Parker Liautaud ’16 gave himself an early Christmas present: on December 24, the 19-year-old Yale sophomore and his expedition partner, Doug Stoup, set a world record by skiing to the South Pole in less than 19 days.
On December 25, Liautaud gave himself another gift: a day off.
Liautaud and Stoup covered more than 300 miles from the coast of Antarctica, pulling their supplies on sleds for up to 12 hours a day. A geology and geophysics major, Liautaud collected snow samples and weather data; he says he hopes the expedition will "contribute to reigniting the dialogue on climate change.”
And he hopes to get some rest: "I have lost around 20 pounds and I've only eaten nuts and dried food for the last month," he told the UK's Mirror.
As for that other pole, the one usually associated with Christmas? Liautaud has already trekked there three times. He is now the youngest man to ski to the South Pole.
To accomplish that feat, he skipped out on the end of the fall semester. When he returns to New Haven, he'll have to make up a geochemistry exam. At least he should feel at home: a snowstorm is due tonight.
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