ExWeb Posts 2007 Antarctic Expedition List

Summer isn't quite over yet here in the Northern Hemisphere, but already thoughts are turning towards the South Pole and the looming 2007 Antarctic Season. ThePoles.com has posted their first list of 2007 expeditions with a number of interesting entries already on the list.

The Irish team from Beyond Endurance has announced that they'll be attempting a full crossing of the continent, as long as they get the funding they need. Led by Pat Falvey, an Everest climber, they're still beating the bushes for some cash, but are prepared to go to the Pole itself, even if they don't make the full crossing.

Brit Alex Hibbert hopes to become the youngest person from the U.K. to ski to the South Pole unsupported. He'll be 21 at the time of the expedition, and will be joined on his journey by Richard Smith, 36, Adam Griffiths, 24 and Andy Wilkinson, 31. Wilkinson is coming off a Spring summit on Everest himself.

Showing us what adventure really means, Evelyne Binsack from Switzerland, has set out on a 16 month journey that will culminate with an attempt at an unsupported trip to the Pole. The former Everest climber set off from her home country, bicycled across Europe, Africa, and the length of the Americas before arriving in Chile, where she is currently finishing her preparations for the South Pole. It's unclear at this time if she intends to go solo on her expedition as well.

As I've mentioned before, Adrian Hayes, also of the U.K. but living in Dubai, will be going for his "Third Pole". Adrian went to the North Pole by way of Canada this past Spring, and topped out on Everest last year, and now he'll attempt the hat trick, making an unsupported attempt at the South Pole. Also on this team will be Norwegian cross-country skier Hans Foss and Lebanese Everest summitteer Max Chaya. (Anyone else see a pattern with these Everest climbers?)

We should expect to hear more expeditions confirmed soon, with a number of solo and unsupported attempts and scientific expeditions reported to be in the works. More as they become available.