2010 North Pole expeditions season begins

by Kraig Becker on

The 2010 polar exploration season has begun with a number of solo explorers and teams setting off for the Geographic North Pole over the past couple of days. For most, the journey will take upwards of two months, during which time they’ll battle inclement weather, unrelenting terrain, and their own physical limitations, just to stand at the top of the world.

While it is possible for explorers to make the journey to the Pole from the Russian side of the planet, this year all of the major expeditions will be starting in Canada. The small town of Resolute Bay serves as the launching pad for most of these intrepid travelers. With a population of just over 200 people, Resolute Bay is one of the northernmost inhabited places on Earth. It is so far north in fact, that it has an annual average temperature of just 2.5ºF.

These adventurous men and women will make their way north on skies, all the while pulling their gear and supplies in a sled behind them. Some will go unsupported, which means they won’t receive supply drops along the way, electing instead to carry everything they need with them when the get underway. Others will have food and gear delivered to them, usually in the form of an airdrops, and considering they burn in the area of 6000-8000 calories per day, they are always in need of food.
On their way to the North Pole, the explorers will face a number of obstacles, including extreme cold, blizzard conditions, and days of solitude. The journey is also quite different then an expedition to the South Pole, as Antarctica is an actual continent, while the North Pole is located on a gigantic slab of ice. As a result, the explorers will have to face areas of open water on the Arctic Sea, which are growing larger and more common thanks to global climate change. If possible, they’ll navigate around those obstacles, but in some instances they’ll actually swim across the open water using dry suits, while their gear is pulled along in an inflatable raft.

There are other differences between travel to the North and South Pole as well. Unlike Antarctic skiers, who encounter little or no wildlife on their journey, Arctic explorers also have the real possibility of coming face to face with a polar bear. They also have to deal with a phenomenon known as negative drift, which is the process of the ice moving on its own, sometimes pushing the teams further away from their goal. It is not unheard of for a team to ski all day, cover a dozen miles in the process, and then wake up the next day to discover that they’ve moved 15 miles backwards while they camped thanks to negative drift. As you can imagine, this can be quite frustrating at times

There are a number of interesting expeditions to the Pole this year, but none as exciting as Christina Franco’s. The 43-year old Italian woman, who calls London home, will be making a solo journey to 90º North. If she is successful, she’ll become the first woman to accomplish that task, earning her way into the record books. You can follow Christina’s progress on her website by clicking here. According to her most recent updates, it looks like she’ll be departing Resolute Bay tomorrow.

National Geographic announces Adventurers of the Year

by Kraig Becker on

Way back in November we told you how you could help National Geographic Adventure select their Adventurer of the Year for 2009. The list of contenders featured ten of the most amazing athletes, explorers, and scientists from around the globe, each doing exciting and unusual things in their field. Now, after three months of balloting and more than 20,000 votes, the winner has been announced. Well, make that winners, as once the ballot box was closed, and all the votes were tabulated, two names emerged victorious, with explorer Albert Yu-Min Lin and climber Marc Hoffmeister earning the title of Adventurer of the Year.

The two men share an adventurous spirit and a love of challenges, but aside from that, they couldn’t be more different. Yu-Min is working within Mongolia’s “Forbidden Zone”, located in the northern part of the country, in an attempt to find the long lost tomb of Genghis Kahn, the legendary Mongol warlord who terrorized much of Asia and Europe in the 13th century. Hoffmeister, on the other hand, earned his honors on the steep slopes of 20,320 foot tall Denali in Alaska, where he led a team of soldiers up the treacherous West Buttress Route. Many of the soldiers, including Hoffmeister himself, were injured in the war in Iraq, with some of them even missing limbs.
Both men expressed gratitude and humility after being told that they had won the award, and each of them stressed that they were just one small part of a team that made their individual adventures possible. You can read more about Yu-Min and exploration of the remote regions of Mongolia by clicking here, and his reaction to being told that he won here. Similarly, this story details Hoffmeister’s epic climb up Denali, the tallest peak in North America, and his reaction to winning can be found here.

These awards are handed out in the wake of the announcement last December that National Geographic would cease to publish Adventure as a traditional magazine. The organization promised that we would continue to see the Adventure brand being used in a variety of ways however, including future Adventurer of the Year competitions. After a taking a short hiatus, the Adventure blog has also recently returned to life, with regular updates from the world of adventure travel and outdoor activities.

100 year-old whiskey dug up from Antarctic ice

by Sean McLachlan on

Back in November we reported a plan by the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust to retrieve crates of whiskey left by Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team after on unsuccessful attempt to make it to the South Pole in 1907-1909. The Nimrod Expedition made it to within 100 miles of the Pole before harsh weather forced the explorers to retreat. They ditched much of their gear along the way, including the whiskey.

In a remarkable feat of icy archaeology, these crates, which have been sitting under a cabin built by Shackleton’s team, have been pried free of the surrounding ice. Whiskey company Whyte and Mackay is elated. The company gave the Sir Shackleton the booze but hasn’t made this particular blend in decades. They’re hoping to sample the blend and replicate it.

The New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust originally thought there were only two crates, so the other three came as a bonus. Three are labeled as whiskey and two as brandy. A few bottles might have broken, however, because the archaeologists smelled alcohol as they dug them up. They still need to scrape off the ice encasing the crates and gently remove ice that has formed inside before they know how many of the bottles are intact.

More ice cold news we’ve covered in the past – Brrrrr!


Polar explorers complete first unassisted traverse of Antarctica

by Kraig Becker on

Late last week, American Ryan Waters and Norwegian Cecilie Skog became the first team to make an unsupported/unassisted traverse of the Antarctic continent, covering more than 840 miles beginning at Berkner Island and ending at the Ross Ice Shelf, with a stop at the South Pole along the way.

The pair set off on their journey back on November 13 of last year and reached their final destination 70 days later on January 21. Over the course of those many days out on the ice, they frequently had to deal with high winds, whiteout conditions, and bitter cold, sometimes dropping as low as -40º F. As if dealing with the weather wasn’t challenging enough, they also had to endure the altitude (Antarctica is the highest continent on Earth) and massive sastrugi, hard waves of drifting snow that form on top of the ice.

Ryan and Cecilie made the journey on skies, while dragging all of their supplies and gear behind them in specially designed sleds. In order for this expedition to be classified as “unsupported” they had to make the journey without ever receiving a supply drop along the way, and to earn the distinction as “unassisted”, they had to finish the trip completely under their own power. Previous traverses of Antarctic were done through the use of dog sled teams or by using massive kites to pull the explorers across the snow.

The duo spent about a day and a half at their final destination along the Ross Ice Shelf before being picked up by a specially designed aircraft. They’ve now returned to Punta Arenas, Chile where they are enjoying fine food and warm beds for the first time in two months.%Gallery-79934%

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10 travel resolutions for 2010

by Katie Hammel on

As 2009 draws to a close and we look back on the last 365 days of travel, it’s time to make some resolutions for the coming year. Here are ten travel resolutions that will help you be a happier, more fulfilled traveler in 2010.

Pack lighter
Nearly every domestic carrier now charges for the first checked bag. The fees are increasing as airlines are relying on the fees to supplement revenue and they show no signs of stopping. If you haven’t yet mastered the art of packing for a domestic trip with just a carry-on, now is the time to do so. Limit yourself to one pair of shoes in your bag, bring clothes that mix and match, plan to wash and re-wear your clothes if they get dirty, and wear your bulkiest items on the plane. Resist the urge to pack for every contingency, learn the 3-1-1 rules, and know that any minor inconvenience you suffer from packing light may be worth the money saved. Plus, there’s no waiting around for your luggage to be unloaded and no danger of it getting lost en route.

Remember to unplug

Many people are afraid to truly take a vacation from work. They worry about how it will affect their career or stress about the amount of work they’ll come back to. If they do manage to make it out of the office, they often spend their whole trip checking email and fielding work calls and texts. Step away from the Blackberry! Sign out of Twitter, shut down Facebook, and put your “out of office” notification on your email. You’ve worked hard for this vacation so unplug and actually enjoy it.Explore your own backyard
Don’t worry, I’m not going to suggest you plan a “staycation” this year. But I will point out that exploring a new place doesn’t have to mean jetting off to a destination halfway around the world. If finances are tight but you still want to take use some vacation time and broaden your horizons, spend your days discovering a place you haven’t been within the US, within your own state, or even within a few hours drive of your own home. In between trips, find ways to do some virtual traveling by learning about your dream destinations or celebrating other cultures.

Slow down
There’s so much to see in this great big world, and so little time to see it in, that it’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to squeeze in as much as possible on each trip. But when you do that, you’re just ticking things off a list and experiencing nothing. Slow down and take your time exploring a few places rather than trying to skim the surface of many. You many not be able to say you’ve seen every country in the world, but you can say you’ve understood a few.

Think outside the box for destinations
Resolve to shake up your travel m.o. in 2010 If you always opt for a European getaway, head to Asia this year. If most of your trips are to big cities where you can wine, dine, shop and visit museums, try a trip to a quiet beach or a countryside setting instead. Consider what you want to get out of a trip and look for other destinations that fit the bill. Dive enthusiasts who’ve explored most of the Caribbean’s depths can try the waters of the Mediterranean. Traveling foodies who’ve eaten their way around Europe can sample the tastes of India or learn the traditions of Mexican cooking. Reconsider places you might have dismissed before, especially those that are emerging as new destinations so that you can beat the crowds.

Try an alternative form of lodging
Who says you always have to stay in a hotel? This year, try a different kind of lodging. Sleep in a bed and breakfast, rent an apartment, CouchSurf or sign up for a home-swap. You may find that it’s not for you, or you may find your new favorite way to stay. As a bonus, alternative forms of lodging are often cheaper than traditional hotels.

Travel green
Help protect the places you love so that future generations can enjoy them. Resolve to cut back on your carbon footprint and do what you can to travel green. Try to stay in eco-friendly accommodations, take public transportation when you can, reduce your energy use at home, and invest in carbon offsets to help mitigate the damage caused by air travel.

Try one new thing on every trip
Travel is about experiencing new things, so why bother going to a new destination if you are just going to do the same activities, eat the same food, and explore the same interests? This year, challenge yourself to try at least one new thing on every trip. Sample a food you’ve never eaten, sip a local drink, learn a native skill, and engage in an activity you’ve never done before. It’s easy to fall into the routine of seeking out the same experiences in different places so challenge yourself to try something new.

Get out of your comfort zone
We travel to discover, not only new people and places, but also new things about ourselves. Push yourself out of your comfort zone in 2010. Try not only new things that you’re eager to experience, but also new things that scare you just a little. Eat that slimy, still-squirming mystery dish in China or face your fear of heights climbing the Sydney Bridge. You’ll learn a little about the world around you, and maybe even more about yourself.

Remember that travel is a state of mind
It’s easy to approach exotic cultures with respect and curiosity. It’s a lot harder to look at different cultures in our country and accept that just because they do things differently, it doesn’t mean they are wrong. Bring the acceptance you learn on the road home with you. Don’t lose your sense of wonder and curiosity once you are back on familiar ground. Remember that travel is a state of mind and you may be just as surprised to discover the world around you as you are destinations farther away.