British woman tries historic Antarctic crossing

[Hum]

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - Reaching the end of the Earth has become almost routine these days: One hundred years after Norway's Roald Amundsen beat Britain's R.F. Scott to the South Pole, more than 30 teams are trying for it this year.

Some will kite-sail over the vast Antarctic ice and snow. Others will drive in from the coast. A wealthy handful will be dropped off at one-degree north latitude, for relatively leisurely guided treks to the pole.

But Felicity Aston has been there, done that. Weather and her own considerable stamina permitting, the 33-year-old British adventurer will only pause at the pole long enough to pick up more food and fuel. Her plan is to keep on skiing, by herself, all the way to the other side of the frozen continent - and become the first person using only muscle power to cross Antarctica alone.

If she manages to complete this journey of more than 1,000 miles (1,700 kilometers) in late January, she would also set a record for the longest solo polar expedition by a woman, at about 70 days.

Aston spoke from Punta Arenas, Chile, where she was boarding a charter flight Friday after losing a precious week waiting for weather to break. From a base in Antarctica, she'll then take a second plane to her starting point at the foot of the Leverett Glacier, where the Ross Ice Shelf meets the rocky coast.

The 5-foot-11 (1.80-meter) Aston weighs around 170 pounds (77 kilos) and she'll be hauling up to 187 pounds (85 kilos) of gear on a sledge. It includes freeze-dried food, fuel and a camp stove for melting snow.

Once Aston sets off, climbing thousands of feet (meters) in altitude through the Transantarctic Mountains and onto the continent's vast central plateau, she'll be utterly alone, with no other living thing in sight. Then, she'll have to push through fierce headwinds for more than 300 miles (500 kilometers) as she follows a route along 132 West Longitude to the pole.

Her way out - skiing along the 80 West Longitude line to the company's base camp on Hercules Inlet on the Ronne Ice Shelf - would presumably be easier.

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[mokthraka]

I hope she makes it. That is insane

[MidnightDevil]

A little bit chuby aren't we? lol

[Growled Member]

That's a very gutsy thing to do. I hope she makes it.

[mokthraka]

A little bit chuby aren't we? lol

she has to be. Think about how much she is going to lose during this.

[Biotoxic_hazard_835]

She is either very brave or very insane depending on how you look at it. I really hope she makes it safe and sound.

[mokthraka]

http://www.felicityaston.co.uk/

she seems to have an idea of what she is doing :p