The team will ski from a point near the Antarctic adventure base at Union Glacier, across remote and un-travelled ice in the most hostile environment on the planet. Extreme temperatures and winds, combined with the physical diversity of the team will stretch and challenge them. The team will leave a physical landmark, THE POLE OF POSSIBILITY: an inspirational legacy, at 79 degrees latitude and longitude.
The S79° W079° intersection will be reached from Union Glacier by skiing 79 nautical miles over the Skytrain Ice Rise. This route, marked in blue, involves crossing a crevassed ‘shear margin’ between the Ice Rise and the Ronne Ice Shelf, bringing extra challenge to the journey.
Paralympic champion handcyclist Karen will journey by sit-ski, propelled only by her arms and leaving her wheelchair behind. The extra challenges involved with being paralysed are body temperature control and personal care in such an extreme environment. The others will ski towing pulks with all the equipment to survive and be self-supporting in the icy wilderness.
The Message
We aim to inspire thousands of young people around the world to believe in themselves and their dreams, and to embrace our message around ICE: Inner Gold; Connection; Environment. Being brave enough to seek our inner gold, connect with others, and respect and embrace our environment, then personal change can lead to local and global change.
The journey is a call to action about the power we each have to do more than we believe possible, to positively affect personal change, community change and thus global change. No-where on the planet are the effects of human impact on environment more apparent, and the team will share messages and learning about this important continent and how a shift in the way we think and live is so important.
