South Pole Solo: Week 3

Ian has now completed his third week on the ice, pushing through headwinds, soft snow, sastrugi, and long hours on his skis to reach one of the key milestones of the expedition: the Thiel Fuel Cache. From here, he begins the long straight line towards the South Pole.

The week opened with strong winds that stayed with him across several days. Skiing directly into the gusts drained his energy and made progress hard work, but he still managed 23 km in nine hours on Day 14. With more windy conditions expected, Ian made a plan to conserve energy where needed and adjust his days accordingly.

Soft snow became another challenge, slowing both him and the pulk. On Day 16, the pulk rolled several times as he crossed sastrugi and uneven ground, and he also lost his Thermos flask. Despite this, he continued to make good ground, reaching 24 km by the end of the day.

A noticeable shift came midweek. Day 17 brought strong sunshine and calm conditions, allowing Ian to ski hard and reach just over 25 km. By Day 18, he arrived at the Thiel Fuel Cache, marking a major waypoint on the route. The surrounding mountains offered a rare moment of scenery in an otherwise featureless landscape.

With conditions holding steady, Ian continued to move well. He made around 25 km on Day 19 and changed to short skins on his skis that evening, hoping to gain a little more efficiency. He also attempted a repair on his solar panel, which had come loose from the back of the pulk.

Day 20 closed the week with a strong performance. The sun was shining, and although the day felt cold, he made good early progress, covering 13 km in the first four hours. A steep hill slowed his pace for a time, but once he reached the top, the surface levelled out and he regained speed, finishing with a total of 26 km in nine hours.

Ian continues to send regular updates and how he is managing each day. You can support his fundraising for the Always a Rifleman Programme through Givewheel here: https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/9029/antarctic-rifleman/.