Constellation Inlet to South Pole via Union Glacier
Skiing to the South Pole is a life-changing experience. Forging a new route to the South Pole is a history-making event. Icetrek specialises in creating new and exciting adventures and this 1206km/749m ski expedition takes you into the realm of polar exploration. Group size is limited so don't hesitate in joining us and becoming part of an elite few that create Antarctic history.
Enquire now, only 6 places available, minimum of 4 required.
- Gateway Punta Arenas, Chile
- Distance 1206km
- Days on Ice +/- 60 days
- Daily Distance 20km
- Temp. Range -10 to -35°C
- Sled Weight 80kg
- Challenge 6 What's this?
- Conditions Glacier, snow fields, sastrugi, altitude, wind
- Challenges Skiing uphill, daily distance, cold management, altitude
Trip Itinerary
Arrive Punta Arenas. Check-in to hotel (require 5 nights accommodation)
4 days of preparation in Punta Arenas
Luggage pick-up and briefing
Fly to Union Glacier Camp in Antarctica
Expedition preparations
Fly to Constellation Inlet and ski up Union Glacier to Thiel Corner Skiway
Thiel Corner Skiway to South Pole
Arrive South Pole
Flight to Union Glacier
Flexible day
Flight to Punta Arenas, Chile
Subject to change based on weather and flight conditions.
Inclusions
- Airport transfers for Antarctica flights
- Round trip flight to Antarctica from Punta Arenas
- Flight to Constellation Inlet from Union Glacier camp
- Flight to Union Glacier camp from South Pole
- Meals and tented accommodation in Antarctica
- Use of technical equipment including tents, sleds, harnesses and cooking equipment (see equipment list)
- Food and stove fuel during the expedition
- Icetrek Guides
- Checked luggage up to 25kg (55 lb)
- 20% discount on select Icetrek Equipment
Exclusions
- Travel to and from Punta Arenas, Chile
- Hotel transfers for non-Antarctic flights
- Hotel accommodation in Punta Arenas (we can help you find appropriate accommodation at your preferred budget).
- Excess baggage above the allowance
- Additional costs (accommodation, meals etc.) due to changes beyond our control ie. weather delays
- Evacuation, hospitalization and repatriation costs and/or insurance
- Satellite telephone airtime
After final preparations at Union Glacier Camp in Antarctica we fly by dedicated Twin Otter to Constellation Inlet on the inner coastline of the Ronne Ice Shelf.
To the southwest lies the magnificent Union Glacier which has never before been traversed in its entirety. Flanking the glacier are rugged peaks and hanging glaciers that stand as silent witnesses to our trailblazing team as we journey up this colossal river of ice. Our sleds are relatively light as we collect resupplies along the way.
We head into the spectacular Heritage range, passing Union Glacier camp before reaching Rhodes Bluff where we turn south and climb to a high pass. Here we are on new ground and we will view things never before seen from the ground.
At 1200m/3900' elevation we break through the mountain range and reach the sub-plateau. Nunataks will continue to flank us as we head toward the Thiel Mountains 500km to the south, and a resupply of food and fuel. Here we experience the inner heart of Antarctica, travelling in time-honoured sledding tradition across +500km/310 miles of barren icescape towards the South Pole at 2835m/9300 feet. Like the glacier behind us, no skis have traversed this segment of Antarctica; what we see before us is new to the human eye.
Our days are filled with 24-hour daylight, pristine views and a stark silence only found in Antarctica. Summer temperatures can reach as low as -35°C (–31°F) and winds make it feel colder still, but in state-of-the-art equipment we are well protected. During the expedition we ski for 7 to 8 hours a day, hauling sleds weighing 80 kg (180 lbs), in all types of weather over extremely challenging terrain. This is a very demanding expedition. We expect the ski component to take around 50 days, depending on route nuances, weather, snow conditions and group strength. As on all expeditions, success is a team effort. The group travels together, roped up on the glacier when required, and participants set up their own tents and prepare their own meals. As such, expedition members should have skiing, cold-climate camping experience, glacier travel skills and a high level of fitness.
After 2 months of skiing we finally reach the South Pole. Behind us we leave a ski trail that will disappear in the next storm but will be forever etched on the exploration map of Antarctica. At the South Pole we rejoice in the glow of success and camp restfully as we wait for our aircraft that takes us back to Union Glacier Camp.
This 1200km expedition should only be considered by the most committed adventurers, already experienced in polar expeditions and willing to undertake a rigorous daily training schedule for several months prior to this trip. If adventure, challenge, teamwork and perseverance bring you great satisfaction and you want to experience true Antarctic exploration, there is no finer objective than this new route to the South Pole.
Morning
We wake around 6am and a call goes out to all of the tents. The temperature inside the tent is usually pleasant, if the sun is shining sometimes it can be hot! We camp in pairs so while one lights the stove the other has the luxury of snoozing a little longer. But eventually everyone is sitting up in their comfortable camp seats, enjoying the warmth and sipping on a hot tea or coffee.
A hearty breakfast of high-energy porridge with milk powder, desiccated coconut, crushed pecans and protein powder, together with butter for those needing the energy, gets us fired up and ready for the day of hauling. We call it our breakfast bomb. But we have it as late as possible so that all of its energy is available for the morning sessions. Reheating thermoses and melting snow for water is also a morning task, one that consumes a fair bit of time.
Slowly we start to pack all of our belongings, timing everything with the completion of snow melting so that once all tasks are done we can exit the tent and start packing our sleds. Hopefully we have choreographed this with the other tents so that no-one is waiting in the cold.
First session
Around 8.30am, tents collapsed, decamped and sleds packed, we clip into our harnesses, check our bearing and begin the first session of hauling. A few days into the trip and we will have found a daily routine and rhythm that suits the team, something like 4 sessions of 2 hours each with 20-minutes break in between, a little longer for lunch. Sled hauling is not very difficult when conditions are perfect, pulks often glide easily across the ice. It gets tougher when we are confronted by sastrugi and softer snow as we get closer to the pole.
Your guide is highly experienced in all situations - crevassing, extreme cold and team management are all part of his/her quiver of skills.
Break
If it's cold we'll put on our down jackets during the breaks, over the top of the harness. A day bag containing food and drink, and anything else you might need during the day, is kept in the nose of the sled for easy access and it's not long before we're sitting on our sleds downing a selection of delicious snacks including crackers, energy bars, dried fruit and nuts, lollies and chocolate which help to keep us going during the next session. The breaks also serve as toilet stops.
Second session
After 10 minutes we are off again, heading south across the vast ice cap. There's opportunity for you to be out front, breaking trail, route finding, navigating, decision making. Don't worry, your guide is always nearby and ready to give advice or take over.
Your skis, skins, bindings, ski poles and boots are all designed for this kind of expedition. It takes a little while to become accustomed to the bulkier ski equipment, but eventually it feels very natural and it is certainly very warm. Your clothing too is designed to keep you warm and comfortable in the coldest of temperatures.
The weather can be anything from blue skies, no wind and -35c to warm, sticky blizzards where the temperature can rise to -10c. Snow, clouds, almost anything is possible up here but the closer we get to the South Pole the more likely we will have stable weather with blue skies.
Lunch
We stop for lunch sitting in the shelter of our sleds and put on warm jackets and take our skis off. First task is to add hot water to our noodles so that they are ready to eat in around 3 minutes. A chunk of cheese in with the noodles provides a mouth-watering stringy melt that is both soft and delicious. The lunch break is a great opportunity to chat, or just enjoy the surroundings, whatever you like.
Afternoon sessions
We also carry goggles and a change of hat in our day bag. Blue skies and calm can switch to blizzard, or anything in between, so we need to have quick access to variations in our head and hand wear so that we stay warm and dry. The art of polar travel includes reducing perspiration to a minimum and we do this through venting - allowing the moisture to escape. Base layers wick moisture away from the skin, fleece layers continue the transfer while keeping us warm and breathable shell layers allow the moisture to escape to the outside. Zippers strategically located on our shell-wear assist in the venting process and a skilled traveler knows the importance of actively managing the moisture within. So no matter the weather, we remain in fine control of our body temperature and dampness through a balance of food, fluids and clothing.
As the day progresses we feel the onset of fatigue. And no wonder - we have travelled up to 8 hours, crossed sastrugi fields, scanned for crevasses, covering a distance of between 20 and 25km . It's time to camp.
Evening
After selecting a camp site we pitch tents. Snow is shovelled on the tent valances for added security and sealing from blizzards and a bag of snow blocks for melting is collected. After tossing anything we need for the night inside we climb in and prepare a cosy and ordered interior. Soon the stove is purring, snow is melting and damp things hang on the drying line. Soup, dinner and some squares of chocolate for desert await and banter fills the tent. For those staying in touch, satellite phones and modems are warmed and the world hears of our progress through phone calls, emails, texts and blogs. We can send images too, bringing our wonderful expedition to life for the folks back home. A daily call to Union Glacier camp keeps their expedition manager up to date and we get a weather report, which we can also download on our modem. You also have the opportunity for a digital detox, staying free from the outside world and being happy to leave your smartphone in Punta Arenas.
On average, our day is divided into three eight-hour periods. The most important one is sleep - eight hours is available if you want it. Eight hours of hauling also becomes a standard as it helps us to cover ground and pace our day. The third eight hours is anything not sleeping and not hauling - rests, lunch, chores and camp life. If we need to cover more distance during the day we can easily compress our down time to give more hauling time, but sleep is sacrosanct, critical for our health and happiness. And after all is done we turn the stove off, slide into our sleeping bags, ruffle our down jacket pillow and sleep the sleep of explorers, to awake to a new dawn and live a day in Antarctica once again.
WHAT IS CONSTELLATION INLET TO SOUTH POLE SKI EXPEDITION?
Constellation Inlet to South Pole is a ski and sled hauling expedition through the Ellsworth Mountains via Union Glacier, from the inner coastline of the Ronne Ice Shelf to 90º south, the Geographical South Pole. The distance is 651 international nautical miles, 1206km kilometres and 749 statute miles.
Can I leave bags in Punta Arenas?
Yes. Your bags will be collected and delivered to your post-Antarctica hotel on the day of your return.
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What should I wear on the flight from Punta to Union Glacier?
You will be briefed in Punta on exactly what to wear and bring on the flight to Union Glacier Camp. Usual airline restrictions apply.
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How long is the flight to Union Glacier?
The flight (Boeing 757) from Punta to Union Glacier takes around 5 hours.
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Should I take money and my passport to Antarctica?
Union Glacier Camp sells souvenirs in USD. You are required to bring your passport as you will board an international flight to Antarctica.
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What will be the temperature on arrival at Union Glacier?
Depending on when you arrive the temperature at Union Glacier will be anywhere from -5 to -25ºC, 23 to -13ºF
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How heavy will my sled be?
For this South Pole expedition your sled will be around 80 kg, 176 lb.
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What if I am not a skier?
It’s preferable you come with polar expedition ski experience. For those with limited experience we will coach you while you are on the ice, it’s not a highly technical skill when anchored to a sled.
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How long is the flight to Constellation Inlet?
It’s a 15 minute flight from Union Glacier camp to Constellation Inlet
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Will there be any crevasses?
Yes, there are crevasse fields to negotiate but we have excellent knowledge of their whereabouts and our guides are highly skilled in glacier travel.
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Will there be any sastrugi?
Yes, sastrugi (wind-formed ridges of hardened snow) are a normal part of a ski expedition. The largest sastrugi are encountered between 86 and 88º south.
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What type of sleds do we use?
We use Icetrek Polynya sleds with flexible traces (hauling lines).
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What type of tents do we use?
We use Hilleberg Keron 4GT-person tents for two people. There is plenty of room to get comfortable but small enough to warm up quickly once the stove is operating. You are responsible for setting up, managing and taking down your tent.
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Who cooks the meals and melts the snow for water?
You do! This is a normal part of expedition life. We train you how to use the stove.
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What if there is an emergency and how will we communicate with the outside world?
We carry Iridium handheld phones and are in daily contact with Union Glacier Camp.
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How long do we ski every day on a South Pole expedition?
We start relatively gently, skiing for around five hours on the first day. We cover this by skiing one hour, then have a short stand-up break, then another hour with a sit down break. We do the same again and have lunch and then another 2 hourly sessions before camping. When everybody feels ready we extend to 7 and perhaps eight hours per day, increasing our sessions to 75 minutes maximum.
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How do we know when we are at the South Pole?
The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is positioned on the South Pole. Depending on conditions we will likely see it the day before we arrive.
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Feel free to submit your own questions.
