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Sub-Antarctic glacial peaks rising directly from stormy Southern Ocean waters.

Route 012Southern Ocean54°10′S 036°41′W

South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing

The historic mountaineering escape across glaciated sub-Antarctic peaks. Southern Ocean tempest gales, Crean Glacier icefalls, and wildlife sanctuaries.

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Ledger · The numbers that decide it

Medevac window
48 h
Stated evacuation delay
Isolation
Extreme
Medical screening required
Price
$14,500
Full route price
Deposit
$4,000
Only after approval
Duration
12 days
4 of 12 days published
Team cap
6
Explorers per departure
Route context · Reference imagery

Terrain reference

Illustrative reference
Illustrative landscape reference for South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing; not route documentation.
Route reference · Route 0121,080 m

Illustrative landscape reference for South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing; not route documentation.

Source: Unsplash reference imagery
Illustrative landscape reference for South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing; not route documentation.
hazard reference

Illustrative landscape reference for South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing; not route documentation.

Illustrative landscape reference for South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing; not route documentation.
geology reference

Illustrative landscape reference for South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing; not route documentation.

Illustrative landscape reference for South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing; not route documentation.
camp reference480 m

Illustrative landscape reference for South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing; not route documentation.

Illustrative landscape reference for South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing; not route documentation.
atmosphere reference5 m

Illustrative landscape reference for South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing; not route documentation.

Open any image to inspect the illustrative reference
IMAGE TYPE: LANDSCAPE REFERENCENOT FIELD-DOCUMENTED ROUTE EVIDENCE

PlotRoute overview

Where the route goes

King Haakon Bay Landing → Shackleton Gap → Trident Ridge Col → Crean Glacier → Breakwind Gap → Fortuna Glacier → Stromness Station.

Highest waypoint
1,080 m · Trident Col Summit
As the crow flies
40 km

Waypoints are approximate and joined with straight lines. This is not a navigation track.

Route 012 · Operations Console

Expedition Operations Console
Target Waypoint · Day 01
King Haakon Surf Beach
54.15°S·37.32°W
Elevation
0 M
≈ 0 ft ASL
Effective O₂
100%
Nominal Pressure
Gradient
Base / Flat
Traverse
Medevac Status:Est. 48h Evac Window
Hazards:Hypothermic surf capsizingAggressive bull fur seal bites
Timeline:
54.5°S54.25°S54°S37.5°W37°W36.5°WD01 · 0 MKing Haakon Surf BeachD02 · 350 MMurray Snowfield RimD03 · 1,080 MTrident Col SummitD04 · 15 MStromness Whaling Station10 KMN
Telemetry Hash: Route 012-END-O2_100-17.5KG
Interactive waypoint telemetry HUD and operations console for South Georgia: The Shackleton Alpine Crossing.

LogDay by day

Waypoints, distances and the hazards we already know about.

  1. Day 01

    King Haakon Bay Amphibious Ingress

    King Haakon Surf Beach · 0 m

    Zodiac landing on the wild surf beaches of King Haakon Bay amidst fur seals and king penguins.

    Distance
    6 km
    Elevation gain
    +0 m
    Night
    Tent

    Known hazards

    • Hypothermic surf capsizing
    • Aggressive bull fur seal bites

  2. Day 02

    Shackleton Gap & The Murray Snowfield

    Murray Snowfield Rim · 350 m

    Climbing through the alpine gap into the crevassed Murray Snowfield under sudden katabatic gusts.

    Distance
    14 km
    Elevation gain
    +350 m
    Night
    Tent

    Known hazards

    • Hidden snow bridges
    • Violent maritime squalls

  3. Day 03

    Trident Ridge Razor Col Descent

    Trident Col Summit · 1,080 m

    Technical mountaineering col crossing. Navigating steep seracs down onto the vast Crean Glacier.

    Distance
    12 km
    Elevation gain
    +730 m
    Night
    Tent

    Known hazards

    • Steep 50-degree ice slope fall
    • Serac topple

  4. Day 04

    Fortuna Glacier to Stromness Waterfall

    Stromness Whaling Station · 15 m

    Traversing the lateral moraine of Fortuna Glacier and descending the freezing waterfall into Stromness.

    Distance
    16 km
    Elevation gain
    +120 m
    Night
    Expedition base

    Known hazards

    • Waterfall hypothermia
    • Industrial asbestos debris at abandoned whaling station

  5. Days 5–12 are not yet published.

    They are withheld until the full route passes field and safety review. You will see every day before you are asked for a deposit.

PrerequisitePhysical demand

What this route asks of your body.

Solid mountaineering background with proficiency in self-arrest, crevasse extraction, and climbing steep alpine snow in gale conditions.

A medical screening is required before approval.

Mandatory gear you bring

  • Technical glacier rope (60m 8.9mm dry-treated)
  • Technical dual-point ice axes and mountaineering crampons
  • Sub-Antarctic expedition waterproof hard-shell (30,000mm hydrostatic head)
  • Emergency 4-season storm bivy shelter
  • Iridium satellite tracker with ocean SOS relay

Included

  • Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands expedition permit
  • Vessel support charter with Zodiac amphibious landing operations
  • Expedition mountain guide (IFMGA certified) and glacier safety lead
  • Full satellite tracking and maritime search-and-rescue bond

Not included

  • Expedition ship berth / air transit to the Falkland Islands
  • Personal mountaineering boots and crampons
  • Specialist polar maritime rescue insurance

Route 012Application

Ready to stand at Point Zero?

Applications go through medical review and an interview. No deposit until you are approved.

Start your application