In March 1990, Will Steger completed what no man had ever before attempted: the crossing of Antarctica, a total of 3,700 miles, on foot. Lured by the challenge and the beauty of Earth's last great wilderness, and determined to focus the world's attention on the frozen continent now that its ecological future hangs in the balance, Steger and his International Trans–Arctica team performed an extraordinary feat of endurance.
Colin O’Brady’s awe-inspiring, New York Times bestselling memoir recounting his recovery from a tragic accident and his record-setting 932-mile solo crossing of Antarctica is a “jaw-dropping tale of passion and perseverance” (Angela Duckworth, New York Times bestselling author of Grit). Prior to December 2018, no individual had ever crossed the landmass of Antarctica alone, without support and completely human powered. Yet, Colin O’Brady was determined to do just that, even if, ten years earlier, there was doubt that he’d ever walk again normally. From the depths of a tragic accident, he fought his way back. In a quest to unlock his potential and discover what was possible, he went on to set three mountaineering world records before turning to this historic Antarctic challenge. O’Brady’s pursuit of a goal that had eluded many others was made even more intense by a head-to-head battle that emerged with British polar explorer Captain Louis Rudd—also striving to be “the first.” Enduring Antarctica’s sub-zero temperatures and pulling a sled that initially weighed 375 pounds—in complete isolation and through a succession of whiteouts, storms, and a series of near disasters—O’Brady persevered. Alone with his thoughts for nearly two months in the vastness of the frozen continent—gripped by fear and doubt—he reflected on his past, seeking courage and inspiration in the relationships and experiences that had shaped his life. “Incredibly engaging and well-written” (The Wall Street Journal)—and set against the backdrop of some of the most extreme environments on earth, from Mt. Everest to Antarctica—this is “an unforgettable memoir of perseverance, survival, daring to dream big, and showing the world how to make the impossible possible” (Booklist, starred review).
In March 1990, Will Steger completed what no man had ever before attempted: the crossing of Antarctica, a total of 3,700 miles, on foot. Lured by the challenge and the beauty of Earth's last great wilderness, and determined to focus the world's attention on the frozen continent now that its ecological future hangs in the balance, Steger and his International Trans--Arctica team performed an extraordinary feat of endurance.
When Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Dr. Mike Stroud ended their journey on foot across Antarctica in February of 1993, they were frostbitten and close to starvation. They had made the first coast-to-coast crossing of the continent, unsupported by men, animals or machines, and were too weak to continue over the floating Ross ice-shelf to open water. Ninety-five days earlier they had begun, pulling nearly 500 lbs each of essential food and fuel on sleds, and on the way they endured windchill temperatures as low as minus 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Mike Stroud, doctor, nutritionist and survival consultant to the British Ministry of Defense, is no stranger to the Polar regions. He was a member of the "In the Footsteps of Scott" expedition and has made several attempts with Fiennes to reach the North Pole from Canada and Russia over crumbling sea ice. But this record-breaking trek across Antarctica represented a physical and psychological challenge that has been likened to the first conquest of Mount Everest. In the tradition of the great expedition memoirs of Hillary, Scott and Byrd, Stroud's book is a compulsively readable account of what happens when habits and fears, compassion and resentments, fortitude and physical limitations are magnified in a struggle to conquer the most hostile landscape on the planet. Stroud's chronicle of the 1,350 mile traverse at the South Pole is as moving as it is surprising, revealing a no-man's land of the mind, a territory where psychological as well as physical stress interact to provide a challenge greater than the brutal landscape and unpredictable weather alone. Few will fail to be gripped by this exciting account of what is perhaps the most celebrated Polar trekof our time.
March 1990, Will Steger completed what no man had ever before attempted: the crossing of Antarctica -- 3700 miles -- on foot. Lured by the challenge and the beauty of Earth's last great wilderness, and determined to focus the world's attention on the frozen continent now that its ecological future hangs in the balance, Steger and his International Trans-Antartica Team had performed an extraordinary feat of endurance.
'Before long I was nothing but a block of petrified flesh in an upright position. The wind was blowing into my mask and my cheeks started to freeze. My nose and lips were cracked with scabs. My hands and arms, which were constantly raised to the sky to control my sail, no longer received any blood. My circulation had stopped functioning properly. As I made my way over the ice, a layer of fine powdery snow rose into the air, only to settle in my boots in an icy drizzle.' Explorer Mike Horn has had one dream since childhood: to cross Antarctica. Growing up in South Africa during the 1960s and 70s, he relocated to Switzerland almost 30 years ago. Today, he is a world-renowned adventurer, tour guide and coach, having made a name for himself as one of the world's leading explorers, traveling to some of the most isolated destinations on the planet. In December 2016, Mike finally made his childhood dream come true. He crossed the South Pole unassisted, journeying across this immense, white desert by kite-ski and sled alone. He was determined to follow an unexplored path, the longest and most challenging route imaginable: 5 100 kilometres straight ahead. In order to make it to the other side, he not only had to scale Dome Charlie – one of the highest summits on the Antarctic Ice Sheet – but also had to break all existing speed records to stave off being consumed by a terrible Antarctic winter. It would turn out to be a hellish race against death. His story is one of many shocking setbacks – but also of overcoming adversity through sheer willpower. A daredevil's first-hand account of realising a crazy dream, this book shows what is possible when one is fuelled by the love and support of family and friends.
On 9 November, 1992, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Dr Michael Stroud set out from the Filchner ice shelf, to attempt the first unassisted crossing of the Antarctic continent. It was to be a journey of epic proportions. When they were finally lifted out, more dead than alive, they had completed the longest unsupported journey in polar history.
The extraordinary story of the first two women to cross Antarctica The fascinating chronicle of Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft’s dramatic journey as the first two women to cross Antarctica, No Horizon Is So Far follows the explorers from the planning of their expedition through their brutal trek from the Norwegian sector all the way to McMurdo Station as they walked, skied, and ice-sailed for almost three months in temperatures reaching as low as -35°F, all while towing their 250-pound supply sledges across 1,700 miles of ice full of dangerous crevasses. Through website transmissions and satellite phone calls, Ann and Liv, two former schoolteachers, were able to broadcast their expedition to more than three million students in sixty-five countries to teach geography, science, and the importance of following your dreams.
At the age of 34, Felicity Aston became the first woman to cross Antarctica alone. Frozen into her facemask, she battled desperate weather and raced to reach the coast before the last flight out. This gripping and inspirational account shows what you can achieve when you grit your teeth and decide just to get through today in one piece.
