North Pole 2014: The North Pole Season is Over!

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

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

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


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

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

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

North Pole 2014: Mission Accomplished! Eric and Ryan at the Pole!

After 53 days out on the ice, Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters accomplished their goal at long last. The American duo reached the geographic North Pole last night, ending a four-year drought for anyone completing that journey on foot. The final push came in early evening, with the men arriving at 90ºN at about 7:50 PM Pacific Time. And while the final section to the actual Pole was smooth going, the last day of the expedition was anything but.

According to the audio dispatches that were released yesterday and today, the final push to the top of the world was incredibly grueling, with the explorers facing everything from rough ice, to large open leads, with whiteout conditions thrown in for good measure. In one of the dispatches, Eric says that it took them more than 8 hours just to cover a 3.5 mile stretch of ground. During that phase, they were skiing when they could, but had to resort to crawling, and swimming at times.

Eventually, they came across a section of flat, relatively smooth ice, that stretched before them unbroken. They knew that they were close to the Pole, with Eric remarking that for the first time since the start of the journey, there were no major obstacles in their way. It took a bit of navigating to locate 90ºN, but once they did, they celebrated briefly, took some pictures, and then crawled into their tent for a rest. In his dispatch, Eric said that they are utterly spent. The amount of effort it took, particularly in the final days when they were racing the clock, has left them completely exhausted.


The expedition was originally scheduled to last 45 days, but knowing that traveling in the Arctic is a difficult, unpredictable affair, they packed food and fuel for 55 days. That meant that they were able to complete the journey completely self supported, and didn't have to call in a resupply. With two days food left to spare, they can now rest for a bit before a flight can be arranged to pick them up. Extraction will come as the weather permits. A few days ago, the forecasts indicated that storms were possible in the area, so while they boys have reached their goal, they are not on their way home just yet.

Both Eric and Ryan are veterans of travel in the colder regions of our planet. In his last dispatch, Eric mentioned that things are changing dramatically in the Arctic, and the ice there is now unlike anything he has ever seen before. Climate change is having a dramatic effect on the Poles, and soon it may be impossible for anyone to complete this journey to the top of the world. In my opinion, it is already the toughest undertaking in the world of outdoor adventure, and considering the fact that no one has done it since 2010, I think it is only getting more difficult. It may not be too many more years before it is simply impossible to travel on foot the full distance to the North Pole.

Congratulations to Ryan and Eric on the successful completion of their expedition. Their efforts in the Arctic are an inspiration to many of us who have been following their progress for weeks. Hopefully they'll be on their way back home soon. I think they've earned themselves some much deserved rest, and perhaps a little time on a warm beach somewhere.

North Pole 2014: Closing In On 90ºN

Just a quick update from the Arctic today to give you a progress report on Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters. The two Americans have been out on the ice for 47 days now, and it is beginning to appear like they will accomplish their goal of reaching the North Pole, covering the full distance from Cape Discovery in Canada. If they do accomplish that, they'll be the first to do so in over 4 years, and while they still have some distance to go, their target is in sight, and it looks like it would take something catastrophic to prevent them from finishing now.

Updates have been sporadic over the past few days, mainly because they are skiing more hours in an effort to cover more ground. Right now, they're skiing 12 1-hour shifts per day, and sleeping just 4.5 hours. As you can imagine, this schedule is taking its toll on the explorers and their equipment. But, these extra hours are paying off, as they are now hitting 18 nautical miles (33 km) per day, which is what they need to cover in order to reach the Pole before they run out of supplies.

As of this writing, they are now 102 miles (163.9 km) from the North Pole. They have crossed the 88th degree, and are now rapidly closing in on 89. At their current pace, that would put them at 90ºN early next week. From the sounds of their audio dispatches, they'll be limping into the finish line. Much of their gear is being held together by makeshift repairs, following the abuse it has taken on the way to the Pole.

It is difficult to convey just how big of an accomplishment Eric and Ryan are about to complete. For my money, traveling to the North Pole remains the toughest challenge in the world of adventure today. The fact that no one has done it for so long underscores that. I also continue to believe that due to climate change, it'll only get more difficult to ski to the North Pole in the future.

I'll post more updates as they approach their end point. Hopefully there won't be any issues with extracting them from the ice. Only a few more days now.

North Pole 2014: Resupply and Relocation

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

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

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

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




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

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

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

Video: Teenagers Skip School To Make First Ski Descent In The Alps

Here's an awesome story of two kids who already have a thirst for adventure. 15-year old alpine skiers Nicolas Jean and Leo Delafuente dream about making first descents on some of the big mountains in the Alps. In fact, they'll sometimes sit in class, and make sketches of their plans. Recently, they actually skipped school to become the first to ski down an impressive looking mountain that is in their neighborhood. The video below captures that first descent. Reportedly, they were back in school in time for 5th period, and kept their accomplishment a secret until they could release the film. Kids these days!

North Pole 2014: One Team Left To Challenge The Arctic

Yesterday we received the news that Japanese solo-skier Yasu Ogita has pulled the plug on his expedition to the North Pole. Bad weather and rough ice led to slow progress this season, and with food and fuel running out, it was evident that he would not be able to make it to the North Pole in time. He is still waiting for a plane to come retrieve him from the ice, but his departure means that only one team remains to challenge the Arctic this season, and they are doing their best to complete a full journey to 90ºN. That's a journey that no one has been able to complete in four-years.

Ryan Waters and Eric Larsen continue to press ahead with their expedition to the North Pole, despite the fact that they have faced many of the same difficulties that Yasu did. They are now in their 38th day out on the ice, a week behind their Japanese counterpart. With 55 days of food and fuel with them, the clocking is starting to tick on their progress as well.

As of now, they still have 235 miles (377 km) to go before they reach their goal. That means they need to average approximately 13 miles (20 km) per day, for the rest of the journey, in order to make it before they run out of supplies. That is a tall order, but their speed has increased in recent days, and should only continue to do so as they get closer to the top of the world. They are now past 86.5ºN, and picking up steam. If the weather cooperates, they still have a chance of completing an expedition that has only gotten more difficult overt he past few years. Stay tuned for updates on their progress.

Elsewhere, the Expedition Hope team of Bernice Notenboom, Eric Philips and Martin Hartley are heading in the opposite direction. They set off from the North Pole and are traveling to Cape Discovery, the starting point for Eric and Ryan. A bad storm has plagued the team for the past few days, making travel difficult, and reminding them of how challenging the Arctic can be. Things have improved now, and temperatures have warmed up to a balmy -18ºC/0ºF. That's quite warm for the region of the world they are traveling through, which has made things easier, at least for today. The squad is nearing in on 87ºN at the moment, and should pass their second degree over the next few days. That's a good milestone for the expedition so far.



Over in Greenland, Dixie Dansercoer and Eric McNair-Landary are now 13 days into their attempt to circumnavigate the entire country using kite-skis. Temperatures there are not so hospitable it seems, as they are currently facing -30ºC/-22ºF conditions. They've faced their fair share of storms already in the past few weeks, and have been tent-bound because of it. But when they can ski, they've been able to cover some decent mileage. Yesterday they knocked off 250.6 km (155.7 miles), a distance the North Pole skiers can only dream of. But considering this is a 5000 km (3100 mile) journey, that could last as much as 80 days, those distances seem trivial at times. With a bit of luck, hopefully conditions will improve, and they can continue to see good travel days.

Finally, on the Russian side of the ice, the Barneo Ice Camp is getting ready to shut down for another season. The temporary base, built in the Arctic each year, has served its purpose well, allowing a number of researchers, explorers, and well-heeled travelers to visit the North Pole. But the season didn't end without a little drama. A youth group had to be rescued from the ice when they began to run low on food and fuel. No one was in any imminent danger, but discretion seemed the better part of valor, and a helicopter was sent to retrieve them. It is best to not fool around when traveling in those conditions.

That's all for now. We'll have more updates as things progress.

North Pole 2014: Bad Weather And Negative Drift

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

Explorer Mike Horn Climbing Makalu, Before Going Pole-To-Pole

South African explorer Mike Horn has a busy schedule planned for 2014. He is currently in Nepal, where he, and his climbing partner Fred Roux, are preparing to take on the fifth highest peak in the world, Makalu, which stands 8463 meters (27,766 ft) in height. They'll attempt that climb in alpine style, without the use of supplemental oxygen or Sherpa support. While that sounds ambitious enough, it is only the tip of the iceberg for Mike's adventurous plans later in the year.

In September, Mike will launch what he has dubbed as his Pole2Pole 360º expedition. Setting out from Gibraltar, he'll set sail south aboard his boat Pangaea for Cape Town. After that, he'll cross the Southern Ocean to Antarctica, which he'll then traverse on skis. When he has completed that epic undertaking, he'll return to his ship and start sailing north until he reaches the Arctic. Once that leg of the journey is done, he'll then don his skis once again as he heads for the North Pole. But even then, he won't quite be finished, as Mike intends to head back south on foot and kayak, crossing Greenland along the way, before sailing back to his starting point in Gibraltar.

As with many of Mike's past expeditions, the 110-foot Pangaea  will serve as a mobile base station. While he is busy traversing the Antarctic and Arctic on foot, the ship will be sailing with all speed to his extraction points. The ship will carry a crew of as many as 30 people, who will be helping to document the journey and share Mike's adventure with the world.

Horn, who has a history of long, extended journeys, feels that this will be one of the greater expeditions of the 21st century, and it is difficult to argue against him. As we all know by now, a journey to the North Pole on foot is one of the greatest challenges in the world of adventure at the moment, and a traverse of the Antarctic remains incredibly difficult as well. It will be quite interesting to follow along with Mike on this excursion, which promises to be as challenging as anything he – or anyone else – has ever done.

Watch for more updates in the weeks ahead. And thanks to ExWeb for the tip!

North Pole 2014: Business As Usual For Arctic Teams

It has been a few days since I shared any updates from the Arctic, mostly because there hasn't been much new to report. The teams headed to the North Pole are skiing along as best they can, making slow, but steady progress towards the top of the world. The weather and surface conditions still dictate what is possible, and will continue to do so right up until the end. Meanwhile, the Barneo Ice Camp has been open for business for a week now, with explorers, travelers, and researchers filing in and out. The clock is certainly ticking on the season, but there is still time for these adventurous souls to accomplish their goals for this year.

The American team of Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters continue to battle difficult ice on their attempt to ski to the North Pole. They're dealing with large fields of ice blocks at the moment, which Eric describes as ranging in size from as small as a soccer ball, to as large as a washing machine. This is making it very difficult for them to haul their sleds across the ice. They struggled early in the expedition with rough ice, and had hoped to have put those conditions behind them, but these fresh obstacles are making for slow progress once again.

Yesterday, the duo managed to cover 7 nautical miles (13 km), which is up from the early days of their journey, but well below what they would like to be accomplishing. As of now, they still have more than 370 miles (595 km) to go until they reach 90ºN, and now that they are 25 days into the expedition, they are rapidly approaching the halfway point in terms of food and fuel. When they set out from Cape Discovery, they had enough provisions to last 55 days. By the end of the week, they'll have used half of those supplies, and will still have 350 miles to cover before they are done.


Elsewhere, yesterday I posted about Dixie Dansercoer and Eric McNair-Landry's attempt to circumnavigate Greenland by kite-ski this spring. The 5000+ km (3106 mile) journey is expected to take up to 80 days to complete, once they get underway. The boys continue to experience delays, and were unable to fly out their starting point once again yesterday, thanks to poor weather. They're keeping themselves entertained and occupied while they wait, but both are eager to get started with this long distance journey.

Finally, you can get updates from the Barneo Ice Camp courtesy of its Facebook page. Regular postings keep us informed of the comings and goings from the temporary gateway to the North Pole, that is built each year on a floating slab of ice. Of particular interest are the coordinates that are shared on a daily basis. This will give you an idea of how much negative drift can come into play on an expedition to the Arctic, as the camp's location is slowly, but constantly, shifting.

Barneo has been the staging area for well heeled adventure travelers who are skiing the "last degree" to the North Pole, but it also a place where researchers can come to measure changes in the Arctic ice and observe environmental conditions there. The base also serves as an exit point for explorers heading to 90ºN, and it is an emergency search and rescue station should the need arise. The camp will remain open for another couple of weeks.

That's about all for now. The North Pole teams are in a real grind at the moment, so there isn't much to report. Hopefully conditions will improve soon and they can begin to pick up speed. There is still a lot of ground to cover, and the clock is constantly ticking.

Greg Hill To Attempt To Climb And Ski 100,000 Meters In March

Remember Greg Hill? Back in 2010, we followed his attempt to climb and ski 2 million vertical feet (610,000 meters) in one year. It took him all 12 months, but he was able to achieve that goal. Now, he's back with another ambitious project that will push him to the limits and certainly test his endurance. In March, Hill hopes to climb and ski a total of 100,000 meters, a massive number for a single month.

This would be a big enough challenge on a well groomed trail at a nice resort, but that isn't what Greg has in mind. He'll climb and ski in the Canadian backcountry, taking on some tough mountains and even making a few first descents. Even more impressive, he won't repeat a single hill, but will instead move on to new challenges at all times.

Greg says that he isn't sure if it is even possible to pull off his big goal. He knows that injuries, weather, avalanches and other unexpected challenges could prevent him from completing this challenge. But, he will push on to see if he can pull it off none the less. To do so, he'll spend every day in March climbing and skiing mountains, with the hopes of getting to that big 100,000 meter numbers.

Good luck Greg! You're going to need it!

Greg Hill's March Madness 2014 from FD Productions on Vimeo.

Expedition Amundsen 2014: The World's Toughest Ski Race

Looking for an endurance event to test your skills during the winter? Then look no further than Expedition Amundsen, an event that is billed as the toughest ski race in the world – and for good reason.

The race follows the same route that Roald Amundsen used while training for his expedition to the South Pole back in 1911. It covers 100 km (62 miles) across the Hardangervidda mountain plateau in Norway, which is a grueling stretch of land, even in the best of conditions. How grueling you ask? It is so tough that Amundsen himself was unable to complete the route. Later he said that training there was crucial to completing his epic journey across Antarctica and he said it was as tough as that expedition as well.

Competitors in the Expedition Amundsen race will traverse the route complete unsupported. They'll have to ski the trail while pulling a sled with all of their safety gear behind them at all times. The event only accepts solo entrants if they are sufficiently experienced enough to go it alone. Otherwise, athletes must enter in teams of two and three in order to support one another.

Last year, a massive storm hit the course in the middle of the race, forcing 60 of the participants to take shelter. They were hunkered down for 36 hours while they waited for the storm to pass. Considering the remoteness of the course, there was little other option for the racers, who were in the middle of the competition when the weather took a turn for the worse.


In another nod to just how challenging this race can be, not a single foreign competitor was able to complete the race last year. Only the Norwegian were able to navigate the entire course and reach the finish line. Their experience in harsh conditions seem to serve them well in this race.

The 2014 edition of Expedition Amundsen will begin on February 27 at 1 PM local time in the county of Telemark, Norway. Where else would it begin? It should be quite the event to follow.

All-Female Team To Make First Descents, Investigate Climate Change In Greenland

An all female team of pro skiers will embark on a sailing voyage from Iceland to Greenland in March in  search of first descents and to record the impact of climate change on the region. The team, which will consist of Meghan Kelly, Nat Segal, McKenna Peterson, Pip Hunt and Martha Hunt, will depart on March 26 from Ísafjörður, Iceland on an expedition that is expected to last until April 19. Their adventure will be documented on the Shifting Ice + Changing Tides website.

The ladies, who are working with both the I AM PRO SNOW and Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation organizations, will first travel to the southwest coast of Greenland where they'll climb several peaks and make the first ski descents of those mountains. Along the way, they'll also collect valuable data that will help us to understand how climate change is having impact on that fragile coastline and to Greenland as a whole.

Prior to departing, the team has organized a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo in the hopes of raising some money to help support the project. The expedition will be documented by adventurer photographer Andy Bardon, so that the entire story can be told upon their return.

This looks like a great project for a number of reasons. Obviously we enjoy adventure in all of its forms here at the Adventure Blog, and this looks like it should be a good one. The emphasis on climate change should not be under rated either however, and since this is an all-female team, perhaps it will also encourage more young ladies to get out there and chase their adventurous dreams as well.

The video below helps to explain more.

Shifting Ice & Changing Tides from Andy Bardon on Vimeo.

North Pole 2014: More Teams Heading To The Arctic

Yesterday I posted a story about Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters prepping to make an attempt on the speed record for skiing to the North Pole. But they aren't the only explorers heading north this spring. When the season gets underway at the start of March, there will be a number of other aspiring adventurers looking to make that grueling journey as well. But according to this report from ExWeb, a number of teams will be facing a condensed season this year, thanks to a narrow window of escape via the Barneo Ice Camp. Others, such as Eric and Ryan, will charter an expensive flight from Kenn Borek Air.

ExWeb is indicating that Norwegians, Kristoffer Glestad and Lars Mangerud Flesland will share a flight out to Cape Discovery with Larsen and Waters. These two young men hope to go even faster to the North Pole, covering the distance in 40 days. If they do make it, they'll also be the youngest to complete the full route to the top of the world, at the age of 24 and 25 respectively. They'll get started on March 7.

Also on his way to the North Pole will be Japanese skier Yasu Ogita, who is going solo and unsupported to 90ºN. He has also contracted with Kenn Borek and won't need to exit from the Barneo Camp. Similarly, Michele Pontrandolfo will attempt the same feat. He'll be in Resolute Bay next Monday, then set out for Cape Discovery on March 5, with an eye on reaching the North Pole by April 21. That would mean he'll complete the expedition in just 45 days.


Also returning this season to give the North Pole another go is the Irish team of  Clare O’Leary and Mike O’Shea, who made an attempt last year as well. They were force to abandon that attempt however, so they feel like they have a bit of unfinished business in the Arctic. They'll set off in the first week of March too.

When the Barneo Ice Camp opens on April 2, it'll give adventure travelers a chance to ski to the North Pole as well. For those who aren't aware, Barneo is a temporary camp that is built in the Arctic each year that gives assess to the top of the world. The camp is usually built at about 89ºN, which is within a helicopter flight to the Pole. This year, the camp will remain open until the 22, which is plenty of time for the tourists, but may be a tight squeeze for the explorers who hope to exit that way.

It looks like it will be a very active season in the Arctic, but as in the past few years, looks can be deceiving. The past two years, strong storms have kept many of the North Pole skiers stranded in Resolute Bay, waiting for a chance to fly out to the Cape. As the weather continued to be dicey, they watched their very few days begin to disappear before they even hit the trail. Some did eventually make it out, only to find conditions too difficult to endure. I suspect we'll see some of that again this year, as the Arctic continues to become more demanding, forcing some teams to pull the plug. At this point, I'll actually be very pleasantly surprised if anyone actually completes the full route this year. It is becoming that difficult to accomplish.

Antarctica 2013: The Scott Expedition Is Complete

After more than 105 days out on the ice, during which they covered a grueling 1795 miles (2888 km), Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere have completed the Scott Expedition. The journey, which began back in November, was an attempt to follow in the footsteps of Robert Falcon Scott, and finish his Terra Nova expedition, the route that he perished on in the Antarctic more than a century ago.

Ben and Tarka reached their ending point earlier today, but even in their final push back to the coast along the Ross Ice Shelf, things were more challenging than they had expected. After enduring harsh weather, sub-zero temperatures and whiteout conditions for more than three months, the Antarctic decided to test them once more. A final storm delayed their start and tested their resolve to the end. But, the lads are now safe and sound, and more than ready to come home.

An official announcement of their achievement can be read here. We're told that Ben will post his debrief shortly, although he and Tarka are probably enjoying some much deserved rest in the relative comfort of a polar research station at the moment. Soon they'll be on their way back home, but for now they are like to be content just knowing they can relax for a time.

The completion of this expedition brings the curtain down on the 2013-2014 Antarctic season. It has certainly been an eventful one filled with all kinds of inspiring adventures. It seems that each year, more and more people are skiing to the South Pole, and while those expeditions have become more common, the challenge is still an incredible one. Congratulations to all of the explorers who traveled in the Antarctic this season. Thanks for inspiring us to chase our own dreams and goals.

Antarctica 2013: 100 Days On The Ice

There has been a definitive shift in conditions in the Antarctic, and it is clear that the expedition season is nearly at an end. The daylight hours are getting shorter and temperatures have started to drop, as the austral summer begins to wane at long last. Most of the teams have come and gone of course, but the Scott Expedition remains and presses on towards its inevitable conclusion. The end is now clearly in sight for Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere, who are overdue for a much deserved rest.

Over the weekend, the duo reached yet another milestone on their epic journey through the Antarctic in the footsteps of Robert Falcon Scott. They have now been on the ice for more than 100 days, first setting out from the Scott Hut on the Ross Ice Shelf back in November and skiing for hundreds of miles to and from the South Pole. With just a few days left before they reach the finish line, they have now dropped the distance remaining to just 87.5 miles (140.8 km). At their current pace, that should put them back at the coast on Thursday of this week.

In their most recent update, they indicate that they have noticed the shift in weather, with the average daily temperatures clearly getting colder. On top of that, they've been dealing with a constant freezing mist at ground level, which has made it feel like they are traveling through a cloud. That has prevented them from seeing some of the milestone that they've been working towards, which would give them an indication of how close they are to the end. Those milestones include Mount Erebus and Mount Terror. It has been disheartening for Ben and Tarka to not be able to gauge the progress against those landmarks.



Last week, the boys picked up their final supply depot on the return trip, and while it has added weight to their sleds, it has also allowed them to eat more rations each day as well. Those extra calories are helping them to feel much better and have improved their mood dramatically. Being so close to the end can't hurt their demeanor either.

I'll be keeping a close eye on the expedition over the next few days as the inch closer to the end. It has been a fantastic adventure to follow and I'm in awe of what Ben and Tarka have already accomplished are about to complete. It has been a demanding journey for sure and they deserve much respect and accolades. Back home in the U.K., where they still respect their nation's legacy of exploration, I'm sure they'll be welcomed like heroes.

Antarctica 2013: In the Shadow of Robert Falcon Scott

The end of the Antarctic expedition season draws near, and soon we will close the book on what has been a very active few months on the frozen continent. All of the teams have departed now, save the Scott Expedition, who continue to press on towards their finish line. They should wrap things up in about another week, but before then they must pass through the shadow of the namesake, as they approach the final resting spot of Robert Falcon Scott and the infamous One Ton Depot.

Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere have now been out on the ice for an astounding 99 days. Their journey from the Ross Ice Shelf to the South Pole, and back again, will go down in history as one of the longest Antarctic expeditions ever. Traveling on foot, these two men have already covered hundreds of miles across a frozen expanse that tests them mentally and physically at ever turn. As of now, they have just 174 miles (280 km) to go before they are through. At their current pace, that should allow them to finish up by the end of next week.

Yesterday, the two explorers reached their final cache, which means they now have plenty of food and fuel to see them through to the end. In fact, for the first time in a long while, they have enough food with them to actually have double rations. Their bodies will probably appreciate getting more calories after weeks of subsisting on very few.


Today, the boys will pass by the final resting spot of Captain Scott and his men. As you probably already know, back in 1911-1912 Scott and his crew were in a race with Norwegian Roald Amundsen to see which team would be the first to the South Pole. Amundsen won the competition, besting Scott by a few weeks. On the return trip, the British explorer and his men suffered mightily, before ultimately perishing in their tent while stranded by a blizzard that lasted for nine days. They were just 11 miles away from what would have been a life saving supply cache, the aforementioned One Ton Depot.

That is the kind of history that looms over the trail for Ben and Tarka today. They should ski past the place where Scott and his men died, as well as the location of their supply cache today. This expedition has given them even more respect for what the Scott team endured on their polar march, and I'm sure they'll be a bit quiet and solemn today as they follow the footsteps of history.

While they are exhausted and ready to be done with their journey, their spirits have been lifted by the addition of their new food supplies and the promise of reaching the end of their expedition. With a week to go, it appears that they will have succeeded wildly.

Video: The Scott Expedition Celebrates 90 Days In Antarctica

Speaking of the Scott Expedition, here's a video they released to commemorate passing three months out on the ice. It is a series of still photos that they've taken over the course of their journey, and it gives us all a good idea of what conditions are like in the Antarctic. Three months is a long time to be spent traveling anywhere, but on the frozen continent, that has to be an eternity.

Antarctica 2013: And Then There Was One...

The Antarctic expedition season is nearing an end, and soon travel across the frozen continent will become even more difficult than it currently is. While most of the teams have wrapped up their projects and have headed home, we still have one expedition that continues to push on to the end. But the finish line is nearly in sight now, and it looks like the most ambitious undertaking of the season will be a major success.

Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere, the two blokes who collectively make up the Scott Expedition, continue to set small goals for themselves as they keep pushing forward on their return trip to their starting point at the Scott Hut out on the Ross Ice Shelf. They currently estimate that they have about ten days left on their journey, although judging from the distance they have yet to cover, I'd say it is closer to 11-12 days. That means they should be wrapping up sometime near the end of next week. Currently they have been out on the ice for 95 days, and they have endured just about everything that Antarctica can throw at them. Now, they are eager to be done, but still have quite a few miles yet to cover.

As of yesterday, there were 271.2 miles (436.4 km) to go until they are done. Currently they are averaging about 24 miles (38 km) per day, hence the reason it will possibly take them longer than ten days to wrap things up. They continue to pick-up supplies from their various caches on the way back, so they seem to have plenty of food and fuel to see them through to the end. The real difficulty comes from their exhausted bodies and minds. Three months out on the ice has certainly taken its toll.


Ben and Tarka have been following in the footsteps of the tragic Robert Falcon Scott. Back in 1911-1912, Scott was locked in a race with Norwegian rival Roald Amundsen to see who would be the first to reach the South Pole. Amundsen eventually won that race, although Scott arrived at 90ºS a few weeks behind. On the return trip, things took a turn for the worse, and Captain Scott, along with his four companions, all died along the way. The purpose of the Scott Expedition was to trace the same route as the famous polar explorer and complete the journey that he was never able to do.

For the most part, they will be successful in that endeavor. Ben and Tarka have skied every mile of that expedition and will finish a journey that is more than a century overdue. Starting at the Ross Ice Shelf, they were able to reach the South Pole, which was the halfway point of their journey. With little time to rest, they then turned around and started skiing back to the start. Along the way, they did receive a single resupply along their way, which Scott wouldn't have had the luxury of in his day. Other than that, they have been able to do something that many thought wasn't possible.

The Scott Expedition isn't quite done yet however and there are still nearly two weeks to go before they return to their starting point. I'll continue to follow their progress and post updates right up until they reach the finish line at last.

Antarctica 2013: South Pole Cyclist Finishes Ride

Yesterday I posted a comprehensive round-up on the status of all of the Antarctic expeditions we've been following closely over the past two months. Several of them had reached the South Pole this past weekend, bringing an end to their very long, very hard journeys. But there are still a few out on the ice, struggling to reach their respective finish lines. Another one of the explorers did just that yesterday, setting a new record in the process.

Mountain biker Daniel Burton completed his attempt to ride the entire distance from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole late yesterday. It has been a very difficult journey, and at times it wasn't clear if he would make it, but Daniel persevered when times got really tough and managed to push on, even when the weather, the terrain and his own body threatened to put an end to his expedition.

Along the way, Burton received three resupplies, the last of which he burned through fairly quickly and ended up riding the final 20 miles (32 km) without food. To say that he was happy to have finally reached 90ºS would be a vast understatement. He may have completed his dream of riding to the South Pole, but this is a feat that is far from easy and will certainly be grueling for anyone else to attempt.

Congratulations to Daniel for completing the ride. Hopefully a much deserved rest is in order, preferably some place warm and tropical.


Meanwhile, Daniel isn't the only cyclist to wrap up his expedition. Over the weekend, Juan Menendez Granados accomplished the same feat. He also limped into the Pole with barely any food left in his pack, struggling over the final couple of degrees with fatigue and lack of calories to keep him going. The difference between the accomplishment of these two men is that Juan skied some of the journey, while Daniel rode his bike the entire way. Still, Juan's achievement should not be over looked either, and while I didn't follow him as closely as I would have liked over the past 50 days, congratulations are in order none the less.

Finally, no Antarctic update would be complete without first checking in with the Scott Expedition. Ben and Tarka have now descended from the Beardmore Glacier and are trucking across the Ross Ice Shelf. That means the hardest, most dangerous section of the journey is now behind them and they have their sights set firmly on the finish line back at the Scott Hut along the coast. Their daily distances have increased nicely, yesterday the knocked off 23.6 miles (38 km), and while they've still got 395 miles (635 km) to go before they are done, there does seem to be an air of optimism and energy returning to their updates. It has been a very long and difficult journey for them, but they can see an end in sight, even if it is still a bit of ways off.

In true Antarctic fashion however, the frozen continent found another way to challenge them yesterday. While temperatures were warm by Antarctic standards, they did have to ski for 9 hours in a thick fog, which didn't make for the most enjoyable day out. Still, progress is good and each day brings them closer to home. I'm sure they'll take that.

Soon, the Scott Expedition will be the only team still on the ice. We'll continue to follow them right up until the end. Hang in their guys, not much further to go!

Antarctica 2013: More South Pole Arrivals!

While I took a bit of a long weekend, the teams in Antarctica were busy steaming towards the finish line. As expected, several of those teams reached that mark over the past few days, while others continue to struggle towards their own respective goals. The end of the season is in sight, and soon there will be just one last team battling the elements. The team that started the season will also be the one to end it.

The big news over the weekend is that Lewis Clarke, along with guide Carl Alvey, has reached 90ºS. It took him 48 days to get there, but upon his arrival he achieved his goal of becoming the youngest person to ever ski the full distance to the South Pole. The 16-year old is already on his way back to civilization, and has even booked a speaking engagement in the U.K. for next weekend. That's a pretty ambitious schedule, but I guess he can sleep on the long plane rides he has ahead.

Also reaching 90ºS on Saturday was Chris and Marty Fagan, who limped into the finish line with hardly andy rations to spare. They enjoyed a little quite time at the South Pole station before flying to Union Glacier yesterday with the intention of returning to Chile today. Their journey took 47 days to complete, with the husband and wife team celebrating their achievement together.

Congratulations to these latest explorers to reach the Pole. It is a great accomplishment and an inspiration for those of us who have been following their progress over the past couple of months.


Still out on the ice, is South Pole cyclist Daniel Burton. Daniel is slowly but surely closing in on 90ºS as well, but his last stage of the journey hasn't been an easy one. In addition to wandering off course, both on purpose and unintentionally, he had run out of food until Antarctic legend Hannah McKeand appeared out of nowhere to bring him a resupply. Hannah works for ALE and was sent out to make sure Daniel had enough food to see him to the finish line. As of yesterday, he had 20 miles yet to go to reach that point, and his intention was to ride straight through to the end today. He says his next update will be from the South Pole, so hopefully we'll receive news of his successful arrival soon.

Finally, Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere, collectively making up the Scott Expedition, continue to make progress. The duo have now left the Beardmore Glacier behind and have returned to the Ross Ice Shelf. They had hoped that by reaching shelf that things would begin to pick up for them, but they immediately found themselves in a nasty crevasse field, which made for tough (and slow!) going for awhile. After 88 days out on the ice, the boys are ready to be done and headed home. Unfortunately, they still have 418 miles (672 km) to go before they are finished. That's the equivalent of another couple of weeks of travel, which has to be a difficult proposition after nearly three months on the ice.

To help cheer the lads up, Prince Harry, who recently skied to the South Pole as well, sent them an encouraging message. That will certainly help lift their spirits as the press on. It won't be too much longer and they'll be the lone team still in the Antarctic. I'm sure Ben and Tarka will relish their "first to arrive, last to leave" status.

That's all for now. I'll post more updates as we get news on Daniel Burton's finish and other developments in the Antarctic season that is about to end.