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Posts
The old route: the original plan
The route we originally planned across Antarctica, before we changed the ascent and the descent.
The risks, and how we de-risk them
The risk, and what we’re doing about it. Crevasses The route was re-planned metre by metre with ALE’s experts, cutting our expected time on or near…
The wildlife (because everyone asks)
At the start — if we’re lucky Emperor penguins. Around 8,000 of them breed on the fast ice just northwest of our drop-off at Gould Bay…
Fuelling the crossing
We’ll each burn up to 8,000 calories a day (Ben probably closer to 8,000, Erica closer to 7,000) — and can only carry and realistically eat…
Ski training and expedition practice
ALE set out three steps before they will fly an independent team onto Antarctica. The third is at least three weeks unguided, planned and run by…
Crevasse rescue training
Three days of crevasse rescue training at 4,000m below Mont Blanc with ALE guide Simon Abrahams: what the training covers, what will be different in Antarctica,…
Polar survival training
Two weeks in Norway with Guinness World Record-holding polar guide Hannah McKeand: the full syllabus of a polar survival and expedition training course, the skills it…
How do you train and prepare for an Antarctica crossing?
I had never cross-country skied before, and only ever skied a couple of times very hesitantly as a kid, so the first thing I had to…
How are you fitting all of this around full-time work?
Polar training has taken up all my annual leave and spare time since 2025. It has been ok so far, made easier by the training trips…
What has been the hardest part so far?
None of it has been easy. I am not a naturally confident (or particularly good) skier, especially downhill. The cold has mostly been manageable, but there…
What are the main risks?
Crevasses are the main risk. We hope never to need what we have learnt during crevasse-rescue training, but we will rope together whenever there’s poor visibility…
How did you end up training to cross Antarctica?
In 2024, I was visiting a friend in St Andrews. A friend of hers who works at the university mentioned that one of her PhD students…