Expedition's tough trek to reach South Pole

A Wanaka mountain guiding company has led a successful polar skiing expedition through the sub-zero Antarctic to the South Pole.

Lake Hawea climber Guy Cotter, managing director of guiding company Adventure Consultants, last Thursday completed the mission to lead a group of six clients to the South Pole.

The group reached their destination after a 10-day cross-country ski trek across the polar plateau, battling -49degC temperatures, snow, and wind.

Adventure Consultants general manager Suze Kelly said the expedition had flown from Chile to a camp at the Union Glacier in the Antarctic, before a second flight took them to a point at the 89 degrees longitude mark.

The group skied about 111km across the ice to reach the pole, before it was picked up and flown back to the Union Glacier camp, she said.

Mr Cotter told her the group was "ecstatic" and relieved to have finished the journey in "such a powerful and inhospitable climate".

Bad weather had hampered the expedition's return to the Chilean mainland and it remained at Union Glacier awaiting a window of fine weather, Ms Kelly said.

The trip to the South Pole was the first for Mr Cotter, who was one of New Zealand's most experienced mountain guides, although he had visited the Antarctic six times before.

- mathew.haggart@odt.co.nz