane flies out at the end of the month.

Antarctica 2011: Fairbank At The Pole, Others Close In

While the rest of us have enjoyed a relaxing holiday season, the Antarctic skiers continue their long march to the South Pole. The season has already been a long one for many of the explorers, but it isn't over yet, and there are still many miles to go, with time starting to run short.

South African solo-skier Howard Fairbank reached the Pole on Tuesday of this week, reaching the bottom of the world on his 35th day out on the ice. That is a very quick and respectable time for ski journey to the Bottom of the World, where he is now enjoying some rest and relaxation. His original plan was to kite ski back to Hercules with Richard Waber's team, who are likely to join Howard at 90ºS today, but Howard is weighing his options for the return trip and may elect to hop an ALE flight to Chile instead.

Cas and Jonesy are closing in on the Pole as well and as of yesterday they had just 74km (45 miles) to go until they reached the halfway point of their journey. The Aussie duo have now spent almost 60 days on their trek from Hercules Inlet, and the original plan was for them to attempt to become the first to make an unsupported return trip to that point. The journey has taken its toll on the boys however, and we'll have to see if they elect to continue their journey as well. If they stay on pace, they should arrive at the South Pole in time for the New Year.

Felicity Aston is on the trail towards Hercules as well, having already passed by the Pole last week. She's now skiing North, which means she has the warmth of the sun on her face throughout the day, and while she still has a long way to go to complete her solo traverse of the continent, she seems optimistic and in good spirits as she continues on her adventure.

Finally, Mark Wood has now been on the trail for 38 days and has crossed the 87th parallel today. That leaves him with about 290km (180 miles) to go until he reaches the Pole. He expects that to take roughly 12 days to cover, which would put him at the finish line on about January 10th or so. That will mark the end of the first stage of Mark's epic polar adventure however, as he'll then immediately head to Canada, where he'll start a solo and unsupported expedition to the North Pole as well – a journey that is likely to be even more demanding and difficult than this one.

Antarctica 2011: Jordan Tops Out On Vinson, Completes Seven Summits!

Just a quick update on 15-year old climber Jordan Romero, who finished his quest to climb the Seven Summits over the holiday weekend by successfully topping out on Mt. Vinson. Jordan, along with his father Paul and step-mom Karen, completed their climb on Christmas Eve, and were back in Base Camp in time for dinner.

For Jordan, Vinson marked the conclusion of a quest that he started when he was just 10 years old. Inspired by a mural he saw at his school, the young man decided he wanted to climb the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents. He would take on Kilimanjaro in Africa first, but would follow that up with successful climbs on the other continents as well, including Everest last year. He was just 13 years old when he stood atop the tallest mountain on the planet.

Antarctica was the last continent for the teenager to visit, and the 4892 meter (16,050 ft) Vinson presented a considerable challenge. What the mountain lacks in height, it makes up for with challenging weather conditions. High winds and extremely cold weather are the norm on Vinson, not to mention plenty of snow. Throw in the fact that the air pressure at the Poles is lower, and the air is actually thinner there than it would be taller mountains closer to the equator.

According to Jordan's Facebook page, the team is now preparing to leave Antarctica and head home. They're expecting an airlift back to Hercules Inlet today, and then back to Punta Arenas, Chile in the next few days. From there, the long journey back to the U.S.

The question is, what's next for the talented and focused climber? Will Jordan take a break from mountaineering for awhile, or will he set his sights on bigger challenges. Perhaps the 8000 meter peaks? He already has one under his belt. I guess we'll have to wait to see. After all, the young man still has to graduate high school.

Congrats Jordan.

Antartica 2011: Summit Plans Change For Jordan, Felicity Leaves The Pole

While the rest of us prepare for a little time with our friends and family for the holidays, the Antarctic explorers remain focused on their respective goals. Most will celebrate Christmas in their own way, but the best present of all will be achieving the things they set out for on the frozen continent.

One person who should be getting just what he wanted for Christmas is teen mountaineer Jordan Romero. Yesterday I mentioned that he had reached Low Camp on Vinson and was hoping to make his summit bid on Sunday, which would put him on top for Christmas Day. Turns out there has been a slight change of plans however, and after moving up to High Camp today, Team Jordan now expects to summit Antarctica's highest peak tomorrow. If successful, Jordan will become the youngest person to complete the Seven Summits. Good luck to Jordan, his dad Paul, and stepmom Karen. Get up and down the mountain safely.

Meanwhile, Felicity Aston has left the South Pole behind and is now back on the trail and headed towards Hercules Inlet. You'll recall that she arrived at Pole earlier this week and then spent a rest day there before resuming her journey. Felicity hopes to become the first woman to traverse Antarctica solo, and reaching the Pole was a good milestone for her expedition. She still has a long ways to go however, which is why she didn't linger at 90ºS for long.

Australian adventurer Mark George is continuing his solo and unsupported trek to the Pole, and is sending holiday wishes to friends and family back home today. Mark has been out on the ice for 27 days and has now passed the 85ºS mark, which puts him more than halfway to his goal. He reports good weather conditions, and warmer than expected temperatures, which has made the snow soft. Those warm temps are appreciated, but the soft snow makes it much harder to pull the sledge behind you. Still, Mark is making good time and covering solid daily distances as well.

Howard Fairbank continues to make progress toward the Pole as well, and now expects to cross the 89th parallel tomorrow. That'll leave him just one degree shy of the South Pole, where he'll complete his solo and unsupported journey and await Richard Weber's group, whom he'll kite back to Hercules with. Howard says that while he is closing in on the finish line, things are not getting any easier though, largely because of a painful foot injury that  makes it difficult to ski at times. The South African says that he is both mentally and physically exhausted at this point, and he'll reassess the idea of kiting once he hits 90ºS.

Finally, Cas and Jonesy have picked up the pace this week, skiing an extra hour each day and as a result, covering more distance. They're also thinking strategically about their expedition now, as they intended to not only reach the South Pole, but then ski back to Hercules Inlet when they're done. Because of this, they've begun to drop supply caches in various locations along the way, which has the benefit of not only lessening their loads, allowing them to move faster, but gives them resupply for the return trip. They're also rationing their food at this point as well, which means they're generally hungry all of the time. When you burn 6000+ calories per day on the trail, it is hard to get enough to eat. But if they want to have a legitimate chance of becoming the first team to make the round-trip from Hercules Inlet to the Pole and back, they need to conserve their supplies. While they haven't indicated that there will be a change in those plans, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't also reassess their situation upon reaching the South Pole as well.

That's all for now. More updates soon.

Antarctica 2011: Jordan In Low Camp On Vinson, Eyes Christmas Summit

Just a quick update on Jordan Romero this morning, who is now in low camp on Mt. Vinson in Antarctica, where he is hoping to complete the last of his Seven Summit climbs. If successful, Jordan will become the youngest person to complete that feat at the age of 15.

The current plan is for Jordan and his team, which consists of his father Paul and stepmother Karen, to move up to high camp tomorrow, where they'll rest, acclimatize, and prepare for a proposed summit bid on Christmas morning.

You can follow along with their progress on Jordan's website, which is updated with current weather conditions on the mountain as well as text messages from the team and their current GPS coordinates. As I write this, it is -22ºC/-7ºF in LC, with a windspeed of 38km/h (20.5 mph). In other words, it is cold and breezy, which is just what you'd expect when climbing this mountain.

Stay tuned for more updates on Jordan's progress. Hopefully he'll be getting the best Christmas present ever on Sunday when he stands on top of Vinson and accomplishes the amazing goal that he set for himself when he was just 10 years old.

Antarctica 2011: Felicity At The Pole!

As expected, Felicity Aston reached the South Pole yesterday, which is a terrific milestone in her attempt to become the first woman to go solo and unsupported across the Antarctic continent. On her Twitter feed, Felicity announced that she arrived at approximately 4:00 PM amidst nearly a complete whiteout conditions. She was greeted by friends upon her arrival, and was soon warm and well fed.

While her arrival at the Pole is indeed cause to celebrate, Felicity is far from finished. Having started her journey on the Ross Ice Shelf, she now plans to ski to Hercules Inlet to complete her traverse. That means that the bulk of the distance still lies ahead, although she will be descending back to the coast, which should help ease the journey some. Listen to Felicity's audio dispatch from 90ºS by clicking here.

Another skier who has been closing in on the Pole is South African Howard Fairbank, who was at 88.17ºS as of yesterday. Unfortunately, bad weather set in, forcing Howard to take shelter in his tent, while high winds caused whiteout conditions. As you can imagine, this has left him feeling a bit frustrated about the situation, as he is close enough to the Pole that he can practically smell it, and his recent days on the ice have been very productive mileage wise. Hopefully today is a better day for Howard, who should reach the Pole in time before Christmas. That is, if the weather cooperates.

Mark Wood is continuing his slow, steady, and sure march to the South Pole. He has now been out on the ice for 30 days – a solid month– and yesterday he crossed the 85th parallel. He expects that it will take upwards of another 20 days to reach the Pole, which is a bit off the pace he had originally intended. Still, his spirits remain high and he seems as focused as ever on achieving the first leg of his goal. Once he's completed his Antarctic march, Mark will then head north to the Arctic, where he'll face the even more challenging trek to the North Pole.

Finally, the two teams in the Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race keep plugging away as well. The Amundsen squad covered 12.5 nautical miles (23.1km) yesterday and as a result, they've now crossed the 86th degree. They still have about 240 miles (386km) to go until they reach the Pole, and the terrible weather they've had to deal with over the past few days hasn't helped much. Meanwhile, their compatriots on the Scott Team are dealing with dangerous crevasse fields as they struggle to leave the Bearmore Glacier behind at last. Once that obstacle is behind them, they hope to pick up some speed on the way to the finish line as well. They are currently 305 nautical miles (564km) from the Pole, but remain focused on their goal.

Antarctica 2011: Felicity Closes In On The Pole

It was another productive weekend for the Antarctic skiers heading to the South Pole. The weather was generally good for the past few days, although some of the teams are now reporting a change once again, with high winds working against them, even as they close in on their destination.

One of those skiers is Felicity Aston, who has now entered the last degree to the Pole and should be arriving at 90ºS in the next few days. It won't be an easy journey to that point however, as she reports very strong winds this morning, which are making it tough to make progress. On her Twitter feed she also laments the fact that after skiers have passed the last degree, they aren't allowed to leave anything behind. That includes human waste, and as a result, she's now "pooing in a bag." Such are the hardships of a polar explorer. As a reminder, don't forget that the South Pole is not the finish line for Aston, who will then ski to Hercules Inlet for pick-up.

South African adventurer Howard Fairbank has crossed the 88th degree himself and his hoping to reach the South Pole sometime next week. He has been going solo and unsupported until this point, but will join Richard Weber and his squad to kite ski back to Hercules. Howard reports that the winds have increased for him as well, although it was the terrain that really made it a tough go today. He did manage to cover 30km (18.6 miles), but it was a real struggle that has left him physically and mentally drained. Still, his spirits seem high and he is happy to have reached another milestone in his journey.

Speaking of Richard Weber and the team he is leading to the South Pole, they reached a milestone of sorts over the weekend as well. The group managed to cross the last of the crevasse fields, and the 87th parallel, but not without a few injuries. A members of the squad by the name of Chris de Lapuente fell on the ice, and managed to break his wrist and tweak his knee fairly seriously. He has managed to keep skiing, although his knee is reportedly quite swollen. In a bit of ingenuity, the team used a paperback book as a make-shift splint to protect the wrist, and for now Chris is toughing it out. Hopefully these injuries won't prevent him from completing the expedition.

Dixie and Sam had hoped to close in on the Pole today or tomorrow, but the winds they are using to drive their kites, all but disappeared yesterday. As a result, they took the opportunity to rest and plan for their post-Pole adventure. The boys are closing in on 30 days out on the ice, but that is roughly on a third of what they have planned, so after they pay their respects at the South Pole Station, they'll be continuing on for another two months of travel throughout the continent. If the winds cooperate, I'd expect them to arrive at the Pole before the end of the week, as they are now notching as much as 150km (93 miles) per day when the winds are blowing right. As of this morning, they were sitting at about 87.5ºS, leaving them just 2.5º to go.

It seems we should start to see a steady stream of skiers arriving at the South Pole over the next few days. For some, it will be the end of the line, for others, just another stop over on a much  longer and challenging adventure. Stay tuned for more.

Video: Rocking and Rolling On The Southern Ocean

The Drake Passage is one of the most notoriously treacherous bodies of water in the world. Sitting between the southern tip of South America and the Shetland Islands of Antarctica, it is a dividing line of sorts between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Because of its unique geographical location, it has been known to see some incredibly bad weather, which can make sailing through those waters a precarious affair.

Recently, ski guide Kent McBride experienced this first hand when he was returning from an expedition to the Antarctic in which he, and some teammates, skied a variety of locations in the region. After finishing up that excursion, the team was on its way back to Chile, when they caught out in the Drake Passage when things began to get a bit dicey. You can see the results in the video below, which show the waters there rolling dramatically, while we're informed that the wind gusts are topping out the Beaufort Scale, which is a ranking between 1 and 12 that indicates the force and danger of the winds. In this case, the ship was experiencing a 12 on that scale, which is hurricane force.

You can read more about Kent's adventures over at the Born Out There Blog, which is the official blog of First Ascent gear.

Warning: If you're prone to sea sickness, this video may be enough to put you over the edge.

Antarctica 2011: Milestones

This past Wednesday, which marked the 100th anniversary of Amundsen first reaching the South Pole, was a major milestone in the 2011 Antarctic season. For several teams, it was the end point of their expeditions, as they had hoped to make it to the Pole in time for the celebration. For other skiers, it was a day to reflect, take stock of their progress, and consider all of the brave men and women who had traveled this route before them.

For one team, the Antarctic 1911-2011 squad, Wednesday was most definitely the end of the line. After having two team members airlifted to the Pole to take part in the ceremony, the remaining two members, Vegard Ulvang and Harald Dag Jollie, did complete their ski expedition, albeit a bit late to join the festivities. Now, the four men are headed home, bringing a close to their Antarctic adventure.

Another skier who feels like he's achieved a milestone is Mark Wood, who is now 25 days into his solo and unassisted journey to the South Pole. Mark managed to cover 16 nautical miles (29km) today and feels like he has turned the corner in terms of feeling good, acclimatizing to the environment, and finding his rhythm on his skis. He still has plenty of distance to go of course, and when he's done in the Antarctic he heads directly to the Arctic, but he now feels that his first goal, the South Pole, is a tangible destination.  The expanse of white that is the Antarctic continent can be a bit tiresome though, as he noted in an audio broadcast today, during which he equated it to that scene in The Matrix, when the characters were standing in an all white environment with no points of reference.

Also now in their 25th day on the ice, are Dixie Dansercoer and Sam Deltour, who are continuing to explore the continent via kite skis. Since enduring a horrible start to their journey, which forced a restart, the boys have managed to really chalk up the mileage. Yesterday alone, they covered 115.3km (62 miles),  which brought their total distance up to 1246.5km (673 miles) so far. Their latest dispatch reports that they are very much enjoying the steady and strong winds that are allowing them to make this kind of progress, and they hope to be at the South Pole sometime early next week. But again, this is just the start of their journey as well, since they intend to be on the ice for more than three months and cover 6000km (3239 miles) while they are there.

The two teams in the Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race are still plodding along, despite challenging conditions. The Amundsen squad now has 271 nautical miles (501km) to cover before they reach the Pole, while their compatriots on the Scott Team are facing 346 nmi (640km) before they get to their destination. Both teams are dealing with rough terrain at the moment, with the lead team hoping to put the Axel Heiberg glacier behind them this weekend, while Scott squad battles the Beardmore Glacier and all of its crevasses, stastrugi, and other assorted issues.

Finally, Cas and Jonesy continue to be media darlings back in their native Australia. The latest news report on their expedition, which you can see below, says that the boys plan to reach the Pole in the first week of the new year, although they'll barely have time to celebrate. Once their, they intend to turn around and ski back to Hercules Inlet in an attempt to become the first to go solo and unsupported to the Pole and back. Thats still a very long way to go, with the clock ticking against them.

Antarctica 2011: Felicity Aston Radio Interview

One of the Antarctic skiers that I've been following closely this year is Felicity Aston, who is attempting to become the first woman to make a solo and unsupported traverse of the continent. Yesterday, Aston was interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR) here in the states, giving a large audience an introduction to polar exploration.

In the interview, which you can listen to here, Felicity talks about what it is like to travel through the Antarctic on foot, dragging her gear and supplies behind her on a sledge. She touches on dealing with the weather conditions, what the landscapes are like, and much more. Overall, a very solid interview, with good questions asked by the host.

Felicity notes that she has now been on the ice for more than 20 days and that she is roughly a degree and a half from the Pole. That means she should arrive at 90ºS sometime early next week. Of course, that is just the first waypoint for her, and after a short break, I'm sure she'll be back on the trail and headed towards Hercules Inlet. Overall, she's been making good time, but she still has a very long way to go before she's done.

Follow Felicity's progress on her Twitter feed, which features regular updates from Antarctica.

Antarctica 1911: How Amundsen Won The Pole

As most of you know, yesterday marked the 100th anniversary of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen becoming the first person to reach the South Pole. A century ago, that was almost as big of an accomplishment as man walking on the moon. Back then, exploration was quite the source for national pride, and at the time, there were a number of explorers that were vying for the chance to be the first to plant their flag at 90ºS.

Amundsen's triumph followed a number of failed attempts by several pioneers of arctic exploration, including Ernest Shackleton and the Norwegian's chief rival, Robert Falcon Scott. But was was diffeent on this expedition from all the others, and how did Amundsen reach the finish line more than a month ahead of Scott? That is the subject of an excellent article on the National Geographic Adventure blog, which goes into detail on the advantages that Amundsen had over Scott, thanks to the time he spent in the Arctic, where he learned polar survival skills from the Inuit.

Throughout his lifetime, Amundsen was drawn to the cold, polar regions of the planet. Not only did he visit the South Pole, but he also became the first person to visit both Poles by going to 90º North as well. The explorer also pioneered routes through the Northwest and Northeast passages too. On many of his adventures, he displayed a keen ability to adapt to situations and learn from his challenges. So when Amundsen had a chance to learn from the Inuit tribes while making the first traverse of the Northwest Passage, he became a keen student of the skills that allowed them to thrive above the Arctic Circle.

When he returned to the Antarctic, Amundsen knew that sled dogs and warm furs were going to help him win the day, and in the end, those choices proved to be very wise. Not only was he able to move much faster than Scott, but his approach was much more efficient for the men too.

The rest is, as they say, history.

Antarctica 2011: Celebration At The Pole!

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Roald Amundsen, and his team, at the South Pole. To commemorate the event, I have posted a lengthy article about the race between Amundsen and his chief rival, Robert Falcon Scott, on Gadling this morning. You can read it here. Most of you already know the story of course. Amundsen, who employed techniques and skills that he learned from the Inuit tribes in the Arctic, was able to use sled dogs and a shorter approach to beat Scott to the Pole. The tragic story of Scott and his men will unfold in future posts, but today we celebrate the Norwegian explorer, who became the first to reach the bottom of the world, 90ºS.

To mark this auspicious occasion, Norway's Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, skied the last few kilometers to the Pole along the very same route that Amundsen and his team took on their historic expedition. When he arrived at the Pole, Stoltenberg was joined by research scientists, explorers, adventure travelers, and other dignitaries in a ceremony that paid homage to the spirit of Amundsen, who would later become the first person to visit both the North and South Pole, while also pioneering routes through the Northeast and Northwest passages.

Unfortunately, most of the teams skiing to the South Pole who had hoped to be there to celebrate the event weren't able to make it. Bad weather delayed the start of the season by as much as two weeks, and that through schedules off dramatically. One team that gave it their best was the South Pole 1911-2011 squad, who would have liked to have one more day to complete their journey. Instead, the four man team broke into two units, with two of the men (Jan-Gunnar Winther and Stein Aasheim) were picked up by plane and transported the final distance so that they could be on hand in an official capacity at the ceremony. Their two companions, Vegard Ulvang and Harald Dag Jollie, both continued skiing on, and did manage to reach the Pole today, although it was after the ceremony was over. Still, the two men had to feel incredibly satisfied to have completed their own expedition a century after the man who inspired them.

Congratulations to the first visitors to the Pole this season and to all of those who made it for the ceremony. Here's to another hundred years of adventure in the Antarctic.

Antarctica 2011: Jordan Romero Is On His Way

While the South Pole skiers struggle with their own demons, namely the bad weather and endless days on the ice, the climbers are now appearing in Antarctica in larger numbers, as they set off to climb Mt. Vinson and other nearby peaks.

One of those climbers is of course Jordan Romero, the 15 year old mountaineer who is on the brink of becoming the youngest person to complete the Seven Summits. Yesterday, Jordan and his team (read: his dad and stepmom) left the U.S. for Punta Arenas Chile, where they'll have a brief stop over to collect their gear and complete final preparations before the expedition officially begins. So far, Jordan's website hasn't been updated with on his status, but keep an eye out on the Team Jordan Romero twitter feed for news on his whereabouts. Once he arrives in Base Camp, there will be regular updates, with texts, images, and voice reports as well.

Mt. Vinson marks the end of a long quest for Jordan. The young man climbed his first of the Seven Summits, Kilimanjaro, back in 2006 when he was just ten years old. He followed that up with a slew of successful climbs up Aconcagua, Elbrus, Denali and others. Of course, it was his climb up Everest last year that caught the attention of media around the globe, as he scaled the highest mountain on the planet at the ripe old age of 13.

With Everest out of the way, Vinson was the last obstacle for the young man. Standing 4892 meters (16,050 ft) in height, the peak won't necessarily intimidate with its altitude. The high winds, bitterly cold temperatures, and heavy snow will still create quite a challenge however, so this won't be a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination. Still, Jordan has faced stiffer challenges since he began climbing, and I've learned not to bet against this kid. He is strong, talented, and very determined. It should be fun to follow along on the last of his Seven Summits.

Antarctica 2011: Teams Chase Amundsen To The Pole

A century after he made his historic run, the shadow of Roald Amundsen looms large this week in the Antarctic, where many of the South Pole skiers are no doubt thinking about the Norwegian explorer who went before them. Wednesday marks the 100th anniversary of Amundsen's arrival at the South Pole, where a ceremony is planned to honor his achievement. That ceremony will kick off a month of remembrance for the triumph and tragedy that was the Amundsen-Scott battle for the Pole.

One team that hopes to be in attendance for that ceremony is the South Pole 1911-2011 team, who are vacillating between optimism and despair as they approach the final run to 90ºS. They hope to be there in time for the centenary ceremony, but they still have 130km (80 miles) to go as of yesterday. Fate worked in their favor however, as polar explorer Asle Johansen abandoned his quest to go to the South Pole over the weekend, and while he was being picked up in a Twin Otter aircraft from ALE, the team was able to offload gear they won't need for their stretch run to the finish line. That means they are traveling lighter and faster than before, and feeling more confident in their chances of arriving on Wednesday. The plan now is to ski as long as possible today and tomorrow. Take a brief rest tomorrow evening, then ski through the night and into Wednesday, with the hope of hitting the Pole on the 14th, exactly 100 years after Amundsen. Stay tuned to see if they make it.

Elsewhere on the ice, South African Howard Fairbank seems to have caught his rhythm quite nicely and is eating up good chunks of ground on his solo journey to the South Pole. He has now passed the 86ºS mark and yesterday he completed his personal best of 30km (18.6 miles) in a single day. He has started to face more uphill challenges however, but seems optimistic about his pace and the overall conditions of the weather and ice at the moment. His biggest challenge right now? Getting enough to eat! Howard reports that he is absolutely famished at the end of the day, and his foot rations are not always enough to satiate his needs. Considering these skiers burn in excess of 8000 calories per day, that isn't surprising.

Mark Wood took a much needed rest day yesterday to let his feet heal up some. He reports minor issues with blisters and the usual wear and tear, but considering he has a long journey ahead of him, he thought it best to take some time to recuperate a bit before returning to the trail. You may recall, Mark is attempting to become the first person to travel to the North and South Pole back-to-back, and once he finished up in the Antarctica, he'll immediately head north and start the second stage of his expedition. Wood has now been out on the ice for 21 days and figures he has about 30 more days to reach the South Pole to stay on his schedule. Otherwise, weather conditions are good and things are proceeding as planned.

The two Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race teams continue to steam ahead as well. The Amundsen squad has the upper-hand in this "competition" but they hit a bit of a snag yesterday, starting the up-hill crawl along the Axel Heiberg Glacier. They're also running into lots of soft snow at the moment, whic isn't helping their efforts to pull their heavy sledges. The Scott Team on the other hand, have moved onto the Beardmore Glacier, where they're hoping to improve their pace some. That won't be easy however, as they've had to begin their climb as well, and the three men are roped together while they traverse a massive crevasse field. Both units have been been out on the ice for 40 days now, and have hundreds of miles to go before they reach the Pole.

Finally, Cas and Jonesy continue to generate plenty of media attention back in their home country of Australia. The video below is a television report that aired over the weekend, updating viewers of their progress. The boys crossed the halfway point to the Pole last week, but as the video reminds us, that is really only a quarter of the way to their goal. Hang in their guys!