Incredible Pictures From A Teenager's Record-Breaking Trek To The South Pole

Willis Resilience ExpeditionAt 19 years old, Parker Liautaud is the youngest person to ski unsupported to the South Pole.Parker Liautaud set a record last December as the fastest unsupported person to ski from the Antarctic Coast to the South Pole, completing the 314-mile journey in 18 days.

At 19, the polar adventurer is also the youngest person to reach the most southern point on Earth by foot.

But the records come second to Liautaud's main goal, which is to advance the discussion on climate change.

During the first part of the mission, Liautaud and four other men crossed the continent in a custom-built truck, called the Ice Broker, collecting ice and snow samples that will help scientists better understand the effects of global warming. Liautaud and his teammate, Doug Stoup, then skied unsupported to the South Pole, while the other men followed them in the truck. Each morning, the truck streamed live broadcasts of Liautaud from Antartica.

"The speed record was to engage people about climate policy," Liautaud said in an interview with Business Insider. "It was also a good metaphor for the urgency of climate change."

Here, we take a look back the teenager's record-setting trek to the South Pole.