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An expedition to the South Pole: with Lucy Shepherd

Lucy Shepherd is a British explorer, expedition leader, and filmmaker, known for operating in some of the most remote and unforgiving environments on Earth. In her latest expedition she joined adventurer Darren Edwards on a record-breaking attempt towards the South Pole.

Eight years ago, Darren Edwards was paralysed from the chest down following a climbing accident. Since then, he has completed a series of endurance challenges, each pushing the limits of adaptive exploration. This expedition was his most ambitious yet: travelling across the Antarctic polar plateau in a sit ski — essentially a wheelchair mounted on skis — further south than any sit ski had ever gone before.

“A sit ski has never even been to the places where we started from.”

Lucy joined the expedition team due to her extensive experience in polar environments, having led and participated in cold-weather expeditions since 2011. But even for someone deeply familiar with extreme cold, Antarctica presented a different kind of challenge.

Getting to the start line

Reaching Antarctica is a journey in itself. The team first flew to a gateway base camp — a staging point for expeditions heading onto the polar plateau. While cold by most standards, it was only a hint of what lay ahead.

From there, the team boarded a Twin Otter aircraft that carried them hundreds of miles deeper into the continent before dropping them onto the polar plateau. Their endeavour? To ski and sit ski 220 kilometres towards the South Pole. A feat no sit skier has ever even attempted before.

The moment they stepped off the aircraft, it was clear this expedition would be different.

The polar plateau: a desert of snow

Antarctica is often imagined as a frozen wasteland, but Lucy describes it more accurately as a desert — cold, dry, and relentlessly abrasive.

“There’s zero humidity,” she explains. “There’s no water in the air at all. If something gets wet, it just dries immediately.”

This lack of moisture fundamentally changes the nature of the snow. Rather than gliding across it, skis grind against a surface Lucy likens to sandpaper — or worse.

"It's even worse than sandpaper. It feels like sludge pulling you back."

Each member of the team hauled a pulk weighing between 60 and 70 kilograms, carrying everything they needed for the duration of the expedition. On top of that, they took turns roping Darren’s sit ski to their own pulks, combining loads while Darren pushed with everything he had.

Progress was slow, physical, and relentless.

Cold, risk, and the daily rhythm

The team settled into a strict routine: 50 minutes of movement followed by a 10-minute break, repeated for 8 to 10 hours a day. Those short breaks were the only opportunity to eat, drink, and manage layers — all without exposing skin.

At temperatures as low as -46°C, any exposed skin burns almost immediately.

“You can’t take your goggles off,” Lucy says. “If you do, they’ll fog and ice over. Even your eyes can start to freeze if they’re left unprotected.”

Managing body temperature was a constant balancing act. Overheating was just as dangerous as being cold.

“That’s the biggest danger. If you get too hot and you sweat, you’re in real trouble.”

Sweat freezes quickly, robbing the body of heat. Every layer change had to be pre-emptive — made before discomfort set in.

When clothing makes all the difference

In extreme cold, equipment becomes part of survival strategy rather than comfort. Lucy is pragmatic about clothing: functionality matters more than anything else.

One of the most critical features was the fur trim she attached to the hood of her Aigis Jacket. In polar conditions, fur creates a microclimate around the face, trapping warm air from each breath while shielding against wind.

“It has to protrude outwards,” she explains. “It’s not a fashion detail. It genuinely changes how warm your face stays.”

Breathability was just as important as insulation. In Antarctica’s dry atmosphere, fabrics that can vent moisture effectively prevent sweat build-up while maintaining protection from wind.

Small details on her Palisade Parka made a significant difference: oversized cuff adjusters that could be operated with mittens, large zip pulls, and robust construction that held up under constant strain.

Lucy routinely modifies her own equipment to suit the environment and task at hand. For example, poking holes into the seal around her goggles to allow air to escape, preventing fogging and freezing, ensuring maximum visibility at all times.

The decision

Burning thousands of calories a day, the team had to force themselves to eat even when they weren’t hungry. Food had to be prepared in advance and cut into small pieces to prevent it from freezing solid.

Lucy avoids relying solely on sugar, instead spreading fats and proteins throughout the day, saving quick energy hits for later when fatigue sets in.

Her morale-boosting secret weapon?

“A thermos full of pre-made cappuccino,” she says. “It’s a bit of a power play.”

That small comfort — warmth, caffeine, milk — made a tangible difference in a place where pleasure is otherwise scarce.

Redefining success

On paper, the expedition did not reach its final geographic goal. But Lucy is clear that success can’t be measured by coordinates alone.

“This expedition was about redefining the impossible,” she says.

No sit ski had ever attempted anything like this. This journey proved what is possible — and opened the door for someone else to go further next time.

“Even getting there was a huge step.”

Beyond the record attempt itself, the expedition carried a wider purpose. Darren Edwards undertook the journey in support of Wings for Life, a charity dedicated to funding global research into spinal cord injury. The challenge was designed not only to push physical and logistical boundaries, but to help raise awareness and funds for research that could change lives.

About Wings For Life

Wings for Life is a global not-for-profit charity dedicated to spinal cord injury research, with the single mission of finding a cure for spinal cord injury (SCI) — an area that has historically been underfunded despite the immense impact these injuries have on people’s lives. Since it was founded in 2004, the foundation has supported hundreds of research projects and clinical trials around the world. Please click here if you would like to donate.

Photography by Matthew Biggar.

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