Antarctica 2016: Interactive Map Explains Ski Routes to the South Pole

This week intrepid men and women from all over the world are putting the finishing touches on their preparation and planning for a slew of upcoming ski expeditions to the South Pole. In a matter of days they'll be jetting off to Punta Arenas, Chile or Cape Town, South Africa where they'll then catch a flight to Antarctica to begin a journey that will take them weeks to complete. Most will begin at Hercules Inlet and will cover approximately 1130 km (702 miles) on their way to 90ºS. But others will take alternate routes that offer different levels of difficult and unique paths to that same goal. Now, on the eve of the start of the new Antarctic season, we have an interactive map that shows all of the various routes that are used to ski across the frozen continent.

The map is hosted at ExplorersHouse.com and includes 9 different paths that explorers use when traveling to the the South Pole as well as 1 path to reach the Pole of Inaccessibility. Clicking on any of the routes will provide information about its length, who first pioneered it, and the year in which it was traveled. For instance, both Amundsen and Scott Routes are marked on the map, which were first opened back in 1911-1912, when the two legendary explorers were battling one another to be the first to reach the South Pole.

Explorer House included some text with the map that provides context on what exactly a "valid" expedition truly means. In this case, that is defined as starting anywhere along the Antarctic coast and skiing all the way to the South Pole. This rules out a "last degree" journey of course, which  is exactly what it sounds like – a short ski expedition from 89ºS to 90ºS. Those "tourist trips" are typically only about 100 km (62 miles) in length, while a full expedition covers more than 1000 km (620 miles).

As we head into the start of a new Antarctic season, you'll find that the vast majority of the skiers are using the Hercules Inlet Route, which has become the standard for these types of expeditions. They'll fly out of Punta Arenas and land at the ice camp that is built and maintained by ALE at Union Glacier. From there, they'll catch another short flight to ferry them out to their starting point. If they are going solo and unsupported, they'll all be dropped off at unique locations to begin the journey, as the rules for adventure state that they can't have any contact with another individual along the way in order to maintain that status.

Later this week – weather permitting – the first teams will begin their march to the Pole. Once they're underway, we'll provide regular updates on their progress. There are a number of goods stories to follow, so it should be an interesting year in the Antarctic.

Antarctica 2016: Italian to Attempt Traverse of the Frozen Continent Again, Researcher Dies in the Field

Preparation for the start of the 2016-2017 Antarctic season is now underway, with the advance team from ALE now arriving on the ice to prepare the permanent campsite at Patriot Hills for the arrival of the first skiers of the season. It will take them a few days to get the camp ready, and they'll spend a considerable amount of time preparing the runway that will allow the big Ilyushin aircraft to begin transporting supplies, crew, and explorers out to site. That typically begins around the end of October, although the weather ultimately decides when those flights out of Punta Arenas, Chile actually begin.

Elsewhere, the McMurdo Station on the Ross Iceshelf has started to return to life. The station is an important research outlet for the U.S., and during the Antarctic winter it is manned by just a skeleton crew. Now, essential personnel are arriving there to prepare for another busy season ahead as a full compliment of scientists, researchers, and military crew have started to flow in.

Similarly, the Russian base called Novolazarevskaya is also starting to come to life with its crew scheduled to begin arriving later this week. That station is manned and supplied out of Cape Town, South Africa, with the first flight planned for Friday, weather permitting of course. If all goes as planned, one of the passengers on that flight will be Italian kite-skier Michele Pontrandolfo, who will once again attempt to traverse the continent via the South Pole.

Last year, Pontrandolfo made the same attempt, hoping to use his kite to cover large chunks of ground at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, he never was able to capture the winds like he had expected, so as a result his expedition was much slower than planned. He never managed to get much momentum going, and eventually had to pull the plug. Now, he's back for another go. Hopefully this season he'll have better luck. We'll of course be following his progress in the days ahead.


There is some sad news coming our way from the Antarctic today as well. ExWeb is reporting that an Antarctic researcher has died in the field while collecting scientific data. Gordon Hamilton, who was on the frozen continent as part of a climate research team from the University of Maine, was killed when the vehicle he was driving fell into a crevasse. The accident occurred this past Saturday as Hamilton and his teammates were exploring an area known as the "Shear Zone" not far from McMurdo Station. According to the report, that region is known for being heavily crevassed, with ice that is as much as 650 feet (198 meters) thick at some points.

Hamilton's body was recovered from the crevasse and is being prepared to be taken back home to his family in Maine. My condolences go out to his friends and family after this tragic accident.

That's all for today. As we get closer to the start of the season, we'll have more updates. Most of the South Pole skiers are now preparing to depart for Punta Arenas, and head to Antarctica, which will soon be a very busy place once again.

Antarctica 2016: A New Season Set to Begin

It may be hard to believe but the calendar now reads late-October, which means the 2016 Antarctic season is set to begin in just a few short weeks. Typically, the arrival of November also marks the start of another busy season on the frozen continent, where once again this year we'll find plenty of interesting stories to follow, including several full-distance ski expeditions to the South Pole and beyond.

A few days back, Explorers Web posted a good rundown of the expeditions to keep an eye on. Two of the more interesting attempts at crossing the Antarctic this year are being made by women with Emma Kelty and Johanna Davidsson both making solo and unassisted ski trips along the traditional route to the South Pole, which begins at Hercules Inlet. Both of the ladies also plan on getting resupplied at 90ºS, before returning to their starting point as well. Kelty will ski the same route back, while Davidsson will use kites to cover the return trip much more rapidly.

They'll be joined out on the ice and along the same route by Canadian Sébastien Lapierre, who is attempting to become the first person from his country to make the journey solo and unassisted as well. As ExWeb points out, Lapierre is not stranger to the colder regions of our planet, as he traveled through part of the Northwest Passage in a Kayak back in 2013.

A Swedish man by the name of Aron Andersson is also heading out on the ice, and although he won't be going solo or unsupported, his story will likely be quite an inspiring one. Andersson is a quadriplegic, so he'll be making the journey in a specially designed sled that he can push along using his arms. He'll be guided to the Pole by Doug Stoup, and they'll follow a shortened route that begins at the Leverett Glacier and ends at the bottom of the world. They estimate it will take about 30 days to complete the 510 km (316 mile) journey.


Other expeditions include a group of skiers being led by veteran polar explorer Ryan Waters, and another being guided by Eric Phillips, which will actually begin at a new starting point on the Reedy Glacier on the Ross Ice Shelf. Similarly, a team of Brits will be skiing to the South Pole to raise funds for charity as well.

ExWeb also says that Mike Horn is headed back to Antarctica this season and is currently sailing south aboard his ship the Pangea. What his exact plans are have yet to be revealed, but he is expected to continue his journey all the way to the South Pole.

Finally, another team of Brits led by Lou Rudd will attempt a traverse of the continent. He'll be joined by Oliver Stoten, Chris Brooke, Alex Brazier, Alun George, and James Facer-Childs on a 1770 km (1100 mile) journey that begins at Hercules Inlet and ends at the base of the Shackleton Glacier on the Ross Ice Shelf via the South Pole. They'll receive one resupply at the Pole to provide food and gear to keep them moving.

In anticipation of the start of the new season, Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions – more commonly known as ALE – had launched a new website. The company handles all of the logistics for nearly every expedition to Antarctica, including South Pole skiers, climbers heading to Mt. Vinson, and just about every other point on the continent. Without ALE providing support, things would be a lot more difficult there. Additionally, the company also has been guiding commercial teams since the 1980's, and still sells its own excursions on the site as well. If you want to plan a trip to 90ºS, this is a good place to start.

Much more to come in the days ahead as the season fully gets underway.

Stunning Photo Gallery Highlights the Beauty of Antarctica

When ever we think about Antarctica, images of frozen, windswept landscapes stretching from horizon to horizon usually come to mind. While that isn't altogether completely inaccurate, the icy continent can also be a place of unspeakable beauty as well. It is a wild, remote, and spectacular place that remains largely untouched by man, and while few of us will ever get the chance to actually see it, it is a memorable place nonetheless.

Recently, the website Mashable posted a gallery of jaw-dropping photos that were shot in the Antarctic. Each image was taken by Alasdair Turner, who spends three months each year living at McMurdo Station on the Ross Ice Shelf, working with scientists and researchers who are conducting a wide variety of experiments.

While there, Alasdair gets a chance to experience the Antarctic that is unlike what adventurous travelers see along the coastline. Instead, he gets to travel into the interior of the continent, which is the highest, driest, and coldest place on Earth. The landscapes that are found there are indeed often covered in snow and ice, and they can be vast and forbidding. But, as you'll see in the photos, they can also be incredibly gorgeous too.

I haven't had the chance to visit Antarctica yet. It is the only continent I haven't been to, and it his extremely high on my bucket list. One day, I'll get there. But for now, I'll have to settle for these photos, which only serve to increase my desire to see this amazing place. I think they'll probably have a similar effect on you.