Land Rover is once again in the headlines, this time as the title sponsor of the Pole of Cold expedition. This three month journey will cross all of Europe and Russia covering 30,000 km in the dead of winter. The goal is to visit the earth’s coldest locations outside of Antarctica to study the social, cultural, and physical implications of winter. Their route will take them across some of the most difficult terrain in the world, traversing the Road of Bones and passing by Oymyakon, a town best know for a record low in 1933 of -90 Fº.
Funded by a Land Rover bursary, the expedition vehicle is a specially modified Defender 110. Team members Felicity Aston, Gisli Jonssan, and Manu Palomeque will have to overcome innumerable challenges to see this trip through, but their collective experience suggests they’re more than up for the task. Aston, the only women to ski solo across Antarctica is the team leader. Jonssan, a native of Iceland, has already completed a number of vehicle-based expeditions in severe cold including a crossing of Antarctica by way of the South Pole. His role will be to assess driving conditions and tend to the mechanical needs of the truck. Palomeque, the team’s photographer, will work to curate the images and information to be used in exhibits upon completion of the expedition.
November is often the time of year when cold weather explorers make good use of the Antarctic summer to launch their expeditions. The Pole of Cold will be meeting winter head on. From all of us at Expedition Portal, we wish them luck. It sounds like in incredible journey.
