Climbing
Leo Houlding, a 39-year-old British climber, has successfully summited one of the most remote mountain peaks in the world. Leo, alongside his two team members Jean Burgun and Mark Sedon, designed an ambitious plan to, without logistical support, travel to a mountain that only ten people have ever seen. Not only would Leo, the expedition leader, become the third person to ever reach the summit, they would also be the first group to accomplish this feat without the use of any vehicle or financial assistance.
The Spectre is a 6,630-foot tall mountain in Antarctica located near the South Pole. Reaching this location is extremely difficult due to the remoteness, logistics, and dangerously cold temperatures. However, Leo was drawn to the menacing mission and was convinced it could be done. The first group to summit the Spectre utilized both a plane and snowmobiles to gain access to the area. Leo, on the other hand, had a different plan in mind.
The team of explorers spent 69 days adventurously traveling 1,250 miles across Antarctica in sub-zero temperatures. They used kite skiing as their mode of travel, carrying 200 kg of food and supplies across frozen plains. Not only did they encounter massive storms and threatening crevasses, but they also battled temperatures -40 degrees celsius temperatures causing frostbite.
Reaching the end of the world was no easy task. But after tackling the most life-threatening conditions, the group successfully completed their Spectre Expedition. On December 8th, 2017, the team summited the Spectre.
Upon reaching the top, Leo Houlding said,
“We are the most remote people on Planet Earth right now.”
How many people have been able to say that?
