General Interest
Vinson Base Camp is officially “Open” and the first guests have arrived. ALE staff flew into the base camp recently to prepare for the arrival of the first climbers of the season. The camp, located at 7020 ft (2140 m) on the Branscomb Glacier, has been unoccupied since the end of last January when everything [...]
Delays are to be expected – as any Antarctic explorer will tell you. Amundsen attempted to set off for the Pole on September 8, 1911 and was beaten back to Framheim by -58F (-50C) temperatures. He waited for 6 weeks before finally departing on October 19. The 2011 South Pole expeditions are now on their [...]
An ancient lake hidden deep beneath West Antarctica’s Ice Sheet may reveal vital clues about climate change and future sea level rises, and uncover new forms of life, according to a group of UK engineers and scientists. Sub-glacial Lake Ellsworth Project (SLE) British Antarctic Survey (BAS) engineers are preparing to head off to Lake Ellsworth, [...]
October 19th 1911. Scott bides his time at Cape Evans, his South Pole departure set for November 1. Amundsen is ready to set-off as soon as the ‘storms and gales’ abate. The race to the Pole is about to begin… A century later the triumph and tragedy of Amundsen and Scott still fascinate and inspire [...]
South Pole expedition fever is high! 2011 marks the centenary of Amundsen’s and Scott’s expeditions to the South Pole. Historic events are top-of-mind and we are proud to support a number of Centenary expeditions. Many expeditions plan to arrive at the Pole either for Amundsen’s or Scott’s Centenary celebrations, paying homage to the courage and [...]
If the word ‘history’ makes your eyelids droop, then think again…A new historic walking circuit in Punta Arenas, Chile brings to life the stories of Antarctic explorers and the role of Punta Arenas as Gateway to Antarctica. For Shackleton Fans
The Sub-glacial Lake Ellsworth Consortium have launched a new website for the Lake Ellsworth drilling project. www.ellsworth.org.uk The website gives a great overview of the project, which will look for life in Antarctic sub-glacial lakes. There are sections on science goals; engineering and logistics challenges; and how the environment will be protected. The site also [...]
It’s been 100 years since Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott raced to the South Pole. 2011-12 marks the 100 year anniversary of Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott’s arrival at the South Pole. Their heroic exploits captured the imagination of a generation and opened up the interior of Antarctica to the world. Don’t miss [...]
Scientists from the Centro de Estudios Cientificos, of Valdivia Chile, continued glacier flow rate and bedrock studies in the Ellsworth Mountains, using ground penetrating radar. During their 2010 fieldwork they extended our knowledge of sub-glacial lakes near Lake Ellsworth. We were pleased to once again host a team from the National Science Foundation’s POLENET project. The [...]