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.

Team of British Explorers Heading to Bhutan in Search of the Yeti

The existence of a strange ape like creature living in the Himalaya is one of the more enduring (and endearing) myths of the past century. The animal, which is commonly known as the yeti or the abominable snowman, has been a part of the local lore for centuries, but managed to capture the imagination of westerners as explorers from other parts of the world delved deep into the mountains looking to climb peaks like Everest and Annapurna. Over the years, men like Sir Edmund Hillary and Reinhold Messner have gone looking for this mountain ape, but other than uncovering a few stories and legends, everyone who has searched for it has come up empty. That hasn't stopped others from trying of course, including a new team of yeti hunters that is heading to Bhutan to find mythological beast.

According to this article in the Daily Mail, the team will be led by British adventurer Alastair Humphreys, who will take the group into Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary on a trekking expedition with the hopes of spotting the elusive creature. The remote setting, which is situated at 3530 metres (11,581 feet), is believed to be one of the yeti's habitats amongst the Bhutanese people. The rugged mountains there would be the perfect place for a rare animal to remain hard to spot.

For his part, Humphreys tells the Daily Mail that while he would love to find the yeti, he is a realist when it comes to these kinds of expeditions. He compares the Himalaya creature to Britain's own Loch Ness monster, which has continued to spark interest for decades as well. For him, this is just another chance to head out on an adventure, and to visit a place that is difficult for independent travelers to visit on their own. From the interview in the article linked to above, it seems that experienced traveler and adventurer is looking forward to the local cuisine as much as he is the thought of finding an animal that most believe doesn't exist. As far as excuses for launching an adventure, I've certainly heard of worse.

The expedition is being sponsored by the car manufacturer Å koda, with updates being posted to @Å KODAUK or with the hashtag #YetiBhutan. I'm sure Alastair will also post updates to his website  and Twitter as well.

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.

Video: Climbing the South Face of Annapurna

In terms of pure altitude, Annapurna ranks 10th amongst the 8000 meter peaks, topping out at 8091 meters (26,545 ft). But when it comes to level of difficulty to climb, it ranks second to perhaps only K2. In fact, it is considered the most dangerous mountain on the planet by many thanks to its frequent avalanches and technical challenges, and yet it continues to hold an allure over many climbers who travel to its flanks each spring to have a go at the summit.

This video a short documentary about such a climb. In it, we join famed Swiss mountaineer Jean Troillet as he attempts Annapurna back in 2012. The clips gives us some impressive shots of the mountain, and provides plenty of insights into what it takes to take on such a difficult and dangerous climb. If you're a fan of Himalayan expeditions to the big peaks, you'll definitely want to watch this short-film, which takes us along on one of the toughest climbs of all.

Men's Journal Gives Us the 50 Most Adventurous Men

If you're looking for something to read today that is equal parts inspirational and educational, than have a look at Men's Journal's list of the 50 Most Adventurous Men on the planet. You'll find more than a few names that get mentioned here on The Adventure Blog on a regular basis, as well as some that you may not have encountered before.

The list reads like a "who's who" of adventure, with guys like Alex Honnold, Kilian Jornet, and Conrad Anker all making the cut. Others who earn some recognition from MJ include Ueli Steck, Eric Larsen, and Mike Horn, all of which I've written about and covered their expeditions extensively on this very website.

Of course, those well known names are just the tip of the iceberg so to speak, with numerous other interesting, daring, and downright visionary individuals making their way onto the list as well. The article spotlights mountaineers, rock climbers, ocean rowers, explorers, and more. Each of the profiles includes a brief introduction to the person's accomplishments, some insights into their career highlights, and a glimpse of where they may be headed next. All in all, it is a pretty great way to learn about some of the men who are shaping the way we explore the world today.

While 50 individuals is a fairly lengthy list, there are always some who are left off. I'm sure that like me, you'll be able to think of a few individuals that probably deserve to be mentioned with this group such as Simone Moro for instance. There are others as well, but this is still a pretty interesting list and well worth a look for sure.

Now, when is someone going to do a list of the 50 most adventurous women?