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Expeditions to the Cold Regions

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The South Pole - The Last Degree

Duration 20 Days » Grade 1D

Ski the last 60 miles from 89 degrees south to the South Pole

Introduction

This expedition allows you to experience an incredible journey that few have undertaken: to travel by ski across the frozen tundra to reach the most southerly point on earth - the Geographical South Pole.

To travel the whole distance from the Antarctic coast to the Pole takes about 50 days, and involves complex crevasse systems and bitter catabatic winds. By flying to 89 degrees south, we arrive straight on to the Antarctic plateau for a relatively straight-forward ski across the final 60 nautical miles to the Pole. However, this will still give a real taste of Antarctic exploration, and the commitment and hostile environment will be real.

The expedition starts with a flight from Chile to Patriot Hills, an ice airstrip at 80 degrees south on the Antarctic continent. Then we fly by smaller ski-equipped aircraft to the start point of our overland journey. The journey to the Pole will take 5 days plus spare days in case of bad weather.

Participants of this expedition will need to have remote area expedition experience and be fit walkers preferably with some skiing ability. No technical climbing is involved, but the harsh climate and the psychological pressure of being in the middle of the world's wildest continent, makes this trip suitable for mountaineers.

The overall experience, and the sense of achievement gained, will leave a deep impression of Antarctica, and a unique appreciation and respect for those early explorers who first ventured into the ice desert of the 'last great wilderness'.

It is possible to combine the expedition with an ascent of Mount Vinson, Antarctica's highest mountain, before skiing to the Pole. Normally, just one of two The South Pole - The Last Degree expeditions go ahead each season, so please check with the Jagged Globe office for the Vinson and Last Degree dates that dovetail.

Important Note: Delays

The duration of each expedition is based on the flight dates between Punta Arenas, Chile and Antarctica. However, each trip could be longer due to delays brought about by the unpredictability of the Antarctic weather. For example, the flight between Chile and Antarctica may be delayed in either or both directions due to high winds on the landing strip at Patriot Hills. Similarly, once at the South Pole, the flight out may be delayed due to storms.

For these reasons, you should not make any firm arrangements or plans for at least 3 weeks following the scheduled return of the expedition.

Expedition Itinerary

The itinerary below is illustrative only as the unpredictability of the Antarctic weather and its effect on flying conditions and progress will lead to changes.

Day 1:Depart home country
Fly to Punta Arenas in Southern Chile.
Day 2:Arrive Punta Arenas
Team members should meet at our hotel in Punta Arenas, Chile's southernmost seaport. From the dockside, it is possible sometimes to see icebreakers, preparing for or having just returned from the Antarctic Ocean. We stay at the very pleasant Islay de Rey Jorge Hotel, which is the best hotel for our expeditions, not least of all because the staff are friendly and helpful. It has a good restaurant where we can try some of the fine Chilean cuisine, especially seafood, and wine. Alternatively, there are many restaurants in town that provide the opportunity to taste the catch of the day.
Day 3:Preparations/gear check
In the morning, the Expedition Leader checks your equipment to ensure nothing is forgotten and that you are properly equipped. There will then be time to visit the sights of Punta Arenas and or take a visit to see the Penguins. We can then enjoy the evening visiting one of many restaurants in town that offer excellent local dishes.
Day 4:Briefing and slideshow
Today we attend a morning briefing, covering all aspects of the flight to Patriot Hills, Antarctica and the onward flight to 89 Degrees South. This is also an opportunity to meet our pilots and the other climbers and adventurers, who may be climbing Vinson, or even making solo journeys across the Antarctic continent! Our equipment is collected at mid-day for loading onto the aircraft. From the evening onwards, we are on standby for our flight to Patriot Hills.
Day 5:Depart for Patriot Hills
If weather conditions in both Punta Arenas and Patriot Hills permit, we fly by a Russian jet-powered Ilyushin-76 over Tierra del Fuego and out across Drake's Passage, towards the frozen lands of Antarctica. This is a four-hour flight and there will be an opportunity to visit the flight deck for some incredible views. On arrival in Patriot Hills we erect our tents and enjoy a good meal in the Patriot Hills mess tent. Climbers combining an ascent of Mount Vinson with the ski to the South Pole, will meet the rest of the team in Patriot Hills.
Day 6:Fly to 89 Degrees South
If we have not flown the previous day, we fly by Twin Otter aircraft to our start point. We fly to the Thiel Mountains in our specially equipped aircraft, refuel and then fly to 89 degrees South, 60 nautical miles from our goal and where we begin our journey to the Geographic South Pole.
Day 7-15:Ski to the South Pole
On our first day of skiing and pulling sleds we may well notice the altitude here in our breathing and our stamina. We are at almost 9,000 feet, but it will feel like 12,000 feet due to the low density of the air.

We may start off on quite windblown snow conditions as this area of the plateau still has some occasional wind. As we move towards the pole the terrain gradually becomes slightly less windblown and the snow surface becomes a little softer. We will still encounter patches of sastrugi; the wind blown snow that caused Scott and Amundsen much grief. Today these patches can be as high as 6 to 8 feet and are no less challenging. We attempt to weave our way through them, without sleds flipping over or becoming stuck in the hollows. We can tell from the huge dips and swales we are travelling through that there may be large crevasses in the area, however there is no need to rope up, the addition of our weight to the snow load over these massive bridges is minuscule.

We develop a regular rhythm, beginning with breakfast at 8am and skiing by 10am. We stop for 5 minutes every hour and begin eating our lunch when we are hungry from noon onwards during these breaks. We will stop by 5pm to set up camp and have supper. There is time in the evening for reading, talking or other camp activity. As the sun is up for the whole 24 hours we are often quite warm in the tents and clothing that is damp from perspiration dries easily in the warmth. We expect to average 10 miles per day, starting off with 5 to 6 miles per day for the first few days and increasing as we acclimatise, develop our systems and a travelling rhythm.

As we approach the South Pole we will first see the outline of the station on the horizon. We will see the research station itself from 15 miles away. Those last 15 miles can seem the longest!

Soon, we should be completing the final steps to our goal: The Geographic South Pole and the most southerly point on earth - beneath your feet 360 lines of longitude collide and the ice is almost 3000m (10,000ft) thick.

On arrival you become part of a small group of around 300 people who reached the South Pole overland by ski. Congratulations!

Day 16:Fly to Patriot Hills
The completion of this incredible journey will be the return flight to Patriot Hills of approximately 6 hours over the polar plateau. When you arrive back at Patriot Hills camp we will have a celebration dinner where you can contemplate and enjoy your wonderful achievement - a marvellous story that so few have lived!
Day 17:Fly to Punta Arenas
We will know 6 hours in advance that the aircraft is on its way to take us home. However, so as not a tempt fate and just in case the landing has to be waved off at the last minute, we keep our tents up until one hour before touch down. Then in a mad flurry of activity, we pack up our camp and prepare our equipment ready for loading onto the aircraft. The landing on the ice is a most impressive sight. Around 2 hours later, we take off on our way back to the 'flesh-pots' of Punta Arenas. Here we are taken back to our hotel for a very welcome bath! In the evening, it is usual to enjoy a celebration dinner in one of Punta Arenas' excellent restaurants.
Day 18:Depart Punta Arenas
After a good night's sleep and an enjoyable breakfast, we are collected and taken to the airport for our respective flights home.

Flights

The dates given on this website are to and from Puntas Arenas, Chile. We can arrange flights from the UK to Punta Arenas via Santiago on request. Flights are arranged to arrive in Punta Arenas 48 hours prior to departing for Patriot Hills. This is to give leaders and guides time to check each team member's personal equipment and to allow for any flight delays or delayed luggage.

Leadership

The South Pole - The Last Degree expeditions will be led by extremely experienced Antarctic guides. The optimum team size is one guide to four team members, although the maximum ratio could be up to 1: 8. Depending on team numbers, the guides could be Jagged Globe guides also leading Vinson expeditions or guides supplied by ALE, the ground operator in Antarctica.

Experience Required

The South Pole - The Last Degree is graded 1D.

Skiing the last 60 miles to the South Pole offers a major challenge due to the harshness of its climate and its extremely remote location. Recent teams have described the experience as more difficult than climbing an 8,000m peak!

Those wishing to join the expedition and have a good chance of success must have:

Temperatures of -40°C are likely to be encountered and participants should be both psychologically and physically prepared for this. The remote situation and tough conditions provide the real challenge of this trip. However, for those who can meet this challenge, we can promise an unforgettable experience.
Our Scottish Winter Courses and our Alpine Courses provide good skills preparation for an expedition.

Pre-Expedition Meeting

Prior to all our expeditions, we host a Pre-Expedition Weekend in North Wales. The primary purpose of the weekend is to provide an opportunity for individuals to ask questions about the forthcoming expedition and to introduce them to other team members. The weekend covers topics as diverse as personal equipment and acclimatisation and usually involves a hike and some skills training. To find out more about our Pre-Expedition Weekends [click here].

Equipment

Find out about our comprehensive Equipment Hire Service.

All equipment, including sledges, tents, stoves and cooking equipment will be brought from the UK. Team members will need to provide their own personal equipment, including touring skis, boots and specialist clothing.

A complete kit list is contained in the expedition dossier, which will be sent to you on booking.

What the price includes

What the price does not include

Insurance

Special travel insurance is available from us which provides a wide range of cover. Our 'Expedition only' premium for this expedition is detailed in the Prices & Booking section. A full explanation of the Jagged Globe Insurance Scheme is available on the website and in our brochure.

Additional Information

If you wish to discuss any aspect of the expedition or your suitability for it, please contact us by telephone:

Alternatively, you can contact us by email via the Contact Page on the website.

Booking

If you would like to book a place on this expedition, you can do so on our secure on-line booking facility, on our website. The US$5000 deposit for this expedition will secure you a place on your chosen departure. You will receive an automatic email confirmation, followed by a written confirmation of booking, climbing questionnaire and Expedition Dossier. Alternatively, you can book over the telephone or by sending in a booking form by post. Book Now!