<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/551e879c6da811c1785968d9-1200-924/explorer-ranulph-fiennes-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Explorer Ranulph Fiennes">REUTERS/Stephen HirdExplorer Ranulph Fiennes.</img></div></div></div>Sir Ranulph Fiennes, touted as the "world's greatest living explorer," is in the final days of training for his latest challenge: a six-day, 156-mile race across the Sahara desert.If the 71-year-old completes the <a href="http://www.marathondessables.co.uk">Marathon des Sables</a> - dubbed the "toughest footrace on earth" - he will become the oldest Briton to do so, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/apr/03/ranulph-fiennes-next-challenge-156-miles-through-the-sahara">according to the Guardian</a>.<a href="http://www.marathondessables.co.uk">The Marathon des Sables</a>, which starts this Sunday, is the same as running 5 1/2 marathons. Although participants are given a tent to sleep in at night, they must carry their own food and other equipment. The race will take competitors "across saltpans, up desert-mountains, through ruined towns and through the occasional sand storm," <a href="http://www.marathondessables.co.uk">according to the marathon's official website</a>.Fiennes lives for these types of adventures. He has earned his reputation by surviving the most hostile environments on earth. This includes being the first person to visit both the North and South Poles, and scaling Mt. Everest. He's become well-known for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sir-ranulph-fiennes-sawed-off-his-own-finger-tips-after-sustaining-frostbite-2013-1">sawing off his own frostbitten finger tips</a> on a journey across the Arctic. The British adventurer's last record-breaking expedition took him all the way to Antarctica, where he and five other explorers <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/a-typical-travel-day-during-coldest-journey-on-earth-2013-1">attempted to be the first to cross the icy continent in the winter</a>. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/551e92a8eab8eaf87ba43756-1200-924/les-sables-marathon.jpg" border="0" alt="Les Sables Marathon">REUTERS/Rafael Marchante Competitors run on the dunes during the Les Sables Marathon, or the Marathon of Sands, in Merzouga in the southern Moroccan Sahara, near Er-Rachidia, March 30, 2008.</img></div></div></div>That mission came to an abrupt end when Fiennes was forced to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sir-ranulph-fiennes-pulls-out-of-antarctic-expedition-due-to-severe-frostbite-2013-2">pull out of the expedition early due to severe frostbite</a>. But the daredevil is now back in the game. He has been training with veteran marathoner Rory Coleman, the Guardian writes. "The thing that sets Ranulph apart is that he's not trying to buy the medal," Coleman, who will be running with Fiennes, told the Guardian. "I think a lot of people are trying to buy a life experience. They're trying to be a James Bond for a week. Whereas Ranulph … he IS James Bond. He's the real life 007. When I've been with him people come up and it's almost like they want to touch his cloak and feel the power. He's a proper national institution." Fiennes has been prepping for the grueling race in his native England. "Last week my wife dropped me off at the top of the Sandstone Way and picked me up at Whitchurch," he told the website. "I timed it and it worked out as 3.4 miles an hour for about 32 miles. The trouble was I didn't have a heavy weight on my back: 7kg doesn't sound very much, but it starts feeling heavier and heavier." <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/apr/03/ranulph-fiennes-next-challenge-156-miles-through-the-sahara#img-2" class="article__img-container js-gallerythumbs" data-link-name="Launch Article Lightbox" data-is-ajax=""></a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/smartphone-impact-brain-body-sleep-2015-2">This is what happens to your brain and body when you check your phone before bed</a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="BvMjVqcjoHdZBG6tTpXy8UkhB5_46U_c" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'BvMjVqcjoHdZBG6tTpXy8UkhB5_46U_c',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

Legendary explorer Ranulph Fiennes is competing to become the world's oldest Briton to finish the 'toughest footrace on earth'

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5107d3e4eab8ea251a000018-571/the-coldest-journey-1.jpeg?maxX=400" border="0" alt="The Coldest Journey" width="400" /></div><keyword id="1761201" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="The-Coldest-Journey">The Coldest Journey</keyword><keyword id="1775448" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Anton-Bowring">Anton Bowring</keyword> (right) with expedition leader <keyword id="1513213" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ranulph-Fiennes">Ranulph Fiennes</keyword> in Cape Town.</div>Last month, a group of explorers <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ranulph-fiennes-attempts-to-cross-the-antarctic-in-winter-2013-1">set off on an expedition to be the first to cross the Antarctic during winter</a>. 
A six-man Ice Team, led by legendary British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, will travel more 2,000 miles across a polar plateau in mostly permanent darkness and temperatures that regularly dip to minus 76 degrees Fahrenheit. 
63-year-old Anton Bowring is the expedition's co-leader. He won't take part in the actual crossing, but accompanied the Ice Team to Crown Bay in Eastern <keyword id="6354781" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Antarctica">Antarctica</keyword> aboard a polar ship called SA Agulhas. 
The ship made landfall on Jan. 22 and has spent the last week unloading around 90 tons of heavy equipment. 
Writing from the ship, Bowring tell us that the biggest risk happens before the proper journey even begins. 
The worst possible scenario is that "we lose a vital piece of equipment as we unload onto the ice shelf," Bowring says.
The SA Agulhas has been sitting with her nose in a 13-foot high ice edge as a big crane moves equipment from the ship to land, including two heavy snow vehicles, sledges, shelters, jet fuel and food.
"If the ice broke away, we could lose one of these items and the expedition would be scuppered!" 
There was at least one point during the unloading process when it seemed like Bowring's nightmare scenario was about to come true. 
A large rubber bladder for storing fuel fell off a pallet as it was being craned from ship to shore. 
"It looked as though it was going to land in the sea, but, thankfully it dropped into soft snow on the edge of the shelf ice and lodged there," Bowring <a href="http://www.thecoldestjourney.org/home/blog/2013/01/23/crown-bay-update-3/">wrote in a blog post</a>. A team member lowered himself down with ropes and a harness to rescue the bladder. "We have no spares. To lose it would have been a disaster."

Historic Antarctic Expedition's Nightmare Scenario Almost Came True

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/50f44166ecad046e64000026-564-423/the-coldest-journey-4.jpg?maxX=400" border="0" alt="The Coldest Journey" width="400" /></div><a href="http://www.thecoldestjourney.org/home/blog/2013/01/14/south-ocean-motion/">The Coldest Journey</a></div>
Sir <keyword id="1513213" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ranulph-Fiennes">Ranulph Fiennes</keyword> and his team of explorers have been at sea for eight days. They <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ranulph-fiennes-attempts-to-cross-the-antarctic-in-winter-2013-1">left the South African port city of Cape Town last Monday</a> aboard a polar ship called SA Agulhas. 
The crew aims to be the first to make the 2,400-mile trek across <keyword id="6354781" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Antarctica">Antarctica</keyword> in the winter. 
Still a few weeks away from reaching the icy continent, the team is already battling unpleasant conditions as they cruise the South Atlantic. 
Geoff Long <a href="http://www.thecoldestjourney.org/home/blog/2013/01/14/south-ocean-motion/">reports from the SA Agulhas</a> that air temperatures are only a few degrees above zero and wind gusts have hit up to 63 mph. It's impossible to hang out on the ship's deck without throwing on multiple layers and gloves. 
The three, hour-long birdwatching sessions continue unabated every day, despite the increasingly inhospitable conditions on the monkey deck, a place where a few days ago flip-flops were de rigueur, but now a no-go area unless you are wearing multiple windproof layers and several pairs of gloves. There Adrian McCallum braves the elements as he heads up a core group of hardy spotters that continue to support his scientific endeavors as they get thrown around by wind and waves. With eyes watering and binoculars shaking in the wind, they peer through the foam and spray to identify incredibly similar shapes darting rapidly through the air at some distance - my thoughts go out to them as I sit here in the relative comfort of my cabin and see waves rising well above where I'm standing as I look out of the window. 
The crew should consider this good practice ahead of the frigid journey on land, during which temperatures can dip as low as minus 130 Fahrenheit. The expedition begins on March 21, and if everything goes as planned, should wrap up in September.

Extreme Explorer Crew Sailing To Antarctica Already Face Inhospitable Conditions

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/50eed8acecad04d33400000e-2983/ranulph-fiennes.jpg?maxX=400" border="0" alt="Ranulph Fiennes" width="400" /></div>AP ImagesExplorer <keyword id="1513213" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ranulph-Fiennes">Ranulph Fiennes</keyword> pictured in 2009 after conquering Mt. Everest. </div>Sir Ranulph Fiennes is touted as "the world's greatest living explorer." 
He has earned his reputation by surviving the most hostile environments on Earth. This includes being the first person to visit both the North and South Poles, and scaling Mt. Everest.
The British adventurer's latest record-breaking expedition takes him to <keyword id="6354781" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Antarctica">Antarctica</keyword>. Fiennes, joined by five other explorers, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/a-typical-travel-day-during-coldest-journey-on-earth-2013-1">will attempt to be the first to cross the continent during winter</a>. 
He plans to complete the more than 2,485-mile journey on skis, but will receive some support from heavy snow vehicles. 
The mission is filled with unexpected dangers. Expedition co-leader Anton Bowring has already <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/co-leader-of-historic-antarctic-expedition-predicts-something-bad-will-happen-2013-1">predicted that something bad will happen</a>. Even Fiennes expressed a tinge of doubt when he wrote that the team stands "a reasonable chance of success" in a <a href="http://www.thecoldestjourney.org/home/blog/2013/01/09/ran-blog/">recent blog post</a>.
But one story from Fiennes past gives us confidence that the veteran explorer will be make it out alive — or at the very least, a look at the true grit of his character. 
In 2000, Fiennes traveled across the Arctic alone. Along the way, his sled carrying all of his food and equipment fell through the ice. Fiennes had no choice but to pull the sled free because he was on his own. He pulled off his gloves and dipped his left hand into the frigid water, which hovered around 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
"My fingers were ramrod stiff and ivory white. They might as well have been wood ... I had seen enough frostbite in others to realize I was in serious trouble. I had to turn back," <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/oct/05/features11.g21">Fiennes wrote in his autobiography</a>. 
The explorer was evacuated the next day. Fiennes learned at the hospital that the top third of all of his fingers and half of his thumb would have to be amputated. The surgery would cost more than £6,000 (over $9,000 today). Fiennes wasn't keen on spending that kind of money to lob off his digits. 
So he took matters into his own hands (This next bit is not for those with a weak stomach): 
"I purchased a set of fretsaw blades at the village shop, put the little finger in my Black &amp; Decker folding table's vice, and gently sawed through the dead skin and bone just above the live skin line," he wrote. "The moment I felt pain or spotted blood, I moved further into the dead zone. I also turned the finger around several times and cut into it from different sides. This worked well, and the little finger's knuckle finally dropped off after some two hours of work."
Three years later he ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. 
Fiennes will begin his Antarctic expedition on March 21. It will take around six months to complete the journey, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/a-typical-travel-day-during-coldest-journey-on-earth-2013-1">trekking around 22 miles a day</a>, mostly in complete darkness.

Famous Antarctic Explorer Cut Off His Own Frostbitten Fingers To Save Money

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/50ec65a36bb3f75601000009-297-360/profile-pic.jpeg?maxX=400" border="0" alt="Sir Ranulph Fiennes" width="400" /></div><a href="http://www.ranulphfiennes.co.uk/page/profile">Ranulph Fiennes</a>Sir <keyword id="1513213" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ranulph-Fiennes">Ranulph Fiennes</keyword></div>Famed British explorer <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ranulph-fiennes-attempts-to-cross-the-antarctic-in-winter-2013-1">Sir Ranulph Fiennes and five other team members set sail from Cape Town yesterday</a> aboard the SA Agulhas, a 367-foot polar ship that will take the crew to the coldest place on Earth during the coldest season. Their goal is to be the first to cross the Antarctic during the winter. 
The journey is considered so dangerous that the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office only <a href="http://www.thecoldestjourney.org/home/expedition/the-coldest-journey/">recently agreed to grant permission for a winter expedition</a>. Technological innovations, including heated clothing and ground radar that can detect crevices in the icy terrain, have made the trek less risky. 
But the trip is still stacked with hazards. Temperatures can dip as low as minus 130 Fahrenheit, which is cold enough to cause frostbite in just seconds. The team will be also be <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/a-typical-travel-day-during-coldest-journey-on-earth-2013-1">traveling an average of 22 miles a day in complete darkness</a>. If something bad did happen, the explorers would be trapped. A rescue plane cannot fly in such frigid temperatures because the fuel would freeze. 
Expedition co-leader Anton Bowring, who is traveling on the ship but will not cross the continent, is convinced that a future crisis is a certainty and not an exception. 
Here's an excerpt from a <a href="http://www.thecoldestjourney.org/home/blog/2013/01/07/antons-sixth-blog/">blog post</a> written on the day of departure:
For the expedition team, this was it. For the next 12 months they will be alone in <keyword id="6354781" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Antarctica">Antarctica</keyword>. Once they set off on the winter crossing, no one can help them. They must succeed by employing their skills and ingenuity. Search and rescue are out of the question and everything around them will be contriving to stop them and break both man and machine in the intolerable cold and darkness. At last, the reality of this daunting task was becoming nearer and clearer. The fun of the voyage south from London was giving way to the apprehension and tension that traveling further south was sure to bring. Leaving civilization was inevitable. This moment was bound to come. It will be extraordinary if something bad doesn't happen during the crawl across 2,400 miles of ice in temperatures of -70°C and perpetual darkness where crevasses can swallow up a 25-ton bulldozer in the blink of a frosted eye. Biting winds and piercing blizzards will replace the balmy splendour of the South African summer. This was the moment that the stark reality suddenly sank in.
Even Fiennes, who became the <a href="http://www.ranulphfiennes.co.uk/page/expeditions">first person ever to summit Mount Everest and cross both polar ice caps</a> in 2009, among his many other feats, revealed his trepidation ahead of the historic crossing. 
"I usually look forward to expeditions, but there is such a big degree of uncertainty with this one that looking forward to it is probably not the exact right word," Fiennes said, <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20130108/NEWS07/301080141/British-explorer-Sir-Ranulph-Fiennes-team-tackles-risky-polar-winter-challenge">according to the Associated Press</a> citing South Africa's government broadcaster.
The crew should reach the Antarctic within the next few weeks. They will begin the more than 2,000-mile journey on March 21 and should complete the crossing in September.

Co-Leader Of Historic Antarctic Expedition Predicts 'Something Bad Will Happen'

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/50eb4939ecad04ec7c000006-1019/the-coldest-journey-2.jpg?maxX=400" border="0" alt="The coldest journey" width="400" /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thecoldestjourney/8359451822/in/photostream">The Coldest Journey</a>We're off!</div>Sir <keyword id="1513213" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ranulph-Fiennes">Ranulph Fiennes</keyword> and five other explorers plan to be the first to cross the Antarctic in winter. The feat is dubbed "<keyword id="1761201" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="The-Coldest-Journey">The Coldest Journey</keyword>."
The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ranulph-fiennes-attempts-to-cross-the-antarctic-in-winter-2013-1">six-man team set off from Cape Town aboard a polar vessel today</a>, and will begin their unprecedented land crossing on March 21.
The entire trek covers more than 2,000 miles. The crew aims to travel around 22 miles each day over eight hours. What's more, they'll be moving mostly in complete darkness and in temperatures that can potentially hit minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Sir Ranulph Fiennes will make the entire journey on skis.
Here's the schedule of a typical travel day republished from <a href="http://www.thecoldestjourney.org/home/expedition/a-day-on-the-ice/">The Coldest Journey</a> website: 
06.30 Check that weather conditions are within range for travel (temperature, conditions, wind chill). Preheat blow air heaters with generator if necessary. Start heaters to preheat vehicle engines.
07.00 Team meeting: reassess conditions - decide on plan for the day
07.30 Start up D6N's; remove tent covers; shut down generator
08.30 Skiers and MVL set off
Various short breaks for snacks and drinks of up to one hour
16.30 Stop for overnight camp - check immediate area with GPR if necessary
16.45 Start up generator
17.30 Shut down vehicles. Cover vehicles with tent covers
18.00 Refuel vehicles and day tank (if necessary)
18.00 Communications, data download
18.45 Team meeting - discuss events of the day
19.00 Evening meal
Once on the move, the ski party will set the pace for the Mobile Vehicle Landtrain; there will be one driver in each of the D6N cabs and the Traverse Manager and one other team member will be in the cabooses.

Team Will Trek 22 Miles A Day In Complete Darkness For Coldest Journey On Earth

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/50eb2236eab8ea5558000009-476-357/the-coldest-journey-1.jpg?maxX=400" border="0" alt="The Coldest Journey" width="400" /></div>The Coldest <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="journey">Journey</keyword></div>British explorer <keyword id="1513213" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ranulph-Fiennes">Ranulph Fiennes</keyword> and his five-man crew left Cape Town today aboard a polar vessel bound for <keyword id="6354781" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Antarctica">Antarctica</keyword>. When Fiennes and his team begin their expedtion on the icy continent in mid-March they will set out to break a record: To be the first to cross the Antartic in winter.
The expedition, dubbed "The Coldest Journey on Earth," will take the team of explorers <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/a-typical-travel-day-during-coldest-journey-on-earth-2013-1">on a 2,000-mile journey</a>, mostly in permanent darkness. 
The death-defying trek draws several parallels to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/felix-baumgartner-record-breaking-jump-pictures-2012-10">Felix Baumgartner's supersonic jump to Earth</a> from the edge of space last year, which placed the Austrian skydiver in an extremely hostile <keyword id="6356826" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="environment">environment</keyword> inside a small capsule with no way out. 
Throughout the high-risk crossing, which is expected to take around six months, a six-man ice team will battle frigid temperatures that can dip as low as minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit. 
There are may things that could go wrong under these conditions. 
From the <a href="http://www.thecoldestjourney.org/home/expedition/the-coldest-journey/">expedition's official website</a>:
Simply by inhaling air below -60C (-76 Fahrenheit) can cause irreparable damage to the lungs (the average winter temperature at the South Pole is approximately -60C!) and exposure to the skin to such temperatures causes severe frostbite in a matter of seconds. If anything should go seriously wrong, a search and rescue mission would be impossible since aircraft cannot fly in such cold conditions due to the threat of their fuel freezing. In the event of a major incident, the crew will have to sit out the winter on the ice until summer when a rescue attempt can be made.
In an <a href="in%20an%20interview%20with%20the%20NewScientist">interview with the NewScientist</a>, Mike Stroud, who will monitor the crew's body functions through the expedition, detailed other hazards. "Anything made of rubber or plastic has a problem, and computer hard drives have real trouble in cold and low-oxygen environments," Stroud said. "Psychologically it is a completely different challenge to anything we've tried before. You've got six individuals in a very contained, pressurized environment, unable to get out of it," he added.
The expedition is an opportunity to gather information about the effects of climate change. Projects will include mapping the surface shape of the Antarctic Ice sheet and studying how bacteria withstand extreme cold. 
The expedition will update their progress at <a href="http://www.thecoldestjourney.org/">thecoldestjourney.org</a>. 
Below is a map of the route the Ice Team will be taking to cross the Antarctic:
<div class="image-container click-to-enlarge" style="width:618px"><div class="image"><a title_source="The Coldest Journey/LIMA Project" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/50eb050c69bedd827600000c-960/map_of_route_-_october_2012.jpg"><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/50eb050c69bedd827600000c-720-720/map_of_route_-_october_2012.jpg" border="0" alt="Antarctica Expedition" width="618" /></a></div>The Coldest Journey/LIMA Project</div>

Explorers Embark On First-Ever Attempt To Cross The Antarctic In Winter

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/512b6b4eeab8ea0e0d000029-2967-2225/ranulph-fiennes-3.jpg?maxX=400" border="0" alt="Ranulph Fiennes" width="400" /></div>AP ImagesExplorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes pictured in 2009 after conquering Mt. Everest</div>Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the leader of an expedition to cross the Antarctic in winter, has been forced to pull out due to severe frostbite, <a href="https://twitter.com/bbcbreaking/status/306031733525082114">the</a><a href="https://twitter.com/bbcbreaking/status/306031733525082114"> BBC reports</a>.
Fiennes, 68, and five other men arrived on <keyword id="6354781" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Antarctica">Antarctica</keyword> toward the end of January. They planned to begin their 2,400-mile trek across the icy continent, in temperatures that can dip as low as minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit, on March 21. If successful, it would make them the first to cross the continent in winter.
But now the "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sir-ranulph-fiennes-sawed-off-his-own-finger-tips-after-sustaining-frostbite-2013-1">the world's greatest living explorer</a>" is out. His condition must be pretty serious given that he once <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sir-ranulph-fiennes-sawed-off-his-own-finger-tips-after-sustaining-frostbite-2013-1">sawed off his own frostbitten fingertips</a>. 
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21577758">According to the BBC</a>, Fiennes "was injured after an accident while skiing during a whiteout." He fell on the ice and had to take off his gloves to fix a ski binding. Temperatures were around around minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit. The decision was thus made to evacuate him. 
“Ran has suffered an accident to his hand which effectively makes his continued participation in the expedition more of a liability than an asset,” an expedition spokesperson said, <a href="http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/local/twigg-s-dismay-as-explorer-quits-antarctica-expedition-1-5445192">according to the Derbyshire Times</a>. 
The other five members of the expedition are expected to continue the <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword>. 
The dangers of the trip were well-known from the beginning. Before the ice team made landfall, co-leader Anton Bowring <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/co-leader-of-historic-antarctic-expedition-predicts-something-bad-will-happen-2013-1">predicted that something bad will happen</a>. Even with five years of preparation, they <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/antarctic-ice-team-has-no-idea-if-their-clothing-will-withstand-harsh-temperatures-2013-2">didn't know if their clothing would hold up in the harsh polar conditions</a>. 
Ran will continue to support the journey through fundraising. 
This video of crew member Ian Prickett was <a href="http://www.thecoldestjourney.org/home/blog/2013/02/21/whiteout-video/">posted to The Coldest Journey blog on Feb. 22</a>. It gives you a pretty good idea of the kind of inhospitable conditions the team faces. 
<iframe width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GdiMvxFCR0k?feature=player_embedded"></iframe>

Leader Of Historic Antarctic Expedition Pulls Out With Severe Frostbite

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/510bfbb8eab8eae64a000014-846/the-coldest-journey-2.jpeg?maxX=400" border="0" alt="The Coldest Journey " width="400" /></div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=494082910632775&amp;set=pb.439802419394158.-2207520000.1359739792&amp;type=3&amp;theater">The Coldest Journey </a>Ran taking a rest while exercising on deck of the SA Agulhas</div>Cold is the single biggest enemy for the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-coldest-journey-pictures-2013-1">six-man ice team attempting to be the first to cross Antarctica during the winter</a>. 
They've made every preparation possible, but still can't be sure their equipment will be enough. 
The explorers, led by Ranulph Fiennes, arrived in Eastern <keyword id="6354781" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Antarctica">Antarctica</keyword> on a polar ship about 10 days ago, with a large crew that will soon return home with the ship. They promptly began unloading 90 tons of cargo, including two heavy snow vehicles, sledges and fuel, to assist in a a six-month trek across the white continent beginning on March 21. 
With temperatures known to dip as low as minus 130 degree Fahrenheit (minus 90 degrees Celsius) during the winter, high-tech clothing and specially-modified equipment for the snow and ice is the team's only defense again interminable wind and cold. 
The problem is, Antarctica is so darn cold, that the team members were not able to properly test their two main life-lines before the big trip. 
"The trouble is that in the UK test chambers only go down to -58 Celsius (-72.4 Fahrenheit). Therefore it is unclear how the clothing and equipment will stand up to the seriously harsh conditions," expedition co-leader Anton Bowring, who will not be making the trek across the icy continent, wrote us from the ship. 
He adds: "However, we are confident that everything possible has been done during the past five years of planning to ensure that we have a good chance of success." 
You can <a href="http://www.thecoldestjourney.org/">follow The Coldest Journey team</a> on their blog or check out <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-coldest-journey-pictures-2013-1">our slideshow</a> to see how their expedition has been going so far.

Antarctic Ice Team Doesn't Know If Their Clothing Will Hold Up To Harsh Temperatures

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A 120-mile <keyword id="6397749" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="marathon">marathon</keyword> over four days in <keyword id="44181" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Scotland">Scotland</keyword> in April next year will set you back by $21,500.</li><li>It comes with butlers, Michelin-starred chefs, hydrotherapy pools, and personalized training plan.</li><li>The organizer calls it "the most exclusive, multi-day, <keyword id="6363239" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="luxury">luxury</keyword> ultra-run experience on the planet."</li></ul>Ultramarathons push the limits of human endurance and often involve tramping across muddied trails and uneven terrains alongside dozens of others.But if you're looking for adventure with a side of luxury, there is the <a href="https://twitter.com/kingshighland">Highland Kings Ultra Marathon</a> in Scotland, which comes with butlers, Michelin-starred chefs, speed boats, and hydrotherapy pools, reported the<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-57975285"> BBC</a>.The four-day 120-mile adventure comes with an eye-watering price tag of 15,500 pounds ($21,500), the BBC said, and will only have 40 participants.Organizer <a href="https://primal-adventures.com/">Primal Adventures</a>, a luxury-travel company in Scotland, calls it "the most exclusive, multi-day, luxury ultra-run experience on the planet."The price is not just for four days of adventure peppered with luxurious treatments. The competitors' journeys will begin seven months before the race - which is set for April 2022 - with personalized training from coaches including <a href="https://jonathanalbon.com/">Jonathan Albon</a>, an ultrarunning world champion."Each athlete will receive support from world-leading coaches and nutritionists, speedboat transfers and luxury accommodation on Scotland's most iconic island, as well as the comfort of athlete lounges to recharge," Matt Smith, founder of the company, told <a href="https://www.cityam.com/a-race-like-no-other-120-miles-of-scottish-wilderness-in-unparalleled-luxury/">City AM</a>, a London newspaper.The 120-mile race will start from Dalness in Glencoe, west Scotland, and end in the Isle of Arran, an island off the west coast of Scotland. Participants will be required to trek an average of 30 miles a day across the country's mountainous terrain.The race will be capped with a gala dinner with UK explorer <a href="http://www.ranulphfiennes.co.uk/">Sir Ranulph Fiennes</a> - a 77-year-old explorer who is the only living person to travel from pole to pole (and Ralph Fiennes' third cousin, once removed).Primal Adventure did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Insider.

A new ultramarathon for the ultrarich costs more than $20,000 to enter and comes with butlers and Michelin-starred chefs

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/552222e7dd089517038b45ac-1200-924/spanish-bullfighter.jpg" border="0" alt="Spanish bullfighter ">REUTERS/Jon NazcaSpanish bullfighter Julian Lopez 'El Juli' adjusts his montera (bullfighter's hat) before starting a bullfight at the Malagueta bullring in Malaga, southern Spain, April 4, 2015.</img></div></div></div>Hello! Here's what you need to know for Monday.1. Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said on Sunday that <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/r-finance-minister-varoufakis-says-greece-plans-to-meet-all-obligations-2015-4">Greece will meet its obligation to pay an International Monetary Fund loan payment </a>due April 9.2. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-netanyahu-presses-us-to-seek-better-deal-on-iran-cnn-2015-4">pressing the US to seek a better deal with Iran</a> to curb its nuclear program. 3. Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi told German magazine Der Spiegel that a <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/armies-have-no-chance-against-isis-if-it-keeps-recruiting-foreigners-2015-4">growing number of ISIS fighters are foreigners</a>, making it increasingly difficult for Iraq armies to defeat the militant group.4. The Red Cross will <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32193676">send two planes carrying emergency workers and medical supplies </a>to Yemen, where fighting has intensified against Iran-backed Houthi rebels.5. Palestinian Authority <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-abbas-rejects-israels-partial-transfer-of-palestinian-tax-revenues-2015-4">President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected tax revenues unfrozen by Israel</a>, saying that Israel withheld one-third of the sum to pay its utility companies.6. Seventeen suspected militants have been <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3f1823b5bd38424e879321513adf5c24/malaysia-detains-17-people-suspected-plotting-terror-acts">detained in Malaysia for allegedly plotting to carry out terrorist acts in the country's largest city</a>, Kuala Lumpur.7. Lawyers in the trial of accused <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-boston-bombing-jury-to-hear-closing-arguments-begin-guilt-deliberations-2015-4">Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will make their closing arguments</a> today before the jury begins deliberations to decide whether the 21-year-old is guilty of the attack in 2013.8. Rolling Stone magazine <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/rolling-stone-biggest-mistake-uva-story-2015-4">officially retracted its </a><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/rolling-stone-biggest-mistake-uva-story-2015-4">discredited University of Virginia article that alleged a female student was gang-raped</a> at a campus fraternity house.9. A 69-year-old man who last summer became the second person in France to receive a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-frances-second-artificial-heart-recipient-says-recovered-2015-4">artificial heart said </a><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-frances-second-artificial-heart-recipient-says-recovered-2015-4">in his first interview Sunday that he has</a><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-frances-second-artificial-heart-recipient-says-recovered-2015-4"> "recovered.</a>"10. Scientists at Europe's nuclear research center <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-big-bang-particle-collider-restarts-after-refit-cern-2015-4">CERN have restarted their Large Hadron Collider</a> machine after a two-year upgrade.And finally ...<a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/explorer-ranulph-fiennes-competes-in-marathon-des-sables-2015-4">Legendary explorer Ranulph Fiennes, 71, is vying to become the world's oldest Briton to complete the the Marathon des Sables, a six-day, 156-mile run that began Sunday</a>. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/map-how-indo-european-languages-evolved-2014-12">This Animated Map Shows How European Languages Evolved </a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="wwMjI2cjq9yWkT5MO7-968mt2D9V_wxN" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'wwMjI2cjq9yWkT5MO7-968mt2D9V_wxN',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

The 10 most important things in the world right now

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5277d9fc69bedd8124624595-710-533/san-raphael-argentina.jpg" border="0" alt="San Raphael Argentina" /><a href="http://www.5000mileproject.org/">5000mileproject.org</a>The couple poses with their trailer in San Rafael, Argentina. </div></div></div>Fifteen months ago, Dave and Katharine Lowrie started a journey that would seem crazy to most. 
<a href="http://www.5000mileproject.org/aims/">Their goal?</a> Run the entire length of <keyword id="26945" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="South-America">South America</keyword> while raising money to help save the continent's unique wildlife. 
"South America is the continent of superlatives! Host to the biggest river system, the most biodiverse ecosystems, longest mountain chains. It is incredible. The whole world's weather systems depend on the natural function of her rainforests," they said to Business Insider.
"Unfortunately, man's appetite for progress threatens much of what is wonderful about South America. In many areas, ecosystems which ensure the future health of the land are being degraded, either through lack of will or lack of resources."
The couple received grants from several organizations like <a href="http://www.transglobe-expedition.org/page/the-trust">Sir Ranulph Fiennes' Transglobe Expedition Trust</a> and the <a href="http://www.jmt.org/">John Muir Trust</a>, and were sponsored by a number of companies, including Patagonia and Swarovski. 
They met with thousands of South American students along the way, hoping to spread a message of conservation that would stick with the people who impact the area. 
"We are desperate to show that with small steps we can overcome the seemingly insurmountable, that it is not too late to protect the remaining wild places and wildlife, but that time is running out," they said. 
They crushed several <keyword id="60321" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="World-Records">world records</keyword> in the meantime. They are the first to run the continent as a couple, while Katharine is the first woman to run South America with what is likely the second longest run in history for a woman. To put that feat in perspective, the 6,500 miles they completed is equal to more than 250 marathons, all run while carrying a large trailer filled with their belongings. 
"Running is a perfect way to <keyword id="6354692" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> in these incredible places," they said. "[It's] the right speed to catch glimpses of nature in action, and it's accessible to the people we pass so we can talk and learn about how they use natural resources and interact with the natural world around them."
They faced inclement weather, encountered dangerous animals and insects, and even survived an unexpected knee injury just before finishing in Carupano, Venezuela on Oct. 20. From the snowy landscapes of Patagonia to the humidity of the Amazon rainforest, David and Katharine truly conquered all the continent had to offer. 
"We learned a lot about South American culture that we hope to share at home," they said. "There is still time for us all <a href="http://www.5000mileproject.org/3waystohelp/">to use our voice, and our wallets, to vote to protect these vital remaining gems</a> upon which we all depend."
Watch a video documenting their journey below, or click here to see photos from their run.
<iframe width="800" height="600" frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/L_Vvwu1Q7cM"></iframe>

You Searched For "Ranulph Fiennes" and got 12 results

Legendary explorer Ranulph Fiennes is competing to become the world's oldest Briton to finish the 'toughest footrace on earth'

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Historic Antarctic Expedition's Nightmare Scenario Almost Came True

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Extreme Explorer Crew Sailing To Antarctica Already Face Inhospitable Conditions

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Famous Antarctic Explorer Cut Off His Own Frostbitten Fingers To Save Money

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Co-Leader Of Historic Antarctic Expedition Predicts 'Something Bad Will Happen'

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Team Will Trek 22 Miles A Day In Complete Darkness For Coldest Journey On Earth

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Explorers Embark On First-Ever Attempt To Cross The Antarctic In Winter

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Leader Of Historic Antarctic Expedition Pulls Out With Severe Frostbite

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Antarctic Ice Team Doesn't Know If Their Clothing Will Hold Up To Harsh Temperatures

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A new ultramarathon for the ultrarich costs more than $20,000 to enter and comes with butlers and Michelin-starred chefs

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A British Couple Ran 6,500 Miles Across All Of South America [PHOTOS]

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