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Sir Ranulph Fiennes begins... The Coldest Journey
by Jacob Banfield 
The New Year sees Sir Ranulph Fiennes lead a team of explorers across the Antarctic on one of the most exciting, daring and daunting polar expeditions in history. The goal of the Coldest Journey is to complete the first ever winter crossing of the Antarctic. On 21 March 2013, Sir Ranulph will set off across the ice with a team of explorers as they attempt to cross the entire continent in six months in the face of some of the world's most brutal and hostile conditions. The journey from Crown Bay to Captain Scott's base at McMurdo Sound, via the South Pole will mostly take place in complete darkness and will cover more than 2,000 miles. The Foreign and Commonwealth office only recently granted permission for the expedition because of technological innovations that mitigate the biggest risks such as temperatures reaching lows of -90°c . The expedition seeks to raise $10 million for Seeing is Believing, a global initiative to tackle avoidable blindness in developing countries.

“I’m doing this for many reasons, some of which I don't fully understand. That there is an inner urge is undeniable."   Sir Ranulph Fiennes

The whole team is pushing the boundaries of human exploration. A total of five international scientific research projects will be carried out during the expedition. The goal is to make a decisive contribution to our understanding of the effect of climate change upon the poles.

Sir Ranulph’s astonishing book Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know has accompanied me on many Alpine trips, so to have the opportunity to speak to him about this expedition was an honour. For someone who has already completed so many unique explorations, it was inspiring to understand the sense of challenge Sir Ranulph still seeks.

What inspired you to get involved with this project?

An email from Dr Mike Stroud 5 years ago suggesting we ski across in winter.

  • Dr Stroud is an expert on human health under extreme conditions and has partnered with Sir Ranuplh on previous polar expeditions

What is the biggest challenge you anticipate over the coming months?

The unpredictable effect of extreme cold on steel, on welding, and on our lungs

  • The SA Agulhas, a special ice strengthened ship, will transport the expedition team and all of its equipment, including two specially modified D6N caterpillar tractors towing two reinforced cabooses. 

This expedition is something that has never been attempted before, how can you prepare for that?

With difficulty.  There is much that you simply can’t prepare for on this one.

  • Throughout the crossing a two-man ski unit will lead the party, dragging a pulk kitted out with a ground-penetrating radar. This radar will transmit real-time information about the terrain and any crevasses to a Mobile Vehicle Landtrain (MVL) following close behind.

One of the most startling facts of this expedition is that the team must be completely self-sufficient. There will be no search and rescue facility available because aircraft cannot penetrate inland during the Antarctic winter.

Like all great explorations, the Coldest Journey will push the boundaries of what we believe is possible, it will help us discover more about our incredible planet and hopefully inspire a generation of young explorers to go beyond where the path may lead. God speed.

Follow @ColdestJourney on twitter for updates on the expedition.

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