EXPEDITION UPDATE:
ADAPTIVE ANTARCTICA
WORLD FIRST
Martin Hewitt became the first disabled person to trek from the Antarctic coast to the South Pole and climb Mount Vinson, unsupported and unassisted in 2022.
UPDATE FROM THE ICE
We are delighted to announce that in the early hours of the 15th January 2022, Martin Hewitt and Louis Rudd successfully reached the summit of Mount Vinson, completing the second part of the Adaptive Antarctica challenge.
Along with their completion of the Last Degree earlier this month, Martin's dream of becoming the first person with a disability to complete the Explorers Grand Slam remains very much alive.
Use the interactive map below to listen to their update from the peak.
THE EXPEDITION
Adaptive Antarctica is an ambitious two-part expedition taking place in November and December 2021, supported, guided and equipped by Shackleton.
Part 1 is to trek to the geographic South Pole, unsupported and unassisted. Part 2 is to climb Mount Vinson, Antarctica’s highest mountain, in an attempt to be the world's first disabled person to complete both challenges.
Both expeditions form part of Martin Hewitt's challenge to become the first ever disabled person to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam - an accolade given to those who have summited the world’s highest seven peaks on seven continents, as well as journeys to the North and South Pole. Adaptive Antarctica will bring Martin within one summit of achieving this world first.
Martin, formerly an officer in the British Army, was shot in Afghanistan and lost the use of his right arm. He will be guided on expedition by Louis Rudd MBE, Director of Expeditions at Shackleton and the only person to have crossed Antarctica on foot twice. The team of two will travel from Hercules Inlet on the coastline of Antarctica, to the geographic South Pole. Without resupply, they must haul all their food and equipment with them for 720 miles across the world's coldest, windiest and highest continent. The expedition is unsupported (they cannot receive help or resupply en route) and unassisted (without dogs, kites or any kind of non-human propulsion). Both explorers will be equipped with a Shackleton two-part pulk suit which has been specially developed for this mission.
Once Martin and Louis reach the Pole after around 45 days, they will fly back to Union Glacier before heading out to the base camp of Mount Vinson in late December/ early January where they will start the 4,892m to the highest point on the continent. 'By Endurance we Conquer'
After months of physical and mental preparation, I feel ready to take on this challenge and can’t wait to get a step closer to completing the Adaptive Grand Slam. I hope that by succeeding in this challenge, I can show people that you can achieve anything you set your mind to if you have support, drive and determination, and that a debilitating injury should never stand in your way.
MARTIN HEWITT
Meet the team
MARTIN HEWITT
ADAPTIVE GRAND SLAM FOUNDER
Martin Hewitt served for eight years as a commissioned officer in the Parachute Regiment and was deployed on operations around the world. He worked on operations and training exercises in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America. Whilst leading his men in combat in Afghanistan, Martin sustained life changing injuries resulting in the paralysis of his right arm and ending his military career. After his injury, Martin focussed on establishing the Adaptive Grand Slam (AGS), seeking to tackle the greatest challenges known to mankind. The AGS has so far seen Hewitt summit five of the seven tallest peaks on every continent and trek to the North Pole, to inspire others with life-long injuries and disabilities.
LOUIS RUDD MBE
DIRECTOR OF EXPEDITIONS
Louis Rudd MBE is a record-breaking polar adventurer, former Royal Marine Commando and SAS soldier. He is the first and only person to have traversed Antarctica twice using human power alone and has reached the South Pole three times from different coastal starting points. Louis has covered more than 3000 polar miles on skis, with multiple extreme cold-weather tours in Northern Norway with the special forces. He has guided expeditions on a 1100-mile crossing of Antarctica and a 350-mile crossing of Greenland. He is also a military Arctic warfare instructor, a military ski instructor, a qualified army patrol medic, and a military snowmobile instructor, with additional training in crevasse and avalanche rescue. A member of the Explorers Club and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Louis has written of his journeys to date in his autobiography ‘Endurance’.
WENDY SEARLE
EXPEDITION MANAGER
Wendy is a polar explorer with experience in Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Antarctica. In 2020, Wendy became only the seventh woman in history to complete a solo, unsupported journey from Hercules Inlet to the geographic South Pole. She has also completed a full traverse of Greenland and trained extensively in Finse. In addition to her own trips, Wendy has extensive experience in planning and managing other major expeditions – she was the expedition manager for Louis’ record-breaking Spirit of Endurance Expedition in 2018. Wendy also has a wealth of knowledge about the history of polar exploration and scientific research at high latitudes. This winter (Antarctic summer) Wendy is attempting to break the female speed record for a solo trek to the South Pole.
THE AGS FOUNDATION
The AGS has so far seen Hewitt and a team of disabled adventurers overcome adversity to summit the tallest peaks on every continent and trek to the Poles, to inspire others with life-long injuries and disabilities Mount Everest, supported by professional expedition and challenge leaders. to achieve their own dreams. Throughout the series of challenges, Hewitt has been fundraising for the AGS foundation, which was established to select, train and develop disabled teams to empower them to tackle extreme expeditions and challenges.
THE KIT
To accomplish the gruelling challenge and withstand one of the coldest climates on earth, the team will be trekking using Shackleton’s Expedition Pulk Suit, specifically designed to protect them from the elements where temperatures can routinely reach -40°.
SPONSORS
CONTACTS & RESOURCES
DISCOVER THE CHALLENGES
If Martin Hewitt has inspired you to tackle your own life-changing challenge, Shackleton has the knowledge, skills and access required to facilitate you achieving your own momentous goals. The Shackleton Challenges team, lead by Louis Rudd and Wendy Searle, delivers a unique expedition experience and training programme. The goal is to enable people of all abilities to develop their skills in some of the world’s most spectacular and extreme environments. With our range of levels and environments there will be something for everyone. If you can't find the Challenge you envisage, you can get in touch with the team to design a meticulously-planned bespoke itinerary unique to you.
