Earlier today, American Colin O’Brady became the first person to complete a solo, unassisted, unsupported crossing of Antarctica. He finished the 1,700km in just over 54 days, including a blazing 15 days to cover the last 600km from the South Pole to the beginning of the Ross Ice Shelf. Lou Rudd, a Briton who is attempting the same route, has 80km to go and should finish later this week.
But was O’Brady’s crossing really unassisted? O’Brady and Rudd have been skiing on a packed road all the way from the South Pole to their finish line. Known as the McMurdo-South Pole Highway, or the South Pole Overland Traverse Road (SPOT), it is a flattened trail groomed by tractors towing heavy sledges. It conveys personnel and supplies from McMurdo Station to the South Pole. Flags every 100m or so make navigation easy during whiteouts, and all the crevasses were filled in by the original construction crew. Most importantly for a skier, it eliminates the rock-hard, bumpy sastrugi that the wind shapes out of loose snow.
“It is a highway,” says veteran polar guide Eric Philips, “[that] more than doubles someone’s speed and negates the need for navigation. An expedition cannot be classed as unassisted if someone is skiing on a road.”
In polar travel, while “unsupported” means no supply drops, “unassisted” additionally requires no outside help of any kind to make the distance easier: no kites, dogs, roads or navigation flags. Norway’s Borge Ousland crossed Antarctica alone and unsupported in 1996-7, but his journey is not considered unassisted because a kite towed him part of the way.
Most recent published photos from the two solo travelers do not show the ground — usually just tight shots of their camp, presumably a little to the side of the road. But a recent image from O’Brady, above, clearly reveals an artificially flattened route, without sastrugi, but with vehicle tracks.
The photo below, taken during an unrelated trek, better shows the width and flatness of the road compared to the ungraded snowfield to the left of it. Yet this location was well before the actual sastrugi fields begin, so the pristine surface is much easier for skiers than most of the way to the Ross Ice Shelf.
The packed road from the South Pole through the Transantarctic Mountains to the Ross Ice Shelf and beyond to McMurdo Station. Photo: Eric Philips
The use of the road doesn’t negate the magnificent achievement of both men. For almost two months, they endured the worst that Antarctica could throw at them, including gales, frequent whiteouts and the unusually poor snow at the beginning that has bedeviled all manhaulers this year. The first 1,000km of their route had no road to guide them.
Nevertheless, this does raise the question whether either expedition was truly unassisted. “I was in touch with Colin before the trip and he confirmed that he is going down the Leverett Glacier,” said Philips. “The only reason people go down the Leverett is because they are after an easy route that follows the road. I suggested [that] he take the Kansas Glacier … The route is stunning, slightly shorter but is pristine. He wasn’t interested.
“Most expeditions skiing the usual Hercules route are likely following vehicle tracks,” he added.
The McMurdo-South Pole Highway. Photo: Wikipedia
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39 Comments on "O’Brady’s Antarctic Crossing: Was It Really Unassisted?"
So Philippe, this will be next on your agenda? For sure quite different from Tasmania 😉
it is somewhere on my list. Visiting the SPI is really a point I want to visit. But by the time I get to this point I’ll probably be too old to succeed safely. Also, coming from Belgium, this sort of expedition is very very hard to fund as very expensive. I prefer currently to focus on other world firsts where there is a real challenge of thinking everything. Here it was just a matter of time. We have learnt nothing during this crossing. We knew it was possible. We had to wait for an athlete to do it.
Sour grapes much?
Think I’d agree. This information leaves the genuine claim still open to be achieved? I also felt that a “crossing” ought to be in a more or less straight line, probably through the pole for good measure, but not necessarily so. There remains obvious potential for some very heroic firsts in terms of solo and unassisted crossing the continent from one side to the opposite.
A full crossing is possible. Even if it takes 200 or 300 days. The person or team might have to overwinter. Very hard, very expensive, very dangerous. But 200 years ago it was impossible to go to the moon. We just need the proper technology to make it possible and then find a bold person not afraid of the death.
“technical coast to coast” that means [I think] they get picked up by charter airplane near the start of the ice shelf. That is hundreds of miles from the “coast”. Am I correct? The map shows start and end point hundreds of miles inland from the ocean?
Børge Ousland was the first!!!!!
Peter Valusiak tried unassisted crossing on real pristine route. He failed though. His try is depicted in this documentary movie:
https://www.netflix.com/sk/title/80156336
How did he pull a 400 pound sled??? Years ago I tried pulling my kids in a sled and it was brutal. And how did he keep the batteries in his electronic devices from dying? Just wondering.
it is possible to do without electronics. 100 years ago it didn’t exist. With 1kg of batteries you can charge GPS or satphone. No need for a laptop etc… I think best is to just use the satphone for emergencies or sending daily a point of the campspot. It’s about saving batteries.
I don’t know how he charged his batteries. There is plenty of wind in Antarctica so if he had a mini wind generator, he could set it up while sleeping and that could charge his batteries.
Every discussion starts with an achievment, followed by a claim.
Does, having communications to the outside come under assisted or non-assist category ?
Seems to be a feature that many modern expeditions have to either receive weather updates(assisted navigation) and even just for moral support from friends/family or as a back-up for an emergency.
What are the guidelines for assisted/non-assist.
what happened to the good old days of sailing a boat there, doing your thing and sailing home.
Totally agree. Just listened to Joe Rogans interview with Colin and found out he talked to his wife every night. In fact, he explains that he might have quit one hour into the journey had he not been able to call her for support after an emotional breakdown on the very first day. An impressive feat but in my oplinon the record is still up for grabs. No phones, no contact. Do it alone.
I am staggered that using kites can’t come under the term of ‘unassisted’. Sounds like bullshit use of the term to me. like. You may as well say that if you have skied down any incline then you have had gravity assist which would negate virtually any ‘unassisted’ crossing. However I agree with the notion that skiing along a packed road in such an environment throws doubt on the claim of unassisted.
Are sailing boats allowed to enter swimming races?
Skiing down an incline is quicker than running down. So could skiis be considered aids?
Skis & kites both offer assistance to people born without these attached to their body.
The idea behind is to use non-motorised transport, then it came to human-powered journeys. The slope down or up are part of the natural terrain. Skis are used on snow as a kayak on water. You can try to paddle sitting on the water but you must do it extremely fast not to sink. The kayak makes it easier, possible.
Are cowboys allowed to ride crocodiles?
A important point here is that the South Pole (which isn’t in the centre of the Arctic landmass or icy mass anyhow) need not be passed through on a traverse. People tend to though as it’s another feather in the cap and a useful node.
Yawn another long walk which is inevitable. Its not that big a deal on the adventure in my opinion. A feat of stamina yes. Skiing down K2 now that is real adventure. Definition when the outcome is uncertain. For me its a combination of skill, fitness and mental stamina. Wheres the skill in dragging a sledge on a prepared snow road. Come on folks lets have a real adventure not another booring plod!
Colin Obrady claims using a kite provided assistance to Borge Ousland. How does he define using a road as unassisted? This greedy narcissist posting every single detail of his trip for fame and money needs to be put in his place. He is not anywhere close to the definition of an explorer.
Who shot all of the photos?
I want to know this also. Some of the pics were taken from a long way off, and he couldn’t possibly have taken the snow throwing pic himself. Documenting the journey was important, but why not say how it was done?
G B, The snow throwing pic was taken in the south pole when he did the explorers grand slam. If you read the comment section in his instagram you’ll see people identify the same pic in his feed from a year back. It is downright disingenuous to post the same photo and pretend it was taken on the solo antarctic crossing. What else is he hiding? He certainly has not been up front about using a road for over 1/3 of his journey.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNiKoskh3rb/
Uh… tripod; timer.
There are many ways to cross Antarctica, Unassisted, Unsupported etc. One method is skiing on the trail used by tracked vehicles which flattens the sastrugi fields. Some people are going to use the easiest and some will use the most difficult and all of that is going to vary based on weather conditions with the easiest possibly being the most difficult if you have bad weather. Much more than I could do. I get cold at 45 degrees F and hit my head getting in my truck. Stay warm.
https://www.today.com/video/1st-explorer-to-trek-antarctica-solo-and-unassisted-shares-story-1423322691608
Can Borge comment on this?
The competition is always with oneself. He succeeded in a tremendous way. May you all succeed in yours.
If Colin was alone who took all the pictures of him that were shown on PBS’s News Hour this evening (Jan. 17, 2019)?
If Colin was alone, who took the pictures and videos?
O’brady cheated by taking a road. Enough of this debate. His “achievement” depends on the ignorance of his audience about the South Pole. Without the audiences ignorance he can claim no glory.
https://alpinemag.fr/tricherie-au-pole-sud/?fbclid=IwAR3khy7V5ljjGR6IykOfg_T322Av1SiUwL1uzpajpQppSeuCowhn-Yf9-gM
This disclosure changes everything and should have been revealed to the public. The Norwegian that completed the crossing solo in 97 didn’t use a road, he fell in a crevasse on one occasion, and dodged the wind-ice formations from coast to coast, after hearing the American and English guy’s use of a road, the Norwegian’s use of a kite for certain stretches with his skis and sled doesn’t negate his achievement as first man to cross solo unaided.
This discussion could be couched as, “What is the next polar challenge?” Don’t use roads; don’t use GPS; don’t use SatPhones; take a longer route etc. The challenge was defined before the trek began. He did exactly what he said he would do. Criticizing men like O’Brady is not good form.