How to Embark on a Solo Expedition

There are many reasons to embark on a solo expedition, and follow in the footsteps of storied explorers such as Shackleton's own, Louis Rudd MBE who in 2018 became the first Briton to cross Antarctica solo and unaided, traversing 921 miles of Earth's most inhospitable terrain in 56 days. And fellow Shackleton Polar Guide, Amelia Rudd was only the seventh woman to ever ski solo from the coastline of Antarctica (at Hercules Inlet) to the South Pole.

Whether you're aiming to break a world record, or just become more self-reliant with an overnight hike and wild camp in the hills, going solo can feel far more adventurous than exploring the outdoors as part of a group.

And because it's more demanding, a solo expedition can be more rewarding too. For Amelia Rudd, the benefits of going solo are often felt long after you return home: "Solo expeditions build so much confidence; not just in your specialist skills like navigation or stove repairs, but your confidence in everyday life.

"When you're alone in Antarctica, you have no choice but to be self-reliant. When you're back home, it gives you a new perspective on just how much you are capable of when you have to be," she says.

Of course, planning and executing a one-person mission is more exacting and can be much more daunting, so here's the 10-step Shackleton approach to preparing for solo success:

1. Start With The Why

There are times during any outside endeavour when the weather, the circumstances or the terrain can conspire against you to make things feel a bit miserable, which is why deciding on a simple purpose to the expedition can keep you motivated to push on.

Setting yourself a specific, measurable goal to accomplish can be a powerful tool that gives you direction and motivation, but it can also pay to have something bigger than yourself in mind, such as completing a trek in memory of a loved one, or raising funds for your favourite charity. Psychological researchers have consistently found that people driven by a specific purpose are more mentally resilient and better able to handle stress, both of which can come in handy on an expedition!

2. Pack Light

When traveling solo, anything you can do to lighten the load on your body pays dividends in energy saved, injury risk reduced, speed increased and enjoyment enhanced. And this applies equally to a through hike in the Lake District and a Polar Exped. "On polar journeys, saving weight is critical," says Amelia Rudd. "It might only be a few grams here or there, but it all adds up when you have to drag all your equipment for 1,000km or more.

"I even cut my hair short when I did a big expedition to the South Pole, to save weight. I cut the labels out of everything, even my Shackleton Titan Challenger Expedition Down Jacket, and removed all food packaging before I go. It's very satisfying to see how much I can cut down. And yes, I cut the handle off my toothbrush!"

3. Train Your Expedition Kit As Well As Your Body

There's a natural emphasis on training your body ahead of the rigours of an expedition, but practising to use the kit you'll take with you can provide some unexpected benefits beyond just breaking it in. "Preparation is key - make sure you know your kit; take it out of the box, try it on, use it for training. You can save a lot of weight by knowing what works for you, and not bringing too much 'just in case'," says Louis Rudd.

"Every item you take has to work hard, it's ideal if you can take things that have more than one use." You can apply this philosophy to your kit choice by leaning into the technically versatile of high-performance apparel, such as Shackleton's Erebus Active Jacket, which is a highly breathable softshell and can double up as an insulating midlayer under a waterproof hardshell, and also a windproof outer layer for exposed, dry conditions where you're working hard.

4. Learn Some Survival Skills

Beyond everyday expedition skills, such as navigation, investing some time and energy in learning emergency survival skills will give you a safety net should things go south. If possible, learn skills and knowledge relevant to the specific environment you will be traveling through. For example, Matt Ray, Shackleton's Head of PR learnt Swedish survival techniques that enabled him to forage food, build forest-safe Scandinavian firepits, gather drinking water and construct emergency shelters from local plants ahead of a gravel bikepacking mission into the wilderness forests of Småland, Sweden, courtesy of Allinnature.se.

And every time you learn these skills you will pick up survival 'hacks' that can be used in any environment and will help you build a sense of quiet confidence. For instance, did you know if you put an open plastic bottle full of water into an open fire, the water will heat up and boil before the bottle melts, which can sterilise water to drink in an emergency?

5. Expand Your Comfort Zone In Training First

When spending a lot of time on your own, doubts can creep in and a tendency to overthink every decision, or second-guess yourself can become corrosive to your morale. That's why pushing yourself into unknown territory shouldn't be reserved for just when on an expedition, but in your training for it too. "Build resilience by starting small, but stretch your comfort zone each time. Being used to being uncomfortable is a great way to build resilience," says Amelia Rudd.

6. Build Resilience With Consistent Physical Preparation

Just as there are some days when you don't feel like lacing up your running shoes to pound the pavements in the rain, there will be days on a trip where you just won't want to get out of your sleeping bag. But solo expeditions do build physical resilience, and through this, mental resilience.

"It's a constant battle between your brain, which wants to give up, and your body, which can do more than you think it can," says Louis Rudd. "Building mental coping strategies through consistent physical training helps you to get out of the tent every morning, even if the weather is bad, or it's a third day of total whiteout. Being consistent with training and preparation is the best way to go into a trip with confidence." So, be vigilant for slipping motivation during training and commit to every session.

7. Take In Your Surroundings

One of the joys of a solo expedition is that you will be totally immersed in the experience without anyone else's presence and perceptions to distract you. This can be a gift but you'll need to remember to lift your head from whatever physical toil you are undertaking and take in the environment around you.

Doing this will not only enhance your enjoyment and motivation but it will help you to stay alert to subtle shifts in weather and conditions, which may serve as an early-warning system to seek shelter from an incoming danger. For instance, thunderstorms in the mountains carry the risk of lightning strikes, so noticing storm clouds building can give you valuable time to retreat down from a high point, such as a summit or ridgeline.

8. Adopt A Philosophy of Self-Reliance

Any solo expedition will demand a degree of self-reliance but you can apply this as a general principle in order to cut down on potential failure points. For instance, carrying enough water for a multi-day trip can weigh you down so much to be completely impractical but what happens if one of your planned water resupply points is unavailable? Packing your own water-purification system (such as a hand-pump filter) together with the knowledge of how to use it safely can make the difference between abandoning the mission and pushing forwards.

9. Plan On Getting Lost

Even the best-marked and well-known trails can trip up seasoned solo adventurers if the weather closes. Take Corsica's famous long-distance G20, which has trail markers painted onto the rocks every 50m or so and sees a lot of fastpacker traffic in the summer. You can usually see for miles on its high ridgelines but sudden tropical downpours and humid conditions create fog and white-out conditions. In this situation a wrong turn can lead you off a cliff edge and be catastrophic.

Having a plan for getting lost in these situations will prevent you from panicking. Again, preparation is key because following trail markers and a vague awareness of your compass direction isn't going to cut it. Instead, plot the route on a mobile device with navigation, such as a Garmin or a smartphone and also carry a paper map as a backup with your route drawn out on it because that will allow you to do some micro-navigation and retrace your steps until you can pick up the trail again, regardless of conditions.

10. Prioritise Your Energy Levels

When you're up against it, it's tempting to press on and hit the next milestone rather than stopping to take on food and water, but 95% of the time this is a mistake. As Shackleton co-founder and head of Shackleton Challenges, Ian Holdcroft knows, skiing along in the -40 degrees C conditions of Antarctica while pulling a heavy pulk can burn 8,000 calories or more a day, as those who join Shackleton's Antarctica Last Degree Challenge know well.

When operating in such extremes, either on a solo mission or as part of a team, maintaining your own hydration and energy levels is critical to your survival and success. This is particularly true in sub-zero temperatures when the cold saps both your energy and your appetite. Prioritising a way to heat water and food is important in low temps, not just for heat but to make food more palatable.

Matt Ray remembers some sage advice from mountain guide Ron Walker on one -18 degrees C windchill day in the Cairngorms Plateau who commented that he always carried emergency food in a sealed bag the bottom of his backpack, in addition to his regular rations. But while he saw a lot of people going for the healthy option of a granola bar he didn't recommend it, opting for a classic chocolate bar loaded with sugar and fat. The key here is that they're emergency rations designed to fuel a last-ditch burst of energy. This is borne out by the UK's Mountain Rescue teams whose medics routinely measure the blood-sugar levels of people they are called to rescue and usually find that they are very low.

Whatever solo expedition you're planning or are inspired by, following these simple rules can not only increase your chance of success but your enjoyment of the entire journey, which will fuel your enthusiasm to scale ever greater heights!

Written by Matt Ray