Vegard Ulvang, former cross country skier with three Olympic gold medals, Jan-Gunnar Winther, director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, Stein P. Aasheim, photographer and explorer, and Harald Dag Jølle, expert in Polar history, are following the same route Amundsen took to the South Pole. However, they’re not using dogs as Amundsen did; they’re kiting using huge sails and skis. Unfortunately they haven’t been very lucky with the weather and still have a long way before reaching the Pole. You can follow their journey at their website with daily posts and quotes from Amundsen’s diary.
Another expedition called “To the South Pole - A Hundred Years After” consists of Asle T. Johansen, Jan Morten Ertsaas and Gaute Grindhaug. Johansen crossed Greenland in 1988 in Fridjof Nansen’s tracks to commemorate Nansen’s journey hundred years earlier. Now he’s following Amundsen to the South Pole to honour his endeavors.
The South Pole Jubilee Expedition is organised by Latitude AS and Ousland AS. The expedition is led by Christian Eide and Trond Sundby and consists of 12 people from 4 different nationalities. They will follow Amundsen’s route up the Axel Heiberg glacier, then they will cross the Devil’s Dancefloor and Titan Dome. Follow their progress here.
Several smaller expeditions have also set out for the South Pole. Jacob Meland and Ottar Haldorsen have “gone camping on the South Pole”. Alexander Gamme is going solo from Herculet Inlet and back and Steffen Dahl is going from Herculet Inlet to the Pole and flying back.
Even the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, is making the trip to the South Pole for the celebration on December 14th. However, the Prime Minister will fly to the pole and not follow the ski tracks of the explorer. He hopes to greet several of the expeditions at 90 degrees south.