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The Shakedown Polar Training was first conceived as a litmus test for extreme cold weather expedition readiness, but it’s so much more than that. It’s an exhilarating adventure in its own right, and one that will hone universally applicable outdoor skills.
We recently connected with Vanessa O'Brien, keeper of the Explorer's Grand Slam stats, about the origins of this 7+2 adventure challenge, and what the future holds for similar expedition endeavors. Here are her anwers to 8 questions we put to her:
The South Pole / Vinson combination is an increasingly popular duo of polar expeditions and not only for adventurers doing the Explorers Grand Slam. It makes a lot of sense to combine Antarctica's two most popular expeditions into one departure - especially if you are smart about how you plan it.
Most people who venture out into the cold nowadays have at least heard about layering. The beauty of a good layering system is the ability to adapt it to any conditions or type of activity. Are you doing it right? If you’re still struggling to find the right combination of clothing for a given activity, maybe this will help.
In the world of extreme adventuring, there is always another expedition to be had. Always another mountain to climb, route to accomplish, or journey to experience. However, there is one achievement that many world class adventurers strive for, The Explorers Grand Slam. The Explorers Grand Slam combines climbing the tallest mountain on every continent (The 7 Summits) and skiing at least the Last Degree to the North and South Poles. Each of these expeditions is a challenge in its own right, but most often adventurers complete the 7 summits before continuing on to the Poles. Spending that much time on mountains will turn any climber into an expert, but the North and South Pole offer some distinctly different challenges that can pose a serious threat to those unprepared for the experience.
We asked Ian Clarke (shown LEFT) and John Dahlem (shown RIGHT), both expert expeditioners and Grand Slam completionists, to weigh in on the differences between their Polar Expeditions and 7 Summits. Hopefully their advice will help you in your journey to The Explorers Grand Slam.
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