On January 22 local time, 34-year-old British female explorer Felicity Aston completed her 59-day Antarctic expedition. This feat made her the world’s first woman to ski across Antarctica solo.
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The solo female explorer Felicity Aston
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September 24, 2010, Aston crossing Iceland
Felicity Aston’s Antarctic expedition began on November 25 of last year, starting from the Leverett Glacier. After 59 days of arduous travel, she successfully reached her destination—Hercules Inlet on the Ronne Ice Shelf—on January 22 this year.
It is reported that Felicity’s entire journey covered 1,744 kilometers. Even more impressive is that she completed the expedition entirely on her own. Along the way, Felicity not only faced various harsh natural conditions but also had to haul equipment and supplies weighing up to 85 kilograms, so she found it somewhat unbelievable that she managed to reach the finish line. Felicity plans to go home and rest for a while before embarking on other expeditions.
Aston said that although she had been to Antarctica before, this journey still thrilled her. “Being in Antarctica, feeling like you can have it all to yourself, that’s what’s so appealing to me… I’m looking forward to experiencing such a long period without seeing any living creatures. Just moving forward every day, life simplified to just eating, sleeping, and skiing—that must be truly fascinating.”
Aston’s ski expeditions have included traversing the Canadian Arctic and the Greenland ice sheet. Unlike previous journeys, this Antarctic trip marked her first solo mission. During this expedition, Aston had to carry all her essential supplies herself, including porridge, freeze-dried food, and plenty of chocolate.
In 1997, Norwegian polar explorer Børge Ousland spent 64 days crossing the entire Antarctic continent, but because he used a homemade sail to glide with the wind, his journey isn’t considered a full human-powered traverse.
Recalling the experience, Ousland said: “It was truly an exhausting journey, both physically and mentally. I crossed snow and ice bridges not knowing if they could support my weight. I had to move very slowly and cautiously.”