WHAT IT IS Retracing the routes of some of history’s most legendary explorers
WHY YOU WON’T DO IT Modern technology gives you a greater chance of survival than ever before but you’ll still be pushed to your limits
The desire to reach the South Pole cost the lives of many intrepid explorers before a team led by Roald Amundsen planted the Norwegian flag there in 1911. The most southerly point on planet Earth is subject to extremes of weather and presents unique challenges – it’s not a trip to be undertaken lightly, but if planned with precision it will likely be the journey of your life.
After the expeditions of Amundsen and the ill-fated Robert Falcon Scott, it was to be a further 45 years before man returned to the South Pole, and even today it remains one of the most inaccessible and hostile places on Earth. Despite this, sizeable numbers of adventurers do now complete the trip, so if you want to take up the challenge, do your homework beforehand. There are now several companies that offer guided trips. They may cost a lot, but you are paying in part for their extensive experience and your own peace of mind.
Make sure you are physically capable of making the trip. You’ll be covering long distances, hauling heavy sleds in extreme cold, so get a comprehensive medical to see if you’re up to it. You’ll also need to dress for the occasion, wearing at least three layers at all times:
• A layer of thermal underwear and undershirts.
• A middle layer consisting of fleeces or warm trousers and jackets.
• An outer layer of water-and windproof jacket and trousers.
Frostbite is a constant threat, so don a balaclava and/or hat, light inner gloves and a pair of waterproof outer gloves, plus toe warmers and leg and arm gauntlets. Quality UV-protection sunglasses will help ward off snow-blindness, while steel-toed waterproof boots with good grip and support around the ankle are essential in Antarctic conditions.
Under the advice of your tour guides, stock up on essential high-energy foods. Your body will scream out for regular fuel in such hostile circumstances, and it’s estimated that a man hauling his sled for a day will use up 6,500 calories. Even if you use dog sledges, you can still expect to burn through 5,000 calories.
A classic itinerary might last 60 or more days and begin with a meet-up in Chile for a day of pre-trek checks. From there, you’ll be flown to the Union Glacier base camp, a journey of four and a half hours. You will spend a couple of days here, practising routines and ensuring everyone and everything is good to go, before flying to Hercules Inlet, on the southwest edge of the Ronne Ice Shelf. It’s here that the hard work begins.
Dragging your laden sledge, you have 1,175 kilometres (730 miles) to cover. You will climb from sea level to more than 3,300 metres (10,800 ft) during the journey, encountering temperatures of -40°C (-40°F) and a variety of terrains.
As you ski the last few kilometres you will spy the welcoming buildings of the US Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, a research centre that’s well worth exploring on your arrival (though perhaps after a short rest). Indeed, if you fancy a longer stay, you might consider applying for a job at the station – though competition for vacancies is fierce.
The Ceremonial South Pole offers photo opportunities for the end of your trip, complete with a small monument and assorted flags. However, you should be aware that the Geographic South Pole is a short distance further on – be sure to visit both sites as the chances are you won’t be back here any time soon.
If you’re feeling brave enough to make the trip under your own steam, consider following in the ski tracks of Arved Fuchs and Reinhold Messner, who in 1989 became the first people to cross Antarctica via the South Pole without the aid of beast or machine. The fastest trip to the pole from the ocean, meanwhile, was completed in a little over 24 days by a Norwegian, Christian Eide, in 2011.
