“Incredible, breathtaking, raw.”
That is how adventurer James McAlloon describes Antarctica, after he completed an epic coast-to-summit trek to the continent’s tallest mountain.
Now back home on the Sunshine Coast, Mr McAlloon has had time to reflect on his trip, which has been three years in the making and involved 17 days of skiing and climbing, 250km of polar mountain travel and nearly 5000m of elevation gain.
He told Sunshine Coast News the hardest part of the journey came well before he set foot on Antarctica.
“Everyone that does these things looks like a bloody champion in the photos but the reality is everyone is quite desperate and nervous to bring their expeditions to fruition,” he said.
“The hardest part by a long shot is just getting the to start. The expedition itself is the easy part. The years of preparing and fundraising is incredibly difficult and there were many times I thought it would never eventuate. It really isn’t about being great or highly skilled, it’s being incredibly resilient, always finding a way through what seem like impossible situations and refusing to give up no matter how hard it becomes.”
Mr McAlloon said Antarctica surpassed all his expectations.
“It truly is one of the most unique and remote places on earth. With no human habitation or wildlife, its features expand beyond comprehension and everything is much grander than what they seem,” he said.
“My expedition was unique from most, as nearly all other ski expeditions consist of unending days of featureless terrain as they ski towards the South Pole. My expedition was almost exclusively navigating mountain passes and glaciers. This not only made it more interesting and dynamic but surrounded me in awe-inspiring landscapes each day.
“Despite the cold and desolation and weather, I felt at home there and enjoyed my time.”
Working with Antarctic Logistics and Expedition, Mr McAlloon departed Punta Arenas, Chile, on December 17.
“We were flown into their main Antarctic operational base, where we prepared everything we needed for our trip and consulted the medics and travel safety teams, before being flown in a Twin Otter out to the Ronne Ice Shelf at a place called Constellation Inlet (on December 20),” he said.
“From here our journey began, skiing 220km through the Heritage and Sentinel mountain ranges, traversing nine glaciers – including the steep Zapol Glacier – to access Mount Vinson base camp.
“From here our climb began, in which we spent five days climbing to the peak of Mount Vinson. The climb included a ski to low camp, technical fixed-rope climb to high camp and long summit day, as well as two extra days for acclimatisation.”
He completed the mountain climb on January 8, before flying back to the main Antarctic base for a return flight to Chile on January 10.
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How did he feel when he reached his goal at Vinson Massif?
“I was honestly overwhelmed and needed a moment to express that,” he said.
“At the top was screams of joy and coming down from the summit was tears of emotional outpouring. A huge weight had lifted from my shoulders that I didn’t realise was there.
“There is so much work and stress to achieve a big expedition like this, that it takes a huge toll on you. Three years of effort to achieve this dream was in a moment released and I was truly content.”
Mr McAlloon also collected scientific data on the expedition, in partnership with the University of Canterbury Antarctic Science Division.
“I took two lightweight devices: a kestrel device to measure the weather, and a gyro-type device to measure the surface terrain as we passed over it,” he said.
“These were provided by scientists at the University of Canterbury and hopefully the data collected will assist them in understanding the climate and landscapes of the region we traversed.”
So what’s next for the adventurer?
“Enjoy the coastal life once more that I’ve missed over the past two years!” he said.
“I really am enjoying it at the moment but obviously there’s no rest for the wicked, and I do have other dreams up my sleeve – one iconic one in Australia which hopefully I can do in the next couple of years.”
Mr McAlloon also thanked his supporters.
“I’m proud to represent the Sunny Coast and everyone’s support was truly appreciated,” he said.
“A strong and supportive partner was a really key as well. Having unquestioned support and making sacrifices truly helped me achieve this.
“I never realised how trying to achieve this one expedition would be so complicated and dynamic. It connected me to an entire new world and people I never previously new.
“I travelled extensively to receive the skills and equipment needed and showed me what was possible for a local guy from a subtropical Aussie town. It also really showed me the rawness of people’s true character, for good and bad.
“Whilst not always comfortable, it’s something unique only seen in times of hardship and I think my relationships have deepened from the experience.”
