Ski Last Degree

Known as the gateway to Antarctica, all of our flights depart from the Chilean city of Punta Arenas. We ask you to arrive in Punta Arenas at least three nights prior to your trip start date. Here you will meet your fellow team members, pack expedition food rations, and complete the pre-departure process. The pre-departure period also provides a buffer for flight and luggage delays should your travels to Chile not go as planned.

We do not hold Antarctic flights for delayed passengers or luggage. We will be waiting for you in the terminal when you arrive at Punta Arenas airport and will transport you to our hotel. The following day, you will have an individual Gear Check at your hotel, where we will review the personal clothing and equipment you will need in Antarctica.

The day before your Antarctic flight there is a Welcome and Safety Briefing in the ALE Office. Here we will explain the flight dispatch process, review environmental and safety procedures for your stay in Antarctica, and provide the latest weather updates.

At the Punta Arenas airport, you will check-in for your flight, pass through normal Airport Security then board our chartered jet for the 4 hour flight to Antarctica. Our route crosses the Drake Passage, then follows the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the spine of the Ellsworth Mountains. We land on a naturally occurring blue-ice runway on Union Glacier where you will take your first steps in Antarctica.

Climb aboard one of our specially-adapted vans for the 5mi (8km) shuttle to our main camp. Our friendly staff will provide a welcome tour of camp and show you to your tent.

You will spend a couple of days at Union Glacier to test your clothing and equipment and practice sled hauling on a mini-expedition outside of camp with your team. Then you’ll pack your sleds, ready for departure.

Fly by ski aircraft to 89° South, 60 nautical miles (69mi/111km) from the South Pole. As the aircraft disappears from view, you’ll be struck by the stark beauty and emptiness surrounding you. There is nothing but snow and wide horizons in all directions. Your team will pack sleds and ski a short distance before setting up camp for your first night on expedition. You have just arrived at altitude and it is important that your pace is slow during this initial ski.

Continuing your trek south, you’ll ski longer periods each day as you acclimatize to the cold and altitude. The elevation here is 9,300ft (2,835m) but to your body it will feel more like 10,500ft (3,200m) due to the lower atmospheric pressure at the Poles. Throughout the expedition you’ll notice the altitude’s impact on your breathing and your stamina.

This journey is physically demanding. Your sled will weigh approximately 100lb (45kg) and the snow may be sculpted by the wind into steep ridges called sastrugi, adding to the challenge. A rigorous pre-expedition training program and gradual acclimitization are essential for success.

A ‘typical’ day starts with breakfast at 8am and the team packed up and skiing by 10am. You’ll make a series of 1hour marches, stopping for 5-10 minutes each hour for a brief rest and snack break. You’ll travel until about 7pm and then stop to set up camp and enjoy dinner together. As on all expeditions, success is a team effort, with everyone helping to pitch tents and prepare meals. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station may be visible from around 15mi (24km) away but those last miles can seem the longest and may take another 1-2 days of travel

Finally, you’ll take the last steps to your goal and reach the most southerly point on Earth – the Geographic South Pole! Here, beneath your feet, all 360 lines of longitude meet and the ice is almost 10,000ft (3,000m) thick. Feel the satisfaction of having arrived here under your own power and reflect on how it must have felt to stand in this place over one hundred years ago, with only the sound of the wind and an endless expanse of white stretching northward in all directions.

ALE has a seasonal camp at the South Pole. You may camp there overnight, until your pick-up by ski aircraft. The South Pole is an Antarctic Specially Managed Area (ASMA #5). A management plan directs all activities in the Area and specific guidelines apply to all non-governmental visits. We ask for your cooperation in respecting visitor guidelines during any time we may spend at the South Pole.

Our field staff will stay in close contact with Union Glacier Camp to identify the best ‘weather window’ for your return flight. A elebration event, either at the Pole or at Union Glacier Camp, offers an opportunity to share stories and celebrate your achievement. You will also receive a certificate to commemorate your Ski Last Degree Expedition.

When weather and runway conditions permit, our intercontinental, passenger aircraft will arrive at Union Glacier to transport you back to Chile. Our staff will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

FLY HOME

Your flight home concludes this remarkable adventure. We recommend keeping a flexible schedule due to the possibility of weather delays. Allow yourself to savor your experience without the pressure of other commitments.