Our South Pole Last Degree Ski team is assembled in Punta Arenas, Chile and they eagerly await their flight to Antarctica --- hopefully departing tomorrow morning.
Our team is led by longtime PolarExplorers guide Taylor Sweitzer. Joining Taylor on the 60 nautical mile cross country ski journey to the South Pole are Claus and Arne (also known as Team Blind) from Denmark.
Arne is quite an inspiring guy. He has been totally blind for about 35 years and visually impaired for longer, but that has not slowed him down one bit professionally or athletically. As a social worker he specialized in rehabilitating adults who lost their vision, and encouraged many to take up sport. Arne is a highly accomplished skier and cyclist, and derives great motivation from setting athletic goals.
And few goals are greater than skiing to the South Pole! We at PolarExplorers are thrilled and honored to be part of Arne and Claus' adventure to the Pole.
If weather cooperates Taylor, Claus and Arne will be off to the White Continent tomorrow morning. After paring down their personal kits to 25 kg (the charter flight crew's limit) they'll check their loaded pulk sleds this afternoon and enjoy their final evening in South America together.
Thanks for following along. Be sure to check back tomorrow for another update. And check out Arne's official website for more information on his inspirational story:
Use the link below to listen to Taylor's first audio dispatch from the expedition: