South Pole, Last Degree
Last Degree Training
Sledging journey around the Patriot Hills in preparation for skiing to the South Pole
Overnight Camp on Last Degree Training Trip
Superb lenticular clouds over Mount Simmons (climbed the previous week) on our ski South Pole training trip
The Start of the Last Degree, Nearly!
Twin Otter drop off point at 88 degrees 59 minutes South and 95 Degrees West. The altitude is C.2700m so a very slow start to hauling the sledges is made...
The Sledging Chain Gang
50 minutes on, 10 minutes off. Getting in to the sledging routine on a 'manky' day
A Frosty Beard of Icicles
Lars with the normal beard of icicles after 50 minutes of sledge hauling and heavy breathing. High on the Polar Plateau
The Hilleberg Drying Room
Iced up goggles on the drying rack after a 9 hour day sledge hauling on the Polar Plateau
Polar Navigation
Lars using the classic 'strap-on' design for navigating with a GPS on a manky day (no sastrugi to sight on)
Thirty Minutes
Half way through our journey and enjoying better visibillity and contrast on the Polar Plateau
Straight Tracks Headin South
A moment to contemplate the hauntingly empty beauty of the Polar Plateau
Sastrugi and Diamond Snow Crystals
As the South Pole appraoches every inch of travel is savoured. The sparklingly beautiful snow crystals, the unique Sastrugi forms....
The View North
Looking back down the tracks to the Northern Sky. The sun is at about 22 degrees. The shadow points due South at 1520 local (Chilean) time.
The Last Camp
The Pole has been sighted at about 8 miles. Our final camp on the Last Degree with all tents and sledges pointing in to wind and secured to skis.
Riders on the Storm
Skiing into the South Pole and approaching the Scott-Amundsen Base. The huge snow runway needs to be crossed safely before the actual pole is reached. We make the bizzare time jump 16 hours forward as we go from Chilean to New Zealand time. This means it is 5am sunday morning on base and unsuprisingly rather quiet. We all get the feeling of Riders on the Storm being played as the soundtrack to our arrival....
Geographic South Pole
The actual South Pole and the calm, understated quotes of the first two men to get there. Strangely the geographic South Pole is also marked with the U.S. flag. Strange as whilst the large base nearby is American nobody owns the pole. If you would like to write to the Antarctic treaty secretary to raise this issue go to: http://www.ats.aq
The South Pole
And so we reached the Pole. Relief at the safe conclusion to an unusual journey only slightly tainted with sadness at leaving the remote and wild place that is the polar plateau in exchange for the almost industrial feel of the pole itself.
Rob and Meagan at the Pole
Canadian adventurer Meagan McGrath had skied for 40 days to get here, without a rest day. An impressive feat of solo endurance and our team enjoyed her company and stories at the South Pole. Good luck with your forthcoming 8000m peaks Meagan. Bon Courage.
The American National Science Foundation Base
The U.S. N.S.F. South Pole base houses about 250 people in summer and around 40 in winter. The base is run for science and as such does not host 'tourists' like us! They were however very hospitable and invited us in for tea and cakes and a tour of the base. The base is on jackable stilts so that it can be shunted up when snow drifts accumulate.
