Braving temperatures of minus 35 degrees, polar winds and crevasses, a Kiwi adventurer has returned home after the trip of a lifetime in Antarctica.
The team kite-skiied some of the way to the summit Photo: Supplied / Mark Sedon
Landing on the ice on 15 November, British team leader Leo Houlding, Frenchman Jean Burgun and New Zealander Mark Sedon embarked on a 1700km journey to reach the summit of Mount Spectre.
To get there they had to both kite-ski and climb.
Mark Sedon said the beauty of Antarctica was "phenomenal" Photo: Supplied / Mark Sedon
Mr Sedon, who was the expedition's chief photographer, told Morning Report it was a really special opportunity and a "bit cool".
"You had to be really careful - it was full on. You had to make sure no skin was exposed - your skin will freeze in sort of 30 to 40 seconds... And then kiting 300km to the mountain. It was pretty tough - there's really strong winds and difficult conditions," he said.
But he was struck by the sheer size and beauty of the place.
- "Your skin will freeze in 30 to 40 seconds so you had to be really careful." - Mark Sedon
"It was the most amazing place... The vastness and the beauty of the Antarctic plateau was just phenomenal."
The team embarked on a 1700 kilometre journey to reach the summit of Mount Spectre. Photo: Supplied / Mark Sedon
Most things went to plan apart from a few "hairy" moments.
"One of those [sleds] fell down a crevasse at one stage and that just hauled [Mr Houlding] back about five metres and threw him on the ground. The knot in the rope caught in the lip of the crevasse - it stopped him [from] pulling him right in."
The team then had to abseil into the crevasse to retrieve their gear.
"That could have been fatal. It could have been a nasty accident."