Colin O’Brady (USA, born March 16, 1985) was 33 years and 285 days old when he completed his ski crossing of Antarctica, arriving at the Leverett Glacier on the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf on December 26, 2018. His journey spanned 1,499 km (932 miles) and took 53 days. O’Brady began his trek from the Union Glacier on November 3, 2018, pulling a sled loaded with about 180 kg (400 lb) of supplies and equipment, and reached the South Pole on December 12, 2018.
During part of his journey, O’Brady used the South Pole Overland Traverse (SPoT) ice road, which is marked and maintained each season. This route extends from McMurdo Station across the Ross Ice Shelf, up the Leverett Glacier, and across the plateau to the South Pole. Because the route is flagged, any expedition using it is considered "supported" according to the Polar Expeditions Classification Scheme (PECS).
O’Brady is not the first man to cross Antarctica solo. Børge Ousland (Norway) completed the first and fastest unsupported solo crossing of Antarctica on January 17, 1997. However, Ousland used a snowkite for wind assistance, unlike O’Brady, who completed his entire journey on skis using his own power.
Felicity Aston (UK, born October 7, 1977) is the youngest and first woman to ski solo across Antarctica. She completed her 1,744-km (1,084-mile) journey on January 23, 2012, at the age of 34 years and 108 days, after 59 days. Like O’Brady, she also utilized the SPoT ice road.
