After a grueling 82 days, Aaron Linsdau became the second American to ski alone from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole. His Antarctic expedition Over a frozen 1130 kilometers (706 miles) of ceaseless ice, Aaron made a trip that only 28 humans before him ever have. Though there have been less than 300 humans who have ever made the trip at all, only a few of those expeditions have ever been solo.
While skiing 9 hours a day, with no weekends or holidays, Aaron experienced some of the most harrowing weather on the planet. He was routinely skiing blind in whiteout conditions, where only his skis and sleds were the only things visible, appearing as though they were floating. This is not an expedition for the faint of heart. Nearly 25% all people who have attempted this expedition have failed.
What would drive someone to give up a well paying career in engineering to do something so dangerous? Antarctica is not a place to be trifled with, as people have died in their attempt to ski to the South Pole and back. Many have suffered frostbite, even on a short last degree ski to the pole. Shackleton’s great great cousin made it to the South Pole. But then he accidentally froze his thumb taking a picture.
Just recently, a bicyclist finally made it to the South Pole. This had been tried by an experienced explorer in the year Aaron went. But, conditions made it impossible for him to succeed. Even with years of training, people fail here. There is no help for hundreds of miles. There is no life for hundreds of miles, either. You are truly alone on the polar plateau. One the moon has less life than Antarctica.
Read the captivating details of the expedition in Aaron Linsdau’s book, Antarctic Tears, available on Amazon. This was not just a journey of walking across ice. Rather, he dedicated his life, energy, and money to making his dream a reality. Going to Antarctica required him giving up his well paying job. He was forced to walk away from a career in engineering. He put everything on the line to achieve his goal.