Sir Ranulph Fiennes to attempt record Antarctica trek

Sir Ranulph Fiennes to attempt record Antarctica trek

www.bbc.co.uk

British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes is to lead the first team on foot across Antarctica during the southern winter.

The six-month expedition next year is being called the Coldest Journey, crossing terrain where the temperature has hit -90C.

It will be 68-year-old Sir Ranulph's latest record attempt. Past feats have seen him go pole to pole and climb Everest as a pensioner.

Guinness World Records describes him as the world's greatest living explorer.

"We do it because we like to break world records," says Sir Ranulph, his bushy eyebrows icing up while on a training session clos

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I just saw the video on how they are going to keep their equipment warm, and I must say what a kinda cool-creepy feeling it would be to actually be there, in the dark the whole time.

I hope they prevail, and I hope they bring back some science with them also. I am also a little skeptical on Ranulph's age in this trip. What if they encounter a large storm overnight? An Antarctica snowstorm could surely strand these men could it not? It's not like help is just down the mountain range like climbing Everest (like he has done before).

These people are going to risk their lives with gigantic bulldozers (can't these things fall in somewhere?) I am just reluctant to say that this mission will be successful due to the seriously harsh environment in the cold.

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Daily mail has him listed as the greatest living explorer:

1944 - Born in the UK
1965/1966 - Joined the SAS. Became youngest Captain in the British Army
1967 - Led Jostedalsbreen Glacier Expedition
1969 - Led the Nile Hovercraft Expedition
1970 - 2nd Jostedalsbreen Glacier Expedition
1971 - The Headless Valley Expedition
197 –78 - Greenland: Hayes Peninsular Expedition
1979-82 - The Transglobe Expedition
1986-90 - The Unsupported North Pole (Canadian) Expedition
1990 - The Unsupported North Pole Russian Expedition
1991 - The Discovery of the Lost City of Ubar
1992/1993 - The Unsupported Antarctic Continent Expedition
2000 - The Arctic Solo Expedition
2003 - Completed seven marathons in seven days on seven continents
2005 and 2008 - Everest Tibet and Everest Nepal summit Attempts
2007 - North Face of the Eiger
2009 - Everest Nepal Summit (Became the first person ever to summit Everest and cross both polar ice caps)

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At least they will be out there during the spring months instead of winter months.

Originally posted by samlf3rd


I am just reluctant to say that this mission will be successful due to the seriously harsh environment in the cold.

I think that is the point, they guy knows he is getting too old, and wants his final mission to be one everyone remembers.

And let's face it, should the worst happen (God forbid), he goes out doing what he loves and does best.

Best of luck to him.

He is one badass explorer. Not sure any made up Hollywood character has ever outdone him.
Sawed off outer joint of two of his fingers in a shed after an expedition where he got frost bite. He did it because they were irritating him and he didn´t want to wait a month to go to the surgeon. They had initially told him to wait 5 months or so after he got back before they could amputate, but apparantly they were itching and hurting so much that he took matters into his own hand...
Doesn´t take long to be in awe of him when reading up on his achievements.
Been a fan since I first saw him on Top Gear some years ago.