▁team ▁found ▁themselves ▁navig ating ▁around ▁m elt ▁p onds ▁and ▁cre v ass es ▁in ▁the ▁ma ze - like ▁environment ▁which ▁meant ▁constant ▁dead ▁ends ▁and ▁end less ▁back - track ing ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁vi able ▁route . ▁ ▁Once ▁through ▁the ▁ice fall , ▁H ame ister ▁began ▁her ▁gr ind ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁polar ▁ice cap ▁reaching ▁around ▁ 2 , 8 5 0 m ▁above ▁sea ▁level ▁at ▁day ▁ 1 7 . ▁ ▁Tem per atures ▁at ▁night ▁dropped ▁to ▁− 2 0 ▁degrees , ▁but ▁the ▁warm ▁conditions ▁during ▁the ▁day ▁meant ▁that ▁soft ▁surface ▁snow ▁did ▁not ▁grant ▁an ▁easy ▁descent ▁down ▁from ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁polar ▁plate au . ▁At ▁one ▁point , ▁H ame ister ▁res orted ▁to ▁sm ear ing ▁but ter ▁on ▁the ▁sk ins ▁of ▁her ▁sk is ▁to ▁create ▁more ▁gli de ▁and ▁stop ▁the ▁snow ▁ball ing ▁up ▁under ▁her ▁feet . ▁ ▁H ame ister ▁was ▁hit ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁trip ▁by ▁a ▁bl izz ard ▁but ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁warm ▁weather ▁she ▁was ▁p elt ed ▁with ▁rain ▁instead ▁of ▁snow , ▁forcing ▁her ▁to ▁cut ▁the ▁days ▁short ▁to ▁try ▁and ▁dry ▁out ▁in ▁her ▁tent . ▁ ▁South ▁P ole ▁ ▁H ame ister ▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁the ▁final ▁leg ▁of ▁her ▁Pol ar ▁quest ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁This ▁journey ▁saw ▁H ame ister ▁cover ▁over ▁ 6 0 0