Felicity Aston is the first person to cross Antarctica without kites or mechanical aid.
Felicity Aston is nothing if not a trailblazer. While dozens of abandoned settlements litter Antarctica’s coasts, only the bravest or dumbest of explorers have journeyed into the continent’s icy core, and only the bravest of the brave undertake the trek alone. Felicity Aston, 34, is one of those. The British adventurer and meteorologist set not one, but two records. Felicity Aston is the first woman to cross Antarctica solo and the first person–male or female–to cross Antarctica using their own muscles without help. A male and female team crossed Antarctia without mechanical aid previously, but Aston is the first to do it alone.
The woman’s journey is an incredible one. She traveled 1,084 miles across the icy surface of the continent in a staggering 59 days. She started at the Leverett Glacier on the Ross Ice Shelf, crossed the Transantarctic Mountains, headed through the South Pole, and ended up at Hercules Inlet on the Ronne Ice Shelf. Along the way she faced fierce headwinds and storms.
“!!!Congratulations to the 1st female to traverse Antarctica SOLO.V proud,” said Aston on Twitter. She later added, “Just in case I was in danger of feeling sentimental, a violent wind has appeared from nowhere and is beating the tent like the bad old days.”
Aston is currently camped at Hercules Inlet, waiting for the winds to clear up so she can be picked up by plane and taken away to civilization, where she’s been promised a hot shower and lots of red wine for her efforts. Hey, you’ve earned it!
Tags: Felicity Aston, explorers, first woman to cross Antarctica solo, Antarctica, Felicity Aston is the first woman to cross Antarctica, first woman to solo Antarctica, Felicity Aston crosses Antarctica in 59 days, 1084 miles, Leverett Glacier, Hercules Inlet, Ronne Ice Shelf, woman skis across Antarctica, unusual feats, ross ice shelf, south pole, world records
