Submitted via IRC for Bytram
US adventurer completes first unaided solo trek across Antarctica
A 33-year-old man from the United States has become the first person to complete a solo trek across Antarctica without any assistance.
Colin O'Brady finished the 1,500km journey across the frozen continent in 54 days, lugging his supplies on a sledge as he skied in bone-chilling temperatures from north to south.
"I accomplished my goal: to become the first person in history to traverse the continent of Antarctica coast to coast solo, unsupported and unaided," O'Brady wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday, after covering the final 124km in one big push that lasted 32 hours.
"While the last 32 hours were some of the most challenging hours of my life, they have quite honestly been some of the best moments I have ever experienced," he wrote.
"I was locked in a deep flow state the entire time, equally focused on the end goal, while allowing my mind to recount the profound lessons of this journey. I'm delirious writing this as I haven't slept yet."
(Score: 2, Interesting) by SvenErik on Friday December 28 2018, @07:13AM
The Norwegian Børge Ousland [wikipedia.org] did this back in 1996-97, he started 1996-11-15 on Berkner Island in the Weddell Sea and arrived at the McMurdo Station by Ross Sea 1997-01-17, a distance of 2845 km (1768 miles).
The only difference is he did the ski journey with kite assistance (snowkiting [wikipedia.org]); that trip also holds the record for the fastest unsupported journey to the South Pole taking just 34 days.
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