Polar Explorers | Blogs: 2007

2007 South Pole Dispatches

South Pole 2 Degree Ski Expedition

December update:
Wow - how time flies. Not long ago it seemed that our expedition was months away and here we are with less than 2 weeks until most people depart. We are in great shape as we head into the final weeks before departure. We just received confirmation that all of our gear arrived in Punta Arenas and everyone's personal kits are packed and ready to go. Everyone is excited and eager to embark on this adventure! We'll begin updating this page on a daily basis beginning Dec.29th - so make sure to bookmark the page and check back in regularly for daily updates and messages from the team. Happy holidays!
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Just some of the personal gear ready and on display.

December 29th:
Punta Arenas - Greetings everyone and welcome to our first expedition update! We were supposed to be leaving Punta Arenas today, but the reports yesterday from Patriot Hills were of light snow, wind and poor visibility which doesn't bode well for flying. As predicted, the call this morning was that we were grounded. So we walked around town, went down to the beach where it was quite windy out of the SE (around 20 mph). Still, the sun was out and it was a balmy 60 degrees. Spirits are high and we are ready to move as soon as we get the word. As we wait we are catching up with world news on CNN at the hotel. Time permitting we may try to find some tires to pull on the beach. Richard says "We are ready to get out of here!" Ajeet seconds that "We are raring to go!" Make sure to check back regularly - it is great to be able to share our adventure with everyone back home and around the world!
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December 30th: Ahh...more time in Punta to get excited about the expedition. The winds this morning had picked up to 30 knots and and the plane won't land in anything over 20 knots. Every 6 hours we get another update on the weather. If all looks good we get our things together and head to the airport - no time to lose! Otherwise we wait around for the next update and hope for the best. As usual it's one of the Polar Regions favorite games - hurry up and wait! All the nervousness about the expedition has faded as we relax in the hotel and mingle with the other expeditions (mostly all mountaineering expeditions). With calmed nerves we are now as excited as ever to get on the ice. Our next update on the weather is this evening- Keep your fingers crossed for us!
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December 31: Still waiting in Punta...which isn't all bad. This morning we went on a nice walk by the ocean and this afternoon we are going up to the local ski hill where there are some great views of the surrounding area. It is a beautiful day here in Punta, and the 5 mile hike back from the ski area should feel great. Last night we went to the historic Union Club, which is where Sir Ernest Shackleton requested help from the government in rescuing his team on his incredible 1914 Endurance expedition. After that we called it an early night. We are making friends here and despite our eagerness to get on the ice we are having a good time. Next weather report is later in the day - again, keep your fingers crossed for us!
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Union de la Club, Punta Arenas, Chile.

January 1, 2007: Another day in Punta Arenas awaiting Mother Nature's cooperation to get us out on the ice. Patriot Hills reported the strongest winds yet today- 40 knots with gusts up to 57 knots. Again, anything above 20 knots and the planes can't land there. Next check in will be at 4:00 a.m. We had a lovely New Year's celebration at a small local restaurant with filet mignon and of course champagne. It was an intimate setting with local friends and families. When the restaurant filled at 10:00 p.m., they locked the doors and we all stayed for a grand celebration with noise makers and all. Welcome, 2007! Annie & Sara arrived in Punta today ready for their 1° ski expedition. We all went to the ALE office to collect their gear and played like a sled dog team, hauling their loaded sleds back down the hill. Everyone is still in very good spirits, naturally eager to get out on the ice but knowing that weather delays in Antarctica are the rule rather than the exception.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007!

January 2: Guess what!?! The team is really getting to know Punta Arenas intimately! All flights to Patriot Hills were called off today as the weather there continued to be very windy (consistent 30 knot winds with gusts to 35). But that's improvement over yesterday's conditions so we can only be hopeful that this trend of diminishing winds will continue. We took advantage of having Annie and Sara's expedition equipment being available and set up the North Face tent on Avenue Colon which is a major parkway in Punta Arenas. To reinforce the training, we set up the tent wearing our mitts. As the sky was a beautiful blue with light puffy clouds and temperatures were around 18°C (65°F), we drew a fair amount of attention! But we had fun and it was good experience for all. We pulled out the skis and had a chance to practice with the bindings and mitts- all much easier in these conditions than with winds howling at 35-40 knots! Everyone is still in good spirits, having a lot of laughs. In the afternoon, we enjoyed a nice though windy walk south along the beach. We also had a chance to meet John Sedlak who arrived last night and is scheduled to participate in the Champagne Flight to the Pole. Our next chance for an update will be 6:30 a.m. Stay tuned...
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January 3: Short and sweet update today. More intimate knowledge of Punta Arenas! Conditions at Patriot Hills today were winds of 23 knots gusting to 25 knots - over the limit for being able to land. Conditions in Punta Arenas were actually worse- 60 knot winds! This limited how much time we spent outside. The highlight of the day was feeling the excitement as Annie & Sara (the 1° expedition members) had their weigh in and loaded their equipment onto the bus so it would be ready for transport to Patriot Hills in preparation for their departure in the hopefully not too distant future.
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Team member Ajeet Bajaj admiring the beauty of Torres Del Paine National Park.

January 4: Conditions today at Patriot Hills are complete whiteout with zero visibility. No chance for a flight today. An additional glitch has occurred due to the incredible winds in Punta Arenas yesterday. There was minor damage to the plane we were supposed to take from PA and a replacement part has been special ordered and will be hand delivered. Our next update for a flight out will be Sunday, January 7 at 4:00 p.m. At that time, weather conditions will again be assessed and we'll be back to waiting for a good weather window. This is a perfect opportunity for us to repeat the line "This is why we call it adventure travel!"

And in the true spirit of adventurers, we are making the best of it! We're taking a land tour to visit the nearby penguin colonies this afternoon. Then tomorrow, we've rented a minivan and will head some 400 km north to Torres del Paine National Park. We will spend two full days hiking and exploring one of the most beautiful, unspoiled and remote places of the planet. Snow-capped mountain peaks, cascading rivers and waterfalls, glaciers and mirrored lakes all await us. We're happy to make this minor delay in travel an opportunity to explore the gem of Patagonia. We will continue to send updates and anticipate coming home with some incredible photos!
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January 5: Our penguin adventure yesterday was phenomenal! Today we drove 6.5 hours through spectacular country to the heart of Patagonian adventure, Torres del Paine. We are right at the base of the Paine Massif. It was a beautiful day with clear blue skies. We have a lovely spot to stay and are looking forward to a couple of great days of adventure.
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Several penguins having some fun.

January 6: Spectacular day! We hiked up to the base of the towers in Torres del Paine. It was a 9 mile round trip hike with 3,000' elevation gain. Took us about 6 hours. The weather was beautiful- sunny, blue skies, little wind, about 24°C (75°F). Word is conditions at Patriot Hills continue to be less than optimal- lots of snow and wind- blizzard conditions. Our plan is to leave here early tomorrow morning to get back to Punta Arenas for our next update at 4:00 PM.
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January 7: We woke up at 7:00 a.m. and drove 5.5 hours back to Punta Arenas, arriving at 1:00 PM. We called in to ALE and were told that the weather was looking good, the plane was fixed and we should be prepared to fly at 4:00 p.m.! We were picked up at 4:30 p.m. and in the air at 6:30 local time. It's a 5 hour flight from Punta Arenas to Patriot Hills. We took photos, said our hellos, and had an orientation meeting till 12:30 a.m. We then set up our tents and were in bed by 2:00 a.m. A long but very exciting day! Everyone is thrilled to finally be in Patriot Hills.
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Patriot Hills base camp. Alongside our tents you find our sleds and ski gear. The wall of snow behind our tent is man made as a wind block.

January 8: We spent the morning organizing our sleds and gear. Our flight out is supposed to happen either later tonight or first thing in the morning. There is no wind here and temperatures are around -1°C (30° F) with intensely bright sun and clear skies. We will do a group ski with sleds around the Patriot Hills area this afternoon. We're ready to go!
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January 9: We left Patriot Hills today about 6:00 p.m. for the ice, planning to put down at 88°20 due to the report that the plane was having difficulty landing closer to 88° due to large sastrugi; lost time was also a consideration thrown into the decision making process. We expect to simply set up camp, have a good dinner and spend our first night getting a good rest before setting out for the Pole tomorrow morning. The Goldsmiths and Ajeet are excited to get on the ice and are ready to go. We were given one hour announcement to get ready to go and broke camp quickly, eager to being our expedition.

John Sedlak and a group of other internationall champagne fliers also left at the same time to visit the Scott Amundsen station at the South Pole and are expected to return back to Patriot Hills around 6:00 a.m. tomorrow. He left Patriot Hills with a big smile on his face and full of excitement.

Last night all of the NWP groups together made a mass spaghetti dinner with food being left behind and thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Departure from Patriot Hills. The long wait is over and the team is eager to start moving.

January 10: We were dropped off around 11:30 p.m. last night at a position of 88°17 S, 80° W. We made camp and began adjusting to the cold. Ajeet said it was about -28°C (-18°F). We traveled 4 hours today from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. and made 4 nautical miles. Current position is 88°21 S, 80° W. It was a clear beautiful day with south winds around 10 knots. Travel was smooth with small sastrugi. We did hour marches, adjusting to the altitude and getting our systems worked out. Our sleds weigh about 55 kg. Current temperature is -26°C (-15°F). Attitudes are great as we're excited to be on our way!
Antarctic fact of the day: If the Antarctic ice sheet melted today, all of the world's oceans would rise about 60 m (197').
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The Goldsmith's with our Twin Otter plane preparing to depart. The expedition truly begins.

January 11: Current position is 88° 27.101 S, 80°29.162 W. Weather conditions are -20°C (-4°F) and we had an 8 knot wind, less than yesterday. Clear visibility all day. We were on the trail for 7 hours and made 6 nautical miles. We are still acclimatizing though no one is having major issues with the altitude. The full day was travel was physically and mentally challenging ("to say the least" per Laurie!). But spirits are great because we met our goal of 6 nautical miles. We recognize that the South Pole will not come without effort and challenge!
The Goldsmiths say hello to all of their family and friends and report that they are doing well. Ajeet also sends best wishes to family and friends. And a special hi to Keagan and Stacey from Keith.
Antarctic fact of day: 99.6% of the Antarctic continent is ice and snow; the balance is rock. So far, we haven't seen any rock!
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January 12: Current position is 88°33.065 S; 80°28.5 W. We made 6 nautical miles today in very difficult weather conditions. East winds of 12 mph gusting to 18, complete whiteout conditions with drifting snow and visibility less than ¼ mile. Our systems are becoming more efficient though the environment continues to let us know that the South Pole will not come easily! Our routine is to have breakfast at 7:00 a.m., begin breaking camp by 9:00 a.m., on the trail by 10:00 a.m. We traveled from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. We take 10 minute snack and water breaks every hour to hour and a half. Our spirits are up now that we're back in the tent making hot drinks and preparing dinner. We are feeling the pressure to increase our mileage as we become more fit and acclimatized to the 9,000' elevation and -20° temperatures.
Ajeet sends his love to his little girls!
Antarctic fact of the day: A domestic deep freezer runs at about -20°C (-4°F); mean summer temperature on the great East Antarctic icecap is -30°C (-22°F) and mean winter temperatures are around -60°C (-76°F). Lowest ever temperature recorded in the world was at the Russian station Bostok with -89.6°C (-130°F)!
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January 13: Current position is 88°37.046 S; 80°44.986 W. We made 4 nautical miles today in blizzard conditions. Visibility was near zero. We decided to stop and make camp at 3:00 p.m. The terrain was very challenging due to the sastrugi and blowing snow. This led to a frustrating and slow day of travel. Temperature has been around -20°C (-4°F) with winds around 10 knots. Navigation is quite easy when the sun is out as the sun works as a natural compass. As long as you know the time and your relative position, your shadow works like a compass. But in conditions such as we had today, we had to rely solely on GPS and compass. We're feeling a bit frustrated with the slowness of travel today but know there are more days ahead and only hope conditions will ameliorate.
Antarctic fact of the day: Snow falling at the South Pole takes about 100,000 years to flow to the coast of Antarctica before it drops off the end as part of an iceberg.
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You may ask what does one consume their thoughts with on such an expedition?

Just one of the many answers.

January 14: Current position is 88°45.533 S, 81°31.872 W. We traveled 8.5 nautical miles in 8 hours of travel. Weather conditions: winds 2 knots, overcast and blowing snow but enough contrast on the ground to make navigation with sun possible. We're feeling upbeat though tired and ready to refuel and sleep for the evening to get back on the horse tomorrow. We're happy that the Antarctic land released its weather hold on us and allowed us to enjoy a day on the Antarctic continent.

Message to the Goldsmiths from Nathan: Hope your trip has been fantastic- we're thinking of you especially since it's supposed to get down to 15° F here tonight (California)! Everything is great at home; animals are fat and happy. Have fun and be safe!

Message back to Nathan: 15° is nothing! Congratulations with Mitty (ball game). Say hi to all the animals, especially Nana. Love to everybody!

Warmest regards and thanks for the support to Anna Culpeck, Bob Douglass, and Toby Young.

Antarctic fact of the day: The Antarctic ice cap has 49 million cubic kilometers of ice. (We are feeling every km of it!) This is 90% of all the ice on the planet and around 70% of all the world's freshwater.
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January 15: Current position is 88°53.675 S; 81°36.667 W. Weather conditions are -15°C (5°F), clear, no wind, an absolutely gorgeous Antarctic day! We traveled over 8 nautical miles. We're feeling a bit tired but hoping to do a few more days of similar mileage and look forward to getting to 89° soon! Our spirits are confident with the weather change and mileage. We've gained confidence in our systems and efficiency and hope that this weather system will last. Today's evening activity includes a culinary masterpiece by Ajeet Bajaj, an Indian delicacy dal bukhara with mango chutney and hot drinks. What a treat!
Antarctic fact of the day: One of the biggest icebergs ever broke free from the Ross ice shelf in Antarctica in 2000. It was 183 miles long and 23 miles wide with a surface area of 4,250 square miles, similar in size to Connecticut above water and 10 times bigger below water.
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The team is half-way to their goal! 89 degrees South.

January 16: Current position is 89°02.000 S; 81°35.700 W
Temp -20° C (-4°F), no wind, cloudy conditions. We traveled 8.5 nautical miles today. Our third day of 8+ miles and everyone is feeling a bit sore but the rhythm and routine of travel and breaks is getting more consistent. We commemorated crossing 89° (1° down, 1° to go) with photos and video. We're excited to delve into our second food bag tonight and discovered that we have crumbled bacon bits- feels like Christmas dinner! In terms of food, we have been on a 4,500 to 5,000 calorie diet each day. We start with breakfast of oatmeal and hot drinks. On the trail, we have granola bars, trail mix and assorted nuts with hot water and tea. Dinners are three course affairs with soup, a main course with a pasta or rice base and dessert of chocolate and hot drinks. We're hoping the good weather continues and our bodies continue to hold up to the challenges.
Antarctic fact of day: Antarctica is the best place in the world to find meteorites. Dark meteorites show up against the white snow and are not hidden by vegetation.
On a side note, in Patriot Hills, we had the chance to interact with a Korean governmental research team who are on the hunt for meteorites using snow machines and helicopters. Keith says thanks for the support to Sandy, Ernie, Fred, Pam and Eric, Nancy & Dylan. Thinking about all of you all.
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January 17: Current position is 89°10.000 S; 82°33.557 W. Weather is overcast with limited visibility and blowing snow. Temperature is around -25°C (-13°F).
We progressed 8 nautical miles, reaching our mileage halfway point and were quite excited about that (had 102 nautical miles to start, now have 50). We stopped and enjoyed a deep sigh of relief as everything from here is all downhill. Spirits are up.
Antarctic fact of the day: The largest land animal in Antarctica is an insect- a wingless midge called Belgica Antarctica . It is less than .5" (1.27 cm) long. There are no flying insects in Antarctica- they would get blown away. Just the shiny black springtails that hop like fleas amongst the penguins.
Messages to the Goldsmiths from Daniel: Hope your trip is going great. We're all thinking of you. All is well at home. What is the coolest thing you've experienced about being in Antarctica? Love you, Daniel
Message from Goldsmiths to Daniel & Nathan: Can you please call Kim W. and Janet and give them this website. They would enjoy following our progress.
To Daniel: The coolest thing we have experienced is when you look around in all directions everything is frozen and white- there is nothing out here as far as you can see and farther than that. Just knowing where you are when you look around is amazing. Thanks for the message!
Message from Ajeet & Keith to Anna: Thanks for your messages and support. Hopefully in about 6 days we will be at the South Pole and will send you a special message.
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January 18: Current position is 89°16.010 S; 82°58.266 W Today's weather was clear, winds out of the south, temperature -30°C (-22°F), our coldest day yet. We went 6 nautical miles. We had planned a late departure and early stop today so we could rest up some and do some gear adjustment. We're hoping that the cold weather snap will subside overnight. Today's temperatures required us to have very short breaks as the chill in the air would penetrate through all our layers very quickly. Otherwise, it was a gorgeous day with a beautiful blue sky.
Antarctic fact of the day: Antarctica has a peculiar group of fish called the ice fish. They have no red pigment hemoglobin to carry oxygen around in their systems. Because the temperature is so low and oxygen dissolves better in cold temperatures, they get by without it. Many other Antarctic sea creatures including fish have antifreeze in their blood so they don't accidentally get frozen solid.
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January 19: Current position is 89°24.000 S; 83°58.422 W. We traveled 8 nautical miles in 8 hours today. Weather was -25°C (-13°F), light south breeze, unlimited sun. It was a very comfortable travel day. We took longer breaks than usual because it was nice to relax and soak up the sun. The group energy was upbeat. We are looking forward to reaching 89°30 with ½ degree to go. Our daily schedule is to travel 1.5 to 2 hours at a stretch which will take us between 1.5 and 2 nautical miles. In that time, our minds wander and it has been our goal to keep our thoughts positive. During breaks, we talk, eat and drink lots of water. Beyond anything else, this expedition is as much of a mental challenge as it is a physical challenge. Thinking positively and thriving, not just surviving, have been our mottos.
Antarctic fact of the day: On Dec. 14, 1911, Norwegian Roald Amundsen and 4 team members reached the South Pole. Amundsen discovered a new route which took only 57 days. He left letters for Scott (more to come on Scott), a Norwegian flag planted and then they returned to the Bay of Whales.
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January 20: Current position is 89°28.700 S; 84°49.135 W. We traveled 5 nautical miles today. Temperature was -20°C (-4°F), no wind, bright blue skies, good travel conditions. We decided to call an early day to give the group a bit of a break. We were able to spend the afternoon making hot drinks and resting.
Antarctic fact of the day: On Jan 18, 1912, Robert F. Scott, Edward Wilson, Edgar Evans and Lawrence Oates reached the South Pole. Unfortunately, Roald Amundsen had already been there and left a flag marking the spot. Terribly discouraged after a torturous journey, all of the members perished on the return trip.
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Ajeet(right) and Keith. Covered up with hat, googles and face mask to prevent the cold and sun from penetrating their skin. Keith has a crude duct tape nose cover on his goggles to help as a sun and wind block.

January 21: We decided to take a planned rest day today. We spent the morning sleeping, recuperating, rehydrating, and refueling. In the afternoon, we had a vicious Uno tournament with Keith winning most of the games. We're all in good spirits, ready to hit the trail and push on toward the Pole tomorrow, rested and refreshed. We continue to live by our motto of thriving, not just surviving. It's a cozy 4°C (40°F) with no wind in the tent! Pick up flights have been rescheduled so for any of you who may have been concerned about a January 23rd pick up, no worries. We are under no major time pressure.
Antarctic fact of the day: In October, 1915, Ernest Shackleton has a plan to cross the continent but is forced to abandon this idea because his ship, the Endurance, is crushed in the ice of the Weddell Sea after drifting for 9 months. The 28 men must camp on the floating ice for 5 more months before an opening in the ice allows them to take the boats to Elephant Island.
Message for Keith- your friends and family cheered you at the CTO Ball. You were missed but everyone is thinking of you and wishing you a safe voyage.
Message from Keith: Thanks to the Maddens, O'Riordans, Erich, Lori, Joe, Kathy, Stacey & Keagan. All my love, Keith
Message from Ajeet: Love to my family and friends in India and the States.
Message from the Goldsmiths: To family and friends worldwide, we miss you and are thinking of you as we push to the Pole!
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January 22: Current position 89°36.015 S; 85°49.371 W. We traveled 7.5 nautical miles today in 8 hours. We had light 4 knot winds, clear skies, temperatures around -25°C (-13°F). Team spirits are generally upbeat as we kept up a good pace throughout the day. We're looking forward to the approaching South Pole station as we will begin to see it on the horizon when 15 nautical miles from the Pole. We certainly are looking forward to that sight!
Antarctic fact of the day: In April, 1916, Shackleton and 5 of his men leave Elephant Island in the lifeboat James Daird. In fifteen days, they arrive at South Georgia Island. Unfortunately, they made land on the wrong side of the island and Shackleton, Tom Crean and Frank Worsley had to cross the island through difficult terrain to reach the whaling station at Stromness.
Message to the Goldsmiths from Jane & Glenn- We send our love and admiration to Richard and Laurie. We are very proud of you! Aloha, Mom & Dad
Message back from Goldsmiths: We think about you often and will be traveling to the tropics very soon! Jane: if you want to talk to a ham at the South Pole, you only have a few days to find them.
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The team enjoying the travel day. Only 15 more miles to go! The cloud build-up in the background prevented us from seeing the polar station till our final day of travel.

January 23: Current position is 89°44.020 S; 88°20.077 W. We traveled 8 nautical miles today. This morning, we woke up to -30°C (-22°F) with a 6 knot wind, bone chilling conditions to tear down camp and start moving. It was all we could do to keep warm. By mid-day, there had been a 7°C rise in temperature which was extremely noticeable to the team. It's amazing at these cold temperatures what a few degrees can do to your level of enjoyment! We are eagerly anticipating being able to view the buildings of the Amundsen-Scott station. With good weather and good movement, we should be starting to see them sometime tomorrow morning. And with some luck, at some point in the evening on January 25, we shall be within arm's reach of the bottom of the world!
Antarctic fact of the day: In 1916, on his fourth try, Shackleton reaches Elephant Island and rescues the 22 survivors from the Endurance. They survived by turning the remaining lifeboats upside down and setting up living quarters beneath.
Riddle from Ajeet: What did our ski expedition do on its day off in the Antarctic?
Answer: Just "chilled out"!

Lots of messages today!
To the Goldsmiths:
"Everything is fine with the boys. We are all following your adventure on the internet. Laurie- I bet you've had to "dig deep" a few times. We love you!" Mom, Dad, Lee & Brad
"Hope you are having fun. You can not believe all the money you are spending on the race car. It will be in fine shape! Best to you both," From Kent and Lyn
"I haven't had any luck finding a Ham operator at the South Pole! If one is there, please get his info for later. Aloha," Mom & Dad/Jane & Glenn
"Here you are very close to fulfilling your dream of reaching the South Pole. Best wishes and I will see you soon in sunny Gilroy." From Kim
"Glad your trip is going smoothly. Hope you have an exciting last few days on the ice. We're all thinking of you and are looking forward to you coming home. Lots of love," Daniel, Nathan and Katie
To Keith, Ajeet, Laurie and Richard,
"You are on the home stretch. You must be seeing the South Pole by now. Every inch you are moving brings you closer to your hard earned goal. Soon you will be savoring your triumphs together and I will be there in spirit with you all. I send you wings for the last miles so you can fly and get there not too exhausted. Let's hope the weather is good to you for that. Enjoy, enjoy my buddies. Lots of love," Anna
To Keith: All sounds good. Keep up the progress. You're the man. Your father in law, Fred PS The Bears creamed the Saints (39-14).

Messages from the team:
From the Goldsmiths:
Daniel: A very happy birthday to you! We hope your day is a good one. Let us know what you plan to do or did, love Mom and Dad
Nathan: We hope school and soccer are going well. Give us an update. How did the soccer sleepover go for you and the team?
Boys: We plan to reach the Pole on the 25th. We'll try to call the house or cell phones via sat phone if possible when we reach it.
Thanks to everyone for sending the messages. We greatly appreciate them!
From Keith: Thanks, Fred. Please say hello to Alex, Rachel, Nicki & Pam for me.
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January 24: Current position is 89°52.015 S; 90°29.132 W. Despite our excitement to spot the Amundsen-Scott station, we woke up this morning to overcast skies with a slight breeze, thwarting any chances throughout the day of seeing the station. Making camp tonight, conditions were the same with 5 km visibility and 4 knot winds with a temperature of -30°C (-22°F). Despite the weather conditions, the travel was good. We traveled 8 hours and completed 8 nautical miles. We are sitting around Ajeet and Keith's tent, frying salami, making one last meal on the trail as we prepare for the final 8 mile push, hoping to accomplish our ultimate goal by 7:00 PM Chilean time tomorrow, January 25.
Antarctic fact of the day: July, 1957- the International Geophysical Year (IGY) begins with Antarctica, the main effort of scientists from 67 countries over the next 18 months. Twelve new bases are constructed with the Amundsen-Scott base at the South Pole. December, 1959- The twelve leading nations participating in the IGY signed the Antarctic Treaty in Washington, DC. The treaty was framed as an agreement so the continent "shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes." The treaty came into effect in 1961 and guarantees access and scientific research in all territory south of 60 degrees latitude.
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Antarctic fact of the day: On January 25, 2007, 3 amateur adventurers (Laurie and Richard Goldsmith, Ajeet Bajaj) and lead guide Keith Heger skied 103 nautical miles to reach the Geographic South Pole in 16 days!

January 25: Major success! Current position is 90° S!! We arrived at the South Pole at 7:30 PM Chilean time. What a feeling! We woke up this morning to -30°C (-22°F) temperature with clear skies. We were able to see a small blip on the horizon which turned out to be the protective shell of the satellite communication system of the Amundsen-Scott Station. Watching the Station grow steadily larger as we skied was incredible. When 6 nautical miles out, we were able to see the new Station. Skiing in was very impressive. We're all overwhelmed by the enormity of the base and the bustle of activity. It's like a scene from Mars! There are 270 people here right now and it feels so strange to see cars driving around, Hercules aircraft flying in and out with people and supplies, all of this civilization after so many days surrounded by emptiness and white. We celebrated our accomplishment, took lots of photos and had a tour of the Station. The Twin Otters are here now to take us back to Patriot Hills tonight.
Many thanks to all of our family and friends who supported us, sent messages, and tracked our progress on the website. It means so much to all of us! We will continue the daily updates until we arrive back in Punta Arenas and have our final celebration dinner.
Antarctic fact of the day: On January 25, 2007, 3 amateur adventurers (Laurie and Richard Goldsmith, Ajeet Bajaj) and lead guide Keith Heger skied 103 nautical miles to reach the Geographic South Pole in 16 days!
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Richard making a phone call home with the solar charger on the ground and the Twin Otter in the background ready to whisk us back to Patriot Hills.

January 26: We arrived at Patriot Hills at 2:00 AM Chilean time. The wind was gusting to 40 knots! Setting up our tents was the most challenging camp set up we have experienced the entire expedition. It took 6 of us to deal with one tent at a time. We then went into the large guide tent which is shared with multiple expedition teams. It has a 4 burner propane stove and a snow melting system along with tables and chairs. We had a quick meal, then we hit the sack. Due to the windy conditions, it was a restless sleep. But after yesterday's full South Pole activity, we were able to sleep for a few hours. Due to the high winds today, there was no chance of flying back to Punta Arenas. We considered a ski tour but decided not- we were due a day of rest and relaxation! Temperatures are around 0°C (32°F)- relatively balmy compared with what we're used to! It feels almost tropical. Our next check in will be at 4:00 AM to see if the pick up flight may come from Punta Arenas in the morning. It is on standby, just waiting for the weather to clear.
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This semi-permanent tribute is placed at the South Pole every summer season. The flags in the background highlight the countries who signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. The gold marker in the foreground is the actual USGS marker placed at the Pole every January. The South Pole drifts 10 meters every year. The Amunsdon-Scott station is the large building in the background.

January 27: The wait continues. Winds of 30-40 knots here in Patriot Hills so no flight today. One day at a time… We'll see what tomorrow brings and hope for the best.
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January 28: Play it again… another day in Patriot Hills. Winds averaging 30 knots so no flight today. We spent the day yesterday resting and playing cards. We'll be coming back ready to take any of you on in Uno, hearts, etc! Can't say we're not learning great new skills here! And for any of you concerned about our food situation, we had packed out many days of extra food which we left here in Patriot Hills for just such an occasion. We didn't take this food on the trail with us but it was waiting here when we got back. So we're not about to go hungry. And ALE has back-up food if we run out of our own (highly unlikely). But we can't say we're not smelling, tasting, dreaming of the celebratory dinner awaiting us one of these days back in Punta Arenas! Annie has been serenading everyone in the guide tent for the past 2 hours. This tent is 45' x 25' (13.7 m x 7.62 m) and we'll have 20 of us sitting here at a time. Quite cozy and a great international community. Any thoughts and prayers to the wind gods and goddesses will be most appreciated!
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Team photo. Annie and Sara in red, Richard, Laurie, Ajeet and Keith in the middle.

Congratulations and thank you for all the support.

January 29: YAHOO!!! We're being told we are flying out tonight!!! The plane is anticipated to be here at Patriot Hills around 11:00 PM- midnight. This would get us back to Punta Arenas around 6:00 AM tomorrow. Can we tell you how excited we are?!? Our spirits are obviously very upbeat. Just finished a lovely meal of Mexican beans, rice and chorizo sausage. We're looking forward to a shower and getting home to see friends and family. It's been a blast but we can't say we're not a bit homesick. To all of you who sent prayers to the wind gods and goddesses, thank you! You're more powerful than you may realize! We do really appreciate all of your support and caring and can't wait to see you soon!
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Lauri, Richard and Ajeet homeward bound!

Job well done!

January 30: We arrived in Punta Arenas around 8:00 AM after a long night! We were checked into our motel by 9:00 AM and in the shower by 9:01 AM! What a glorious feeling! We had a chance to get a little sleep in a real bed. What a concept! Sara is heading back up to Torres del Paine for a few days as her flight out of Punta Arenas is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 2. Ajeet's flight leaves this afternoon. Keith, Richard, Laurie and Annie all fly out tomorrow, Jan 31. We'll have a chance for a final celebratory dinner here in Punta Arenas, then a real night's sleep in a real bed. It feels wonderful being in Punta Arenas and we so look forward to seeing all of you very soon!
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January 31: Homeward Bound! Most everyone is en route home by now. We're savoring our memories of an incredible adventure and looking forward to seeing friends and loved ones. It has been an amazing journey which we will never forget. We'll be posting pictures to the website soon. Thanks again to everyone who has been following our adventure and giving us such support- we truly appreciate it!
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2007 South Pole 1 degree ski expedition

December update:
Less than a few weeks to go before Annie and Sara arrive in Antarctica! This past weekend they were together in California training and reviewing equipment. Everything seems to be coming together nicely - all of their gear has arrived in Punta Arenas and both Annie and Sara are looking forward to the upcoming adventure! We will begin updating this page on a daily basis starting January 2nd - so make sure to bookmark the page and check back in regularly for daily updates and messages from the team. Happy holidays!
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January 1, 2007: Annie and Sara both arrived safely (with all our luggage!) in Punta Arenas today. We met up with the 2° expedition team who were glad to see us though of course had really hoped not to be seeing us till we all arrive at the South Pole. They helped us collect our gear from the ALE office. We now have a few days (or perhaps more than a few....) to recover from our journey, final prep of gear and be ready to hit the ice. We are currently scheduled on a flight to Patriot Hills on January 4 but of course, all schedules are totally weather dependent. We'll keep you posted.

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January 2: We spent the day splitting up our equipment and going through our personal clothing and supplies. We had a chance to do some last minute shopping. We're in good spirits. We're off to dinner now- Chinese food is the plan for the evening!

That's a lot of gear - and that's only half of it! Annie's hotel room exploded with clothing and equipment as we started sorting and packing. Everything is accounted for and ready to go.

January 3: Extremely windy conditions in Punta Arenas today- 60 knots! Conditions at Patriot Hills also continue to be windy- 23 knots gusting to 25 knots. For lunch we went to the 6th floor restaurant with a panoramic view of the city and the Straights of Magellan. We could see huge waves with lots of spindrift in the air. The roof was shuddering. We could see bits of plastic bags and fabric blowing around as high as the 6th floor. It was a fascinating place to be in a strong wind because we could experience it all around us without actually being in it. The wind abruptly died to mere windy conditions but not gale force in the afternoon.

We had our weigh in with all of our equipment. With the2° team members, we had a contest after lunch to see who could guess the weight of the sleds. Sara's weighed in at 31.45 kilos and Annie's at 45.4 kilos (granted, Annie had packed extra food that we're planning to leave at Patriot Hills). Ajeet was closest to guessing the weight of Sara's sled with Richard coming in a close second. Annie was closest to guessing the weight of her sled with Laurie coming in a close second. Fun times had by all! The folks at ALE then loaded all of our gear onto the bus to take it to the airport to be ready to transport to Patriot Hills whenever we are cleared for flying. We're ready when they are!
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And in the true spirit of adventurers, we are making the best of it! We're taking a land tour to visit the nearby penguin colonies this afternoon.

Going to the penguin colony was a welcome break from Punta Arenas. We had a great time and saw hundreds of penguins.

Then tomorrow, we've rented a minivan and will head some 400 km north to Torres del Paine National Park. We will spend two full days hiking and exploring one of the most beautiful, unspoiled and remote places of the planet. Snow-capped mountain peaks, cascading rivers and waterfalls, glaciers and mirrored lakes all await us. We're happy to make this minor delay in travel an opportunity to explore the gem of Patagonia. We will continue to send updates and anticipate coming home with some incredible photos!
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January 5: We drove 6.5 hours through spectacular country to the heart of Patagonian adventure, Torres del Paine. We are right at the base of the Paine Massif. It was a beautiful day with clear blue skies. We have a lovely spot to stay and are looking forward to a couple of great days of adventure.
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Annie enjoying the view. What an incredible place! We were stunned with the beauty and we had incredible weather to enjoy it.

Loading the Ilushyn at Punta Arenas we are all excited to be on the move and eager to reach Antarctica!

January 8: We spent the morning organizing our sleds and gear. Our flight out is supposed to happen either later tonight or first thing in the morning. There is no wind here and temperatures are around -1°C (30°F) with intensely bright sun and clear skies. We will do a group ski with sleds around the Patriot Hills area this afternoon. We will be dropped off at 89° and our pick-up flight will be January 23 as originally scheduled. We're ready to go!

Sara testing out the terrain on our practice-run. All went well and we are looking forward to being dropped off at 89 degrees.

January 9: We went for a full training ski of 7.5 nautical miles with full kits under cloudless skies. Temperatures are above freezing and are deceptively warm as reports from the South Pole station yesterday were -26° C (-15°F). We plan to do another training trip in the beautiful mountains surrounding Patriot Hills tomorrow and are anxiously awaiting the next call. The 2 Twin Otters will return tomorrow and will have a mandatory rest period before flying us out. We are on pins and needles awaiting to hit the ice!
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January 10: We are still at Patriot Hills today and went for a short ski to burn off energy. It was very cloudy this morning, then got sunny and is clouding over again this evening. Temperatures are still relatively very warm, hovering around freezing. We plan to fly to the ice tonight. We'll load the Twin Otter at 6:30 p.m. and anticipate being in the air by 8:00. We'll have a 2.5 hour flight to the refueling station, then approximately 2 hours more to 89°. We don't plan to move tonight but rather make camp, get a good rest and be ready for tomorrow. Our plan for tomorrow is to do a light day, approximately 3 nautical miles. The elevation at Patriot Hills has been 2,700' (823 m) and elevation at 89° will be 9,300' (2,835 m) with a relative altitude of 11,000' (3,353 m). Therefore, we'll need to adjust gradually to the altitude change and plan for a relatively short day, being sure to stay well hydrated. We are very excited and looking forward to getting to 89°. Sara sends a message home saying hello, she misses everyone and please take good care of her dog!

Our flight in the Twin Otter took us over some beautiful terrain. When we touched down at 89 degrees we were so excited it was hard to fall asleep.

January 11: Current position is 89°00.546 S, 89°29.499 W. We traveled 2.6 nautical miles today with conditions of -26° C (-14.8° F) with 6-7 mph winds. We had a leisurely morning as we didn't go to bed till 2:00 a.m. after our late flight to the ice. We were dropped off before 89° S. We had relatively good conditions for our first day. A few issues with cold hands and feet but nothing insurmountable. We're happy and feeling good, looking forward to a Mexican dinner and warm drinks. The cloud cover is moving in significantly so we'll see what tomorrow will bring.
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January 12: Current position is 89°02.97 S; 89°09.86 W. We went 2.4 nautical miles today. We woke up to howling winds and stayed in our tent for a while, hoping it would subside. It did somewhat but continued to be quite windy all day from the east, about 15 mph. Temperatures were around -26°C (-15° F). Some issues with keeping fingers and toes warm and having goggles fogging up. We traveled 4+ hours and had one break. We're working on strategies for increased efficiency and increased daily progress and our spirits remain high.

A typical tent scene...socks and sock liners drying and a gear loft filled with all sorts of items. We dubbed our tent "Julienne" after a character in a book we are reading.

January 13: Current position is 89°09.86 S; 89°22.29 W. We made 6.91 nautical miles today and are thrilled with our progress! We had total whiteout conditions- couldn't see beyond the length of our skis. This made navigation rather tricky. Winds started out about 2 knots then increased to 7-8 knots from the east. There was a lot of blowing snow, leaving us totally snow and ice encrusted by the end of the day. We're excited that our strategies for increased efficiency seem to be working despite the challenging travel conditions today and look forward to more progress each day.

Sara with the daily task of removing boot liners. Boot liners that are left in the boot have a tendency to freeze-up easily, so we removed our liners each night - and our feet were nice and toasty.

January 14: Current position is 89°16.895 S; 89°26.381 W. We went 7 nm today. Conditions went from being relatively flat light and low visibility to being a really nice day. Temperatures were around -25°C (-13°F). It has been quite calm and now there is just a hint of wind rattling our tent flaps. We're about to have a super spaghetti dinner. We're quite happy with our progress the last 2 days and are hoping to bump it up as we go on. We are hot!!

Sara making her way to the South Pole. Note the shadow. We used the sun as our navigation aid. At 3 PM every day our shadow would point due South. This battery-free method of navigation is ideal - and very easy.

January 15: Current position is 89°24.498 S; 89°36.775 W. We traveled 7.6 nautical miles and we have 35 nautical miles left to go. We are excited! We had a great day- very sunny, temperature around -23°C (-10°F). At one point the sun hit the ice just right so it looked like crystals were everywhere, paving a path down our line of longitude, like we were following a road of crystals. The sastrugi is about 15 cm (6") high, at some points closer to 30 cm (12"). The sun can hit it and create shadows which remind us of North Pole travel, like little seals popping their heads out of the sea ice. We continue to read a chapter each night from a polar history novel. We send our love and best wishes to all our family and friends.

Sara making her way South. The sunlight is intense requiring goggles all day every day when it is sunny.

January 16: Current position 89° 32.483 S, 89°58.112 W. We traveled 8 nautical miles today. It was a beautiful calm day. We do find that skiing is a bit easier when there is some wind as our face masks don't freeze over quite as much but we're also grateful for calm. When we passed 89°30 S, we had a little half-way point celebration. It was so beautiful when we reached 7 miles, we decided to push on for 8 nautical miles.

Here we are celebrating our half way point. We figure the Pole is only a few days away.

We can see another expedition team far on the horizon- they look like ants. We believe they're the team we shared the drop off flight with. We find that our eyes and ears can play tricks on us too- at times, we think we see birds but they turn out to be specks on the horizon. At one point, we heard a sound like a moose but it turned out to be our skis. Sara is looking forward to calling her family from the Pole which we anticipate we should reach in about 4 days.
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January 17: Current position is 89°40.25 S, 88°50.86 W. We traveled 7.8 nautical miles today and have about 20 left to the Pole. It was a little colder today (-15°F, -26°C) with a little wind out of the East. This morning the snow was a little soft making pulling a little harder but as the day wore on, snow conditions improved and we had a lot of energy when we pulled into camp. We're trying to enjoy the rest of the trip and not rush too much- getting really excited to reach the Pole! But we're having a lot of fun.
Messsage to Sara: Abhi (son) and Raghu (husband) wish you a Happy Pongal. We're all doing well. Ginnie is doing very well also. We love you!
Great minds thinking alike as Sara had already planned the following message to Raghu and Abhi: Belated Happy Pongal! I'm having good fun here. Abhi- I will bring you to Antarctica sometime!
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January 18: Current position is 89°48.10 S; 94°33.68 W We traveled 8.01 nautical miles today and have about 12 to get to the Pole. We are camped just yards away from another expedition team and will go over there after dinner and share snacks, hot drinks and music. These are friends from Punta Arenas who we met when we were all awaiting our flight to Patriot Hills. One of the team members came with us hiking in Torres des Paine. It is fun to see some friendly faces. We'll probably end up skiing in to the Pole with them.

Having hot drinks with our friends. It was fun to swap stories and hear about their expedition.

Today was a beautiful sunny day, though colder than the last few days (-30°C, -22°F with a 3-4 knot breeze). When we were 14 miles from the Pole, we spotted the South Pole station- it looked like a tiny white blip on the horizon. We've been skiing toward it though it never seems to get any bigger. It's a great source of motivation and excitement! We're passing a lot of ski tracks from other expeditions all traveling in the same direction. The end is literally and figuratively in sight!

A typical image of Sara. Her fur ruff did a great job of protecting her face from the wind.

Messages to Sara from Chitra, Kavithi and Sridevi- all are eagerly following her progress, feeling very proud of her and excited about her adventures. Congratulations on a super achievement thus far! We're eager to hear more when you get home.
Message to Eleri, Lili & Aubrie from Annie- I'm thinking of you. Puff and Kitty are having a great adventure!
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January 19: Current position is 89°56.20 S; 103°12.56 W. We traveled 8.17 nautical miles today and are currently 3.8 nautical miles from the South Pole! Our plan is to sleep in some tomorrow and take a leisurely stroll to the Pole. The South Pole operates on New Zealand time, 15 hours ahead of Punta Arenas time which is what we have been operating on. Our tent at night can be rather comical as Sara's Thermarest® is almost the size of the tent itself- trying to blow it up each night is quite the endeavor and fun to watch! Today was rather cold, -25°C (-13°F), sunny but fairly windy. We hope to have good weather for our anticipated arrival at the Pole tomorrow. We have been in plain sight of the South Pole station all day and it has been exciting to be able to make out more and more details of the buildings as we progress. What a beautiful sight!

Sara checking out the conditions before heading our for the day. We are within sight of the South Pole station and it is hard not to want to rush to the finish line, but we've decided to take our time and soak up the remaining miles as best we can.

January 20: Major success!!! Sara and Annie arrived at the South Pole around 2:20 p.m. CST (12:20 p.m. PST, 5:20 p.m. in Punta Arenas). Can we say how thrilled we are to be here?!? It was a beautiful day, bit of a breeze, temperature -30°C (-22°F). We are due to have a tour of the South Pole station at 7:00 p.m. (Punta Arenas time) with tea, cookies and a bathroom! The Amundsen-Scott South Pole station is a place where international teams of scientists gather year round (primarily in the summer) to do all brands of science from research in global warming, astrophysics, meteorology, ice and snow coring, etc. We are excited to be able to tour the new base, opened within the last year. We have had our photo session and are extremely happy. Sara is calling her husband and conferencing in with her friends, sharing her incredible achievement!

We made it! It's very exciting to stand at the bottom of the world where all lines of latitude converge and all time zones become one. We took dozens of photos and called family and friends to share the adventure.

Editor's note: Three cheers and major kudos to Sara and Annie who have persevered for over 1° of latitude through some tough weather conditions and come out strong, well, even looking for more. Particular congratulations to Sara who has fulfilled a dream of a lifetime and has proven her mettle, her strength and her dignity to some who dared say nay, not to mention herself. May no hill remain unclimbed by those with strong hearts who believe in themselves! A mighty congratulations are due!!Back to top

January 21: No flights in or out of the South Pole today so we are in a holding pattern, savoring our success of reaching our goal. It has been an incredible journey and we are just thrilled to be here! We alternate between going into the South Pole station for hot drinks, playing cards, reading books and hanging out in our cozy tent. We do look forward to our flight out but it's an exciting place to be in a holding pattern!

The cafeteria at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole station. We often enjoyed hot drinks here, though actual meals are reserved for station staff and residents. Our mouths were watering...

January 22: We were picked up at the South Pole around 5:30 PM Punta Arenas time. We had been in a waiting game all day as the satellite images of the weather conditions at the refueling station were being checked. At 5:00 PM, we received official word that we were to fly. We flew over 2 teams heading to the Pole, one being our Polar Explorers' two degree ski team. We were able to wave to Keith, Laurie, Richard and Ajeet and drop off a small bag of additional supplies to them. We had a beautiful flight over the flats and near the mountains. We arrived in Patriot Hills around 9:30 PM and were treated to a fine meal served on tables with tablecloths, complete with champagne! Patriot Hills feels like Florida compared with the conditions we've been used to recently. It is also thrilling to see the mountains all around us after day upon day of flat, white conditions as far as the eye could see. We now wait for word on when our flight from Patriot Hills back to Punta Arenas will be.

Take off! Shortly after leaving the Pole we flew over two different expeditions, about 10 miles apart from one another. They looked so small - like ants crossing the Antarctic plateau.

January 23: We are still in Patriot Hills where the weather has turned colder and much windier- sustained winds of 9 knots with gusts up to 30 knots. We won't be flying out today! We were planning to do a little ski tour but decided that the weather was not conducive. Instead, we took advantage of the time to sort through and organize our gear, clean dishes, dry out clothing, super exciting! But this will decrease our work load once we arrive back in Punta Arenas. We'll hope for the best for tomorrow.
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January 24: We continue to wait at Patriot Hills for our flight to Punta Arenas. We're being told it won't be today. So we're going out for a ski jaunt around the area. Hoping for tomorrow… remembering that delays are the rule rather than the exception with Antarctic travel. But we are very ready to get back to family and friends!
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January 25: The wait continues here at Patriot Hills. We've been told we won't be flying out today. We believe the flight logistics operations are waiting to round up a number of others from various expeditions to the Pole and Vinson Massif so we will all fly out together. The Antarctic Reality. So we're going for a ski tour, doing a loop around the mountains around Patriot Hills. Till tomorrow…

After skiing every day it's hard to sit still so we decided to go for a ski trip to the backside of the mountains that border Patriot Hills. It was a gorgeous day - though a bit windy. Here's Sara taking in the sights.

January 26: We had a great ski tour yesterday, a 15 mile loop around the Marathon Track which is used for the Antarctic Marathon. It was a beautiful, clear day though rather windy. The track runs around the hills that form the runway here. Today was way too windy to do anything. We enjoyed swapping stories with the Polar Explorers' two degree ski team who arrived from the Pole in the middle of the night. Our next check in will be at 4:00 AM to see if the pick up flight may come from Punta Arenas in the morning. It is on standby, just waiting for the weather to clear.
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January 27: The wait continues. Winds of 30-40 knots here in Patriot Hills so no flight today. One day at a time… We'll see what tomorrow brings and hope for the best.

A typical scene of waiting. We were lucky enough to be with a great group of adventurers from around the globe who were also waiting to return to Punta Arenas, mostly Vinson climbers. A fun crew to be stuck with.

When we heard the plane was to arrive soon, people gathered in chairs to watch the welcomed landing. It was a perfect evening..no wind and a beautiful sun which is noticeably lower than when we arrived.

Sara and I, sleepy yes, but happy to be homeward bound after such a wonderful adventure.

Polar Explorers in the News

USA Today
Outside Mag Hot Trips 2011
The NewYork Times 1/16/11
NPR interview

Audio dispatches & daily reports from our expeditions
2011 Expedition Lists