Once Sir Ranulph Fiennes and his five-man team set off to cross the Antarctic continent during the winter months, the only thing standing between them and the finish line will be 2,400 miles of ice.
The trek has never been attempted before, and for good reason.
Temperatures can plunge to minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit, cold enough to instantly freeze exposed skin. Hidden chasms can devour tractors heavier than three elephants combined. Winds can hit 155 mph.
Click here to see pictures of their journey so far >
Total isolation may be an even bigger terror than extreme weather.
Once their voyage over the ice begins, the team is completely on their own. A rescue is impossible, at least until summer.
Planning for the expedition, dubbed The Coldest Journey, began five years ago. After a team of Norwegian explorers crossed the Arctic during winter in 2010, Fiennes has considered traversing the Antarctic during its coldest season to be the last great polar challenge. His original idea was to cross the Antarctic on skis supported by food and other supplies that had been dropped off by parachute the previous summer.
The British Government flat-out rejected this arrangement. It was deemed too dangerous — even suicidal.
In order to comply with the safety standards, the veteran explorer, now 68, had to secure two heavy snow vehicles, living quarters, and a polar ship to get all the equipment to Antarctica (a feat within itself).
Permits from the British government to green-light the expedition were granted just 12 days before the SA Agulhas, a South African ice vessel, left London on the first leg of the journey to Antarctica.
The Coldest Journey team has been chronicling their progress through a series of blog posts and pictures posted to the expedition's website.
The following slides present their incredible journey, thus far.
The Coldest Journey team leaves London on Dec. 6, 2012, departing down the Thames on a 6,800-ton polar ship dubbed SA Agulhas.
The first winter Antarctic crossing begins 3.21.2012.
Prince Charles, standing next to expedition leader Sir Ranulph Fiennes, or "Ran," gives the team a hearty sendoff.
The ship has a crew of about 30, as well as 50 South African navy cadets, seven scientists, and seventeen expedition members.
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