Hello from the group out here at 86 degrees 24. We are taking a half day rest day today and skied 3:20 hours this morning to get down the trail a bit. We have encountered very slow surface conditions with new snow which makes the sleds like dragging on sandpaper but the team still makes good distance such as a round 13 nautical miles average recently per day. In a few more days we will reach 87 degrees latitude and then be starting to hit the home stretch to the South Pole. It is a hard time in the journey because it is like no mans land where it is just days and days but we focus on getting to 87 now and then look to 88 and then things get closer.
The last degree group is progressing faster now from what we hear from Scott and the team. They should reach the pole on the 1st and then hopefully fly back to UG soon to pick up the arrival of the final Vinson team climber, Bernardo, who is awaiting the group at Union Glacier camp.
Cheers from the ice.
-Ryan
