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THE INTERCHANGE SHACKLETON SOUTH POLE EXPEDITION
THREE INTREPID MEN SLOG IT OUT ON THE FIRST HALF OF SHACKLETON'S PLANNED POLAR CROSSING
In late November 2007 three men, Doug Stoup, James Fox and the renowned jockey Richard Dunwoody, set out to repeat the planned route of Sir Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-15, one which Shackleton was unable to achieve due to the break-up of the 'Endurance' amid the pack ice and the stranding of the Aurora's Ross Sea Party.
The team hopes to reach the Geographic South Pole at at 90 degrees South in 60 days, or less, travelling totally unsupported and dragging 250 lb (113 kg) sleds over 660 miles (1,062 km).
Their journey from Cape Town to base camp (2,265 nautical miles) took six hours by plane (and avoided the hazards of pack ice which hampered Shackleton); they landed on the blue ice runway at Novolazarevshaya base, one of six Russian meteorological bases in Antarctica located on Dronning Maud Land at 70 degrees south. They spent a short period of time there, undertaking further preparations prior to their final departure. A ski- equipped DC3-67 took them to their start point, approx 80 degrees South, 30 degrees West close to the Ronne Ice Shelf, bordering the Weddell Sea and close to Berkner Island where Shackleton's Endurance became trapped.
The expedition began in earnest on 1 December: a mammoth 660 mile trek across the vast expanse of Antarctica to the South Pole.
Crossing the vast expanse of Western Antarctica: the team trekked nearly 50 km in their first four days (1-4 Dec), crossing crevasse fields, climbing upwards in sub-zero temperatures with windchills of -23 degrees and colder. Each day their sleds get lighter as they gradually consume provisions, while their endurance improves. They were now skiing up to 9 hours a day.
Week Two (7-13 Dec) saw slightly fewer crevasses and about a 20 percent reduction in sled weight; but there were still many whiteout days and agonizing uphill climbs over very slippery ice. It was a case of two weeks 'pushing to the limit' just to make progress (and survive). The temperature is way below freezing, day and night.
By 14 December they had trekked more than 200 kilometers over some of the most treacherous terrain on the planet, and moved 2 degrees closer to the Pole (leaving 8 degress to go). Avoiding numerous crevasses and dragging full sleds uphill in whiteout conditions and sub-zero temperatures has become their daily routine. But despite these gruelling conditions, the team is on schedule; and should eventually get ahead of schedule.
The most physically demanding part was the ascent up the Slessor Glacier. The ascent of this mountain range took them from sea level to 3,000m (10,000ft) - akin to Shackleton's ascent to the Polar plateau via the Beardmore Glacier, and Scott's after him. Due to the low level of the earth's atmosphere here this is the equivalent of going to 4,000m (13,200ft) three times the height of Ben Nevis and the equivalent of an ascent of Mon Blanc (4,200m), the ascent occupying some 10 days, with each member pulling 250 lb. sledges, about one and half times their body weight, and using crampons.
Next will come the 'Great Crevasse Field' which has never been crossed on foot. Two 2 weeks is the estimate, bringing the team close to Christmas Day, by which time they hope to have completed the toughest and technically most taxing part of our expedition. Once through the crevasse field they will have arrived at the Polar Plateau and should be able to complete the expedition on the blue ice, reaching the Geographic South Pole at 90 degrees south.
Read about James
Read about Richard
Read about Doug
Their distance covered over the first week (to 6 Dec) was 70.4 km (81.07 South) and in the second week, 127.6 (82.04 South). Full details, including distance and time charts and audio reports from members of the expedition, can be found at their website, www.beyondshackleton.com
Check out the latest expedition reports
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