South Pole Solo: Week 4

Ian’s fourth week on the ice has been one of the most physically and mentally demanding so far.

While weather conditions were often favourable, fatigue, sleep disruption, pain, and increasingly difficult terrain combined to make progress hard-earned.

The week began with a difficult day. Although the weather was good, Ian struggled with poor sleep and significant hip pain, which left him in distress at times. Despite this, he still managed to cover 24 km and chose to stop early in the hope of recovery.

A much better night’s sleep followed, and Day 22 marked a turning point. Feeling rested, Ian moved well across the plateau, navigating patches of soft snow and finishing the day with just over 26.5 km. However, the physical toll of long days on the skis continued to show, with chafing becoming an increasing issue.

Sleep proved inconsistent as the week went on, affecting both morale and decision-making. On Day 23, Ian adjusted his route westwards to try to avoid the dunes. This led to frequent navigation checks and difficult travel through sastrugi and soft snow. Despite not feeling at his best, he completed 26 km in 9.5 hours.

Day 24 brought more dune systems. One in particular took over three hours to climb and stretched for several kilometres. Even so, Ian still covered 25.5 km. Equipment challenges also emerged, with one of his skis delaminating, requiring an evening repair in the tent.

Better sleep returned gradually, and Ian continued to push on. Days 25 and 26 saw strong distances of 26.5 km and 29.5 km respectively. By adjusting his line slightly west while holding his overall heading, he found firmer snow and made good progress, despite long climbs over dunes and repeated sastrugi fields.

The week ended with rapidly changing conditions. On Day 27, Ian encountered fading light, heavy sastrugi, and eventually white-out conditions. With visibility gone and repeated falls slowing him down, he made the decision to stop early and set up camp, prioritising safety.

Ian continues to send regular updates from the ice, sharing distances, conditions, 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/