Save The Poles Expedition

How's this for an ambitious expedition? Arctic explorer Eric Larsen has announced the Save The Poles Expedition in which he'll attempt to visit the "Three Poles" in one continuous 365 day period. Yep, that's right, he's going to go to the North and South Poles, and the summit of Everest, all in the span of one year's time.

Larsen has laid out some of his plans and the reasons why he wants to attempt this feat on his website, which reads:

• Complete the first-ever expedition to Mt. Everest, the North Pole and South Pole in a continuous 365-day period
• Promote clean energy solutions, advocate strategies for reducing carbon emissions post Kyoto 2012 and collect relevant scientific data
• Produce a documentary film, book and educational CD-ROM that focuses on global warming, teamwork and the spirit of adventure
• Develop a post expedition multi-media lecture series

He explains that while the Poles and Everest are the harshest climates on the planet, they are also the ones that are most effected by global warming and other changing climatic conditions. He discusses the melting polar ice caps and what that means to the Earth as a whole, and hopes this his efforts will promote some discussion and thought on the topic.

Larsen plans to set out in 2009 and will have his work cut out for him as he will like go to the North Pole in the late Winter, then go for Everest in the Spring, followed up with a South Pole expedition in the Fall, all relative to the Northern Hemisphere. Those details have yet to be filled in, so I'm just guessing there, but it's going to be tough doing both the North Pole, and Everest in a short time span.

This comes via The Goat which lists the expedition as "unsupported" although I saw no mention of that on the website. I'm not sure Larsen's skill at mountaineering, but going "unsupported" on Everest is not for inexperienced or unskilled, and the Poles aren't exactly a walk in the park either.