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[elbaboon]

Now that is an interesting idea.... what is the closest you can get to the poles backpacking?. Greenland?. Iceland?. Has anybody done anything along those lines?.

[andrea]

I have a friend who toured South America and talked about her proximity to the South Pole from the bottom tip of Chile. You're definitely getting close that far south!

[lucky]

Hmmm tough one... I think South America would be definately the easiest way to get the closest to the south pole.

Not sure how Greenland is but backpacking there sounds challenging.

The LonelyPlanet web site has some sweet pics though.

[zzz_Jonboy]

Southern tip of Chile - you'd freeze your arse off if you tried to walk across Greenland. Anything closer is just a frozen tundra. Most realistic way of geting anywhere close to a pole is to take a cruise to antartica. I don't think you can stay at the amundsen-scott research station as a tourist but may be worth looking into....

[rekuehn]

We took a cruise to Antarctica in Dec 2003 and made six landings. The Captain wanted to go as far South as the Antarctic Circle and we got within 63 miles of it, the furtherest a Norwegian passenger vessel had ever gone. We were slowed down by the ice in the water and didn't want to jeopardize our planned landings on the return. Antarctica is Spectacular! It was the trip of a lifetime - we liked it so much that we may do it again.

Ruth

[radsolv]

5 Nov 04

Not sure what you're talking about -- back packing to the poles. Are you like talking about strapping on a pack and hiking like you might on a trek to say Everest base camp which is easily doable. I just looked at my globe and noted some things that surprised me. Only scallops of Antartica whcih is of course a continent, are north of the antartic circle. Also Greenland is mostly north of the artic circle but the North Pole of course is located in the Artic Ocean, not land at all. Major expeditions going back to Scott, Amundsen and Pearyand Byrd have reached the poles but I don't think even Rheinhold Messner who has soloed Everest without oxygen would attempt to back pack alone to either pole. Come to think of it though, believe he has climbed Antartica's highest peak to complete Summiting the highest on evey continent.

So can you be clearer about exactly what you are proposing. But there are some great documentaries that are shown on PBS et al. about some of these expeditions, failed as well as successful. One of the most enthralling is "Shakelton, Voyage of Endeavor". National Geographic also has many articles and specials on the subject.

Lindblad, Smithsonian offer cruises to Antartica but they are way out of my price range.

[Clinton]

Lindblad, Smithsonian offer cruises to Antartica but they are way out of my price range.

I took a cruise to the Antarctic in Jnauary 2004 - pheNOMenal! And not too bad price wise.

The closest point to Antarctica is Chile/Argentina (Tierra del fuego) and the cheapest way to get a cruise is to go to Ushuaia, Argentina (the southernmost town in the world, although it's as far south as Manchester is north) and hop on a boat.

There is one Argentian ship, called the Ushuaia, which does tours to Antarctica. it takes about 50 passengers (the others take more like 150-500, which means that you don't land very often). We landed twice a day and explored a lot.

It takes 3 days to sail there, and another 3 days back, and you get 5 days in Antarctica itself, which is plenty.

If you book ahead, it's expensive, but if you arrive and have the flexibility to wait, you should be able to get on for $2500. We paid $2000, but that was the lowest fare they'd ever done.

After a seriously rough crossing (force 8 out and force 9 back), we got back and seriously debated turning around and going back to Antarctica the next day.

highly recommended!

[lucky]

Lindblad, Smithsonian offer cruises to Antartica but they are way out of my price range.

I took a cruise to the Antarctic in Jnauary 2004 - pheNOMenal! And not too bad price wise.

The closest point to Antarctica is Chile/Argentina (Tierra del fuego) and the cheapest way to get a cruise is to go to Ushuaia, Argentina (the southernmost town in the world, although it's as far south as Manchester is north) and hop on a boat.

There is one Argentian ship, called the Ushuaia, which does tours to Antarctica. it takes about 50 passengers (the others take more like 150-500, which means that you don't land very often). We landed twice a day and explored a lot.

It takes 3 days to sail there, and another 3 days back, and you get 5 days in Antarctica itself, which is plenty.

If you book ahead, it's expensive, but if you arrive and have the flexibility to wait, you should be able to get on for $2500. We paid $2000, but that was the lowest fare they'd ever done.

After a seriously rough crossing (force 8 out and force 9 back), we got back and seriously debated turning around and going back to Antarctica the next day.

highly recommended!

Sounds like an awesome experience but 2500 could be steep for a backpacking budget...

Thanks for the info.

[kimberish]

Well, I've not been to either pole, but I've been to both the Arctic and Antarctic Circle. This austral summer I am working in McMurdo, a research station in the Antarctic Circle. For most purposes, I have been to Antarctica, but technically I am working on an island and have yet to set foot on the true continent. This is my second season working on the Ice. If I am EXTREMELY lucky, maybe this season I might get a boondoggle to the South Pole.

This past October I got just above the Arctic Circle in Alaska. Friends and I drove the rode up, camped just north of the circle (amazingly we had lots of covers and stayed warm), and saw a great show of the Northern Lights. We saw a HUGE herd of caribou in the area too (just south of the circle).

"Brrrrr" is not always appropriate. I am here on the Ice for the austral summer. For the most part, it is far warmer here than it would be back home right now (Indiana, USA where it is or soon will be winter).

I love these polar regions! They are beautiful and mysterious and wonderful!

Monetarily, the cheapest way to do either pole or the Arctic or Antarctic Circle is to work your way there. They pay for you to go, but you DO pay a high price in labor and time. Well worth it to me though!

[Clinton]

I envy you - I'd love to do that. I was told that the competition for positions on the bases is pretty stiff.

Also, I met somebody on the boat to Antarctica who had done a husky trip in Finland (I think) - you get a team of huskies and a sled and set out over the ice for 6 days.

Sounds WICKED!!!!

next trip.

[kimberish]

Yeah, the competition is pretty stiff. At least for the US bases. But it CAN be done if you are determined and/or lucky or just have unique skills that they need. I clawed my way in from the bottom. But once you get in, it is much easier to stay in and move up.

Kimber

[akwild]

I currently live in Alaska and highly recommend exploring Gates of the Arctic National Park. Technically it is not near the north pole. However, it is one of the most wild places left on Earth and definitely worth spending time in at some point in your life. The backpacking opportunities are endless within the park. You can access the park by flying from Fairbanks, Alaska into Bettles, Alaska. And from Bettles you can charter a flight with Brooks Range Aviation. Otherwise, if you do not have the money to charter a flight, you can access similar terrain by driving up the Dalton Highway from Fairbanks and exploring the Brooks Range. You can drive the hgwy the entire way up to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and see the Arctic Ocean which is probably the closest you could ever get to the North Pole w/ out going on an expedition and spending thousands of dollars.

[zzz_jeroenvm]

Interesting to read that sailing to the antarctic circle is so tough - because in Northern Europe it's really easy to go way beyond it's sister, the Arctic Circle. There's even hostels, trains and cities up there. And cheap to get to: budget flight to Stockholm, budget flight to Gallivare or Kiruna, both well north of the arctic circle.

I was there a month ago, witnessed the sun staying up all night and saw plenty of reindeer. From there it's possible to train/bus/hitchhike it further north to North Cape - possibly the easiest accessible place closest to a pole?

I have it easy - my girlfriend is a Pole.

[technotrekker]

Interesting to read that sailing to the antarctic circle is so tough - because in Northern Europe it's really easy to go way beyond it's sister, the Arctic Circle. There's even hostels, trains and cities up there. And cheap to get to: budget flight to Stockholm, budget flight to Gallivare or Kiruna, both well north of the arctic circle.

Yep, I'm just about to head to Kiruna on the train, dead of winter which should be interesting to say the least. There's also trains from St Petersburg to Murmansk in far northern Russia which is a low budget option to get well north of the Arctic Circle.

Wish me luck - yikesss!

[kris]

i wonder why this thread is a bit slow?

anyway i found out how you can get to the south pole through jagged globe it sounds like alot of fun but i think i'll leave it until i have got too much money with that kind of price tag

[peacefrog]

Yep, you have to be rich and fit...

Funny: the 5000 USD deposit for booking, when compared to our usual 2 dollar deposit for youth hostels...

[Gunny]

Ah, Backpacking is not the word to use if you are looking at going to either pole, you either need to be part of an expedition, a scientific program or have lots of disposable cash. I have travelled extensively in both polar regions and have been to both geographic poles. I was employed by a company that gave me opportunity to take these adventures.

I guess the easiest pole to get to would have to be the south pole, but be prepared to pay, Antarctic Logistics International, previously known as Adventure Network International(www.antarctic-logistics.com or www.adventure-network.com) is really the only private organization operating on the continent. All other companies offer only cruises which will only get you to the shores of the continent, there is a whole lot more beyond it's shores. Canada does not have a base currently in the antarctic. That is the other way to get to the antarctic, be a citizen of a country with a base there, or have a trade/ degree which they require. As for backpacking the closest airport would be Ushuaia, in the Tierra Del Fuego Patagonia region of Argentina. There are no sched flights(public) to the continent of Antarctic.

As for the north pole, it is extremely hard to get to, being that it is in the middle of the ocean, basically you can fly to the pole(well as close to the pole as you can land) or you can travel by an ice breaking cruise ship. You can only fly for a very short period before the ice is unsafe to land on, and therefore this is the only time that expeditions who want to walk can actually make it to the pole. For the rest of the summer and fall The only company that I know that can get you to the North pole is Expeditions Inc(www.polarcruises.com). I guess the most northern point you can actually backpack to without flying would be Inuvik, NT, and if you want to fly somewhere take First Air(www.firstair.ca) or Canadian North Airlines (www.canadiannorth.com) out of Ottawa or Edmonton and explore Northern Canada. Grise Fjord, Nunavut is the the most northerly comunity in Canada.

Hope this helps you

[Gunny]

Grise is the most northly civilian community, Eureka- a government weather station maned year round and CFS Alert- Canadian military station are further north, but are not readilly accessable or open to the public, prior permission is required to visit either station.

[rich]

Grise is the most northly civilian community, Eureka- a government weather station maned year round and CFS Alert- Canadian military station are further north, but are not readilly accessable or open to the public, prior permission is required to visit either station.

I've just been to Svalbard which is really close to the North Pole, and I definitely recommend it. I flew from Tromso in the north of Norway, although it certainly wasn't cheap! Once there, you can only really do organised tours because outside the main settlement, you have the real threat of polar bears and so you are required to carry a rifle. Unfortunately I didn't see any as in the summer, the bears have followed the ice and are most likely to be seen in the very far north (only accessible by a multiday cruise which was out of my budget this time...maybe $US2000!). One for the future...

You can read a bit about it in my journal. The polar regions definitely interest me and I plan on doing a lot more travelling in the next few years...

[peacefrog]

My good friend Marco just went there too, if someone is interested