Todd Carmichael: King of the Antarctic–The Adventurist Interview Part II

Editors Note:  On December 21, 2008 at 6:04 pm, Todd Carmichael became the first American to go solo, unaided, and unsupported to The South Pole.  His adventure would also break the World Speed Record set by Hannah McKeand in 2006.  Before Todd’s historic expedition began, I had the opportunity to interview him about his upcoming adventure.  (You can read that interview here.)  Todd’s time of 39 days, 7 hours, and 49 minutes is quite remarkable pending the circumstances that Todd was fighting through.  Upon his successful completion and a month of recovery time, it is my pleasure to have the opportunity to interview Todd about his historic expedition, finally reaching the Pole in record time, his future, and what exactly was going on in those final two days that communication with Todd was lost.  Much of this interview will surprise many of you for it’s candidness, but anyone who knows him, knows that Todd can only be one way–real.  I hope you enjoy.

Todd, the last time we spoke you were preparing to embark on an expedition to the South Pole. You seemed confident and focused on the adventure at hand. It looks like that confidence and focus payed huge dividends. You are now the first American to go solo and unsupported to the South Pole. You also broke Hannah McKeand’s world speed record for a solo and unsupported expedition. First off, congratulations, and secondly, have you had time to put this all in perspective?

I think I have, but it’s hard to say. This one was so very important to me and the “title” means so much that I’m having a rough time realizing that it is done and that I managed to capture it. What I do know is that friends and family still have a way to go. You see, there was a lot that went on that I wasn’t sharing during the expedition, from coughing up blood the last 10 days to an avalanche of drama that happened the last two days after my communications and navigation systems went down. Now that they know the whole story they have blocked it out I think.

Looking back on this expedition, you ran into some problems right off the bat. The bindings on both skis decided to let go. This unfortunate event may be looked upon as being a key to your future speed record. To my knowledge, nobody has ever WALKED to the South Pole on foot. Do you think that this allowed you to move faster, or do you think your timing suffered by not having the skis?

Aside from some blue ice early on, trekking 690 miles in ski boots is a lot like racing in the Tour de France with your Mom’s three speed - complete with faux wicker basket and thumb bell. Then there is the challenge of not letting it all get you down - even though you’re slugging out an additional 4-5 hours per day on the slim hope you won’t be crushed at the 88th onward, home of the deep powder surface. Overall – I strongly recommend skis if you are serious about making it in one piece, or at all.

Once you got on track, decided to ditch the skis, and make some progress, some interesting things started to happen. You ran into the Shackleton Centenary Expedition, whom allowed you to hold Sir Ernest Shackleton’s original compass. Hannah McKeand and her father contacted you and wished you well on your record run. Looking back at the history and the things that were lining up, when did you sense that history was in the making and that you had a definite shot at obtaining the unthinkable?

It’s hard to say WHEN that moment came, because I was still unbelieving when I finally arrived at the pole. Having said that I do remember when I set my sights on it, at day twelve some 45 miles behind pace and on foot. I did the math and it occurred to me that if I stretched my work day by some 4-5 more hours, I could conceivably do it, if if if and a lot more ifs. Strangely I decided right then to look at it in terms of HAVING IT, that it was indeed mine and that I simply had to fight to keep it. That is how I began to think that 12th day, with Hanna far in the distance. This made me bite down hard into the task and go into this hyper focus mode, so much so I hardly recognized the guy I had become.

Towards the end of your expedition, going into those final two days, contact was lost. Some of us worried that something was wrong. We now know that you decided not to worry about logistics and focused on a major final push. Can you take us back to those final two days, elaborate a little on what was going on, and clue us in to those final moments?

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39 Days, 7 Hours, 49 Minutes: Todd Carmichael Officially Breaks Hannah McKeand’s South Pole World Speed Record

 

 

Todd Carmichael has officially set a new solo and unsupported world speed record to the South Pole.  His time of 39 days, 7 hours, and 33 minutes bested former world record holder Hannah McKeand’s time of 39 days, 9 hours, and 33 minutes set back in 2006.  This is an official time coming from Todd’s tracking equipment and being reported by ExplorersWeb.

How close was it?

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Todd Carmichael Becomes First American To Go Solo And Unsupported To The South Pole!!

Philadelphia adventurer Todd Carmichael has become the first American to go solo and unsupported to the South Pole.  His adventure began 39 days ago as he was dropped off on the Antarctic continent.  Through bouts of bad weather, ski bindings that forced Todd to walk on foot for the majority of the journey, and numerous technical problems, Todd Carmichael persevered and can now claim to be the first and only American to ever do this unaided, unsupported, and alone.

Early in Todd’s journey it looked as if he may have to abandon his attempt to reach the South Pole.  Frustrated with snapping ski bindings and unable to come up with a permanent fix, Todd decided to throw them aside and continue his journey on foot.  Oddly enough, the freedom from not having to traverse the harsh terrain on skis actually helped Todd to quicken his pace.  A week before Todd reached the South Pole, it was relayed that he had caught and surpassed legendary Antarctic adventurer Hannah McKeand’s world speed record pace and was set to surpass it by a couple of days.  That was before he hit the soft snow of the final degree.

The latest word on Todd’s attempt at the South Pole. solo and unsupported, world speed record has him arriving at the Pole within the same hour that Hannah Mckeand did back in 2006.  An ‘official’ time will not be posted until a closer look can take place.  That may occur after Todd leaves the Amundsen-Scott South Pole station base in the next couple of days.  There are many of us that still have our fingers crossed that Todd that Todd may have captured a new world speed record.  Even without that record though, Todd Carmichael has still placed his name amongst some of the great antarctic records and feats to take place in the last 100 years.  To become the first American to go solo and unsupported to the South Pole, has a special reverberation.  Not only has he done something for himself, but his country can now thank him for capturing this elusive record.

The Adventurist congratulates you Todd on an amazing journey and I look forward to talking with you upon your return to the states.  You are an inspiration to many for your great accomplishment.  Take a couple days to rest up, then get back home and enjoy the party!  Congrats, man!

Read more on Todd Carmichael >>>

Read his 2008 South Pole dispatches from the South Pole>>>

Read an exclusive interview from The Adventurist >>>

Read One of the first media reports from the Philadelphia Inquirer

Todd Carmichael Expedition Earth South Pole 2008 Update: The Final Push??

All eyes have turned to Todd Carmichael and his attempt to become the first American to go solo and unsupported to the South Pole.  Over the last few days, Todd had caught up with Hannah McKeand’s world record pace.  He had projected possibly arriving at the South Pole today and in doing so, hopefully beating Hannah McKeand’s South Pole record.  I stayed up late lastnight waiting for the latest update from Todd.  Unfortunately, Todd didn’t update.  This could be due to a number of factors including equipment failure, or Todd is just concentrating on making that final push to the Pole.  Currently his tracking system has him sitting roughly 28 nautical miles from the Pole.

Here is the latest update from Todd Carmichael’s Expedition Earth South Pole 2008 Expedition:

I did not receive a call from Todd last night, though he did activate his secondary beacon locater, the so-called “Yellowbrick”, which intermittently transmits his coordinates. Though he has certainly moved ahead since the latest transmission was sent, the Yellowbrick showed Todd a little more than half way through the final degree. This would put him still some 28 nautical miles from the South Pole.

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Todd Carmichael 2008 Expedition Earth South Pole Update: Challenging Hannah McKeand’s World Speed Record

Todd Carmichael has pushed himself to the brink of doing something unthinkable.  For 31 days, Todd Carmichael has battled the wind, the snow, and the bitter cold of one of the world’s most desolate places.  He started this expedition to the South Pole with the intentions of maybe becoming the first American to go solo and unsupported to the Pole.  Today, roughly 8 days out from his destination, Todd is sitting neck and neck with World Record Holder Hannah McKeand for the fastest solo and unsupported expedition….ever.

Todd’s possible record has not come without a price.  Two days in, one of the bindings on his ski snapped.  He fought through that and rigged it up to work.  The very next day, the binding on the second ski snapped.  After some choice words for the binding manufacturer, Todd got up, tossed his skis aside, and decided to go on foot.  Has anyone actually walked to the South Pole, on foot, solo and unsupported? Probably not. Todd wouldn’t be happy with that record, though.  Eight days from the end, Todd Carmichael has pulled within reach of passing Hannah McKeand’s record breaking pace from 2006.  Hannah made the historic solo and unsupported expedition in a time of 39 days, 10 hours, and 33 minutes.  With just 8 days to go before Todd Carmichael reaches the Pole, it is looking like he may overcome a nearly 20 mile deficit to Hannah’s 2006 pace, to take over the world record.

It hasn’t come without struggle.

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Todd Carmichael Expedition Earth 2008 Update: Going To The Pole On Foot

Todd Carmichael has phoned in a new update to his South Pole expedition.  In our previous update, Todd had reached the 81st degree, but was having some problems with his ski bindings.  After breaking one, then fixing it, his second binding snapped–forcing Todd to make a couple of tough decisions.  After a couple of days of tinkering, Todd was able to get the bindings back together, albeit not a sure fix for the long haul.  You can read the previous update here.

Day 13 finds Todd at roughly 16 miles past the 82nd degree and moving forward.  He is covering between 12 and 16 miles a day, has been facing some high winds, and is now planning on walking to the South Pole unaided by skis.  His decision to not rely on skis is a tough one, but the binding fix has proven to be just a semi-permanent fix.  He is afraid that he may need them later on and doesn’t want to risk destroying the precarious state they are in.  In Todd’s latest audio update, he talks of actually enjoying the walk and feeling closer to the experience and the history of the past.  He relates that explorers of the past, including Shackleton, made this expedition on foot.  Unfortunately, Shackleton’s expedition wasn’t a success.  Let’s hope Todd’s experience is different!

Speaking of Ernest Shackleton, Todd had the recent opportunity to meet up with The Matrix Shackleton Centenary Expedition.  He mentions holding Ernest Shackleton’s compass.  This compass is being carried by the ancestors of Shackleton’s original 1909 Nimrod expedition, as they search for their own links to the past.  Todd mentions the weight and the significance of holding such a peice of history.

Overall things are going good for Todd.  He has the bit of frostbite to his face, is now on foot rather than skis, but is taking in the moment, trying to protect himself from the high winds, and keeping his mind on moving forward.  He dedicated his latest update to Dr. Galdikas, whom Todd has worked closely with over the years, and told everyone to go visit her site if they have time.  Likewise, I pass on this information.  Go visit http://www.orangutan.org to learn more of the Dr.’s work and why Todd gives this organization so much of his time.  It’s a good cause.

Todd Carmichael Expedition Earth 2008: “I’m On The Ice!!!”

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Todd Carmichael has landed safely near Patriot Hills, Antarctica.  He will now take a couple of days to get use to his surroundings (or lack thereof), take a practice run with his sled, then head off to Hercules Inlet where he will begin his quest to become the first American to go solo and unsupported to the South Pole.

You might remember my previous post, a couple of days ago, where I mentioned that Todd was suffering with a lung infection and tendinitis.  Before his flight took off today, Todd mentioned that his lungs were feeling better, but the tendinitis may have to be dealt with on the ice.  He thinks it may have to do with his lack of training over the past couple of days.  He is hoping that once he gets going that the legs will come back around and not be a major factor on this expedition.

It is interesting to note that in today’s dispatch Todd alludes to how heavy the sled is.  He mentions that the sled, packed with the equipment to get Todd to the South Pole, feels quite heavy compared to last year.  The reasoning behind this could be one of two factors.

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Todd Carmichael: Expedition Earth South Pole Update #1

Todd Carmichael, who is striving to become the first American to go solo and unsupported to the South Pole, has recently sent along his first update.  Here it is in it’s entirety.

Spent the last few days in Punta Chile mostly just suffering from a lung infection and going through what final prep I can. As if my old set of lungs aren’t enough to remind me of my age, tendonitis has returned in my lower left leg. Alas, one must use what body they have.
News as to flight date and time to the ice is beginning to circulate. Thoughts are Sunday or Monday is looking good. I’m begging to be well by then.
Today at 4:30 my gear and supplies will be weighed and boarded. What’s left from there is the wait, hunkered in my tiny hotel room, drinking cough syrup and listening for the phone to ring.
Cheers from Punta - hack cough weeeeze,
Todd

As Todd mentioned, he is currently sitting in Punta Arenas, Chile.  This is normally the launching point for most, if not all, Antarctic/South Pole expeditions.  One of the reasons that most expeditions launch from Puntas Arenas is that it offers one of very few places in the world that are within reach of the frozen continent by plane.  Even journeys to our nation’s three polar stations begin and end in Puntas Arenas.

In the next couple of days, Todd will load his equipment and gear onto a small plane, then be dumped in Antarctica to begin his expedition.  The plane will take off and leave nothing more but Todd and his sledge for the rest of the journey.  Todd will have to survive on his own, with no resupply, for the roughly 700 mile journey to the geographic South Pole.

Let’s hope that the tendonitus and lung infection clear up before Monday when Todd should be hitting the ice!  I have already sent him my best wishes and I will be updating this site on a regular basis with more information concerning Todd Carmichael’s Expedition Earth South Pole quest.

The Adventurist: Todd Carmichael Teaser..And a Quick Update..

A few days back, I posted an article about Todd Carmichael and his upcoming solo and unsupported trek to the South Pole. Todd’s goal is to become the first American to accomplish this feat, solo and unsupported, while becoming only the third person in the world to have achieved this.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Todd for The Adventurist. I will be getting that interview up in a couple of days. That should give you something to look forward to.

While I am speaking of interviews..The Shackleton Centenary Expedition…..Alan Arnette……Jamie McGuinness are all on the horizon. You can say that I have had an interesting week..

U.S. Outdoors Today is also coming together nicely. We are planning a July 4th kick-off for this latest project. Some things are in place, others will be forthcoming, and we have a few fun things in store there, as well.

Be sure to sign-up for The Adventurist RSS Feed, by any feedreader or through the email updates, to make sure you don’t miss out on the fun.