ExWeb has news of a new expedition planned for the 2011-2012 Antarctic Season, during which time Dutch adventurers Hans Wijnand and Jacob Slooff will attempt to traverse Antarctica through the use of kite buggies.
According to the story, the expedition will be made to celebrate the 100 anniversary of Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott's epic race to the South Pole, which ended with Amundsen victorious, and Scott dying in a tent, 11 miles from his next supply depot. The duo will set out in October of 2011 from Novo Base, and over the course of the next three months, they'll proceed on to the South Pole, and then over to Mt. Vinson, which they'll climb as well. When finished, they'll have covered more than 2000 miles, and scaled a 16,000 foot peak.
The team is still finalizing their buggy design, but hope to have it done soon, and they're working to attract sponsors for the trip as well. They will be working with National Geographic Junior magazine in some capacity, and they'll also be taking biometric readings throughout the journey to test stress levels, caloric consumption, and a host of other items to see how a trip of this kind can effect the body.
Should be another interesting expedition to follow, and I can't wait to see how their buddies work. With good winds, they should make excellent time, but when the wind falters, they'll have tough going. I'm sure by 2011 they'll have all the kinks worked out however.
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