Canadian adventurer Meagan McGrath is just days away from the South Pole, though according to a release from Science North it is unlikely she will make it by the estimated date of Jan. 14.
For the last several days, McGrath has been working her way to a flat area known as the plateau. She has been essentially skiing uphill during the previous days.
A combination of a chest infection, which causes McGrath to stop and catch her breath, and the uphill trek have pushed McGrath slightly off her targetted arrival date at the South Pole.
"She has been working to gain distance, with the aim of arriving at the South Pole on January 15," said Christine Catt, a representative from Science North, in the release.
If McGrath had been on target and arrived on Jan. 14, she would have been picked up and flown to Patriot Hills, then home. However, now that she will arrive late, she will be flown to Patriot Hills with an expedition group that has been dropped off in the area, in an unrelated "Last Degree Expedition."
McGrath didn't indicate when she would be picked up, as she would have to wait for the expedition group to finish their journey. She instead stated that "she is looking forward to an exciting camping experience at the South Pole" as she waits.
Meagan McGrath began her Antarctic Odyssey on Nov. 30, with the intent to journey from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole. An accident on the second day of the trek, in which McGrath fell into a crevasse and sustained minor injuries, required her to be rescued and flown to Patriot Hills. After ensuring her equipment was intact and that her injuries were not severe, she resumed the journey from Patriot Hills.
She has previously made a trek to the North Pole, competed in the grueling Marathon des Sables in Africa, and completed both versions of the seven summits.
For more information about Meagan McGrath's Antarctic Odyssey, or to listen to her audio blogs, visit http://sciencenorth.com/meagan.
Tickets for McGrath's Antarctic Odyssey presentation at Science North, scheduled for Feb. 3, can also be purchased at http://sciencenorth.com/meagan.
