Polar expert and recent astronaut Eric Philips has compiled a handy graphic showing the various expedition routes, their classifications (solo, unsupported, etc.), and their distances and times on the ice from the 2024-25 season.
A map of the 2024-2025 Antarctic expeditions. Image: Eric Philips/Icetrek.com
Two long crossings, one success
There were two long Antarctica crossings last year, with Ashkay Nanavati’s solo, unsupported crossing the most ambitious. Nanavati aimed to complete a 2,736km journey from Berkner Island to the Bay of Whales via the South Pole. From the start, soft snow plagued the American, and he was soon well behind his intended 110-day pace. Injuries mounted, and he eventually accepted a medical evacuation after covering 792km and just over 60 days on the ice.
Youngmi Kim’s crossing was both shorter, at 1,716km, and supported. Starting at Hercules Inlet, her inland crossing ended successfully after 70 days when the South Korean reached her destination at the base of the Leverett Glacier. Kim’s expedition began shakily, with the skier experiencing equipment difficulties and other small issues, but she found her stride, settling into a problem-free groove.
Speed record attempts
There were three speed record attempts last year, all Norwegian and all aiming to set new records on the 1,130km Hercules Inlet-South Pole route.
All three missed out on a record, with Hege Victoria coming closest to success. Aiming to break Preet Chandi’s time of 31 days, 13 hours, and 19 minutes, Hege was marginally ahead two-thirds of the way through her journey. However, poor weather slowed her as she approached the Pole, and she eventually gave up her speed attempt near the 89th parallel before skiing the rest of the route at a more sedate pace.
Kristin Harila was also aiming for the women’s speed record, but stopped after 20 days and 690km with a back injury.
Arne-Kristian Teigland made a valiant effort to break Vincent Colliard’s 22-day, 6-hour, 8-minute record. Teigland was keeping pace as he approached the home stretch, but aborted at around 950km after a fainting spell.
Hercules Inlet route
Skiers not attempting records along the Hercules Inlet route had mostly problem-free expeditions. Satish Gogineni, Catherine Buford, and Karen Kylleso all completed their solo, unsupported journeys with consistent skiing and no equipment malfunctions. Norwegian Kylleso, 21, completed the route in 54 days and set a record as the youngest person to ski solo to the South Pole. Although the graphic from Ice Trek lists Gogineni as receiving a resupply, this may be an error, as other sources suggest he took 50 days to reach the Pole and remained unsupported.
Danish skier Rasmus Kragh found things tougher. He took 64 days to reach the Pole and ran low on food, requiring a resupply and losing his unsupported status.
Antonio de la Rossa from Spain also required a resupply, but finished in an impressive 40 days.
Messner Start
Two solo skiers and one guided Antarctica Logistics & Expeditions (ALE) group finished the 911km journey between the Messner Start and the South Pole.
John Huntington finished his solo, unsupported effort in 45 days, while the ALE group finished in 46 days.
Ali Riza Bilal faced additional challenges, including equipment problems, an injury, and dwindling food supplies. He accepted resupplies (for both a broken binding and food) and finished in 51 days.
