Monet Eliastam became the first American woman to ski unsupported to South Pole. Image credits: Instagram/@barnardcollege, monet.izabeth
The Boston Globe reported that the final stretch brought its own psychological strain during her South Pole expedition. Her preparation also included a month-long expedition in Greenland with a group. She also had solo trips in Norway and Minnesota as part of her regimen. These experiences were instrumental in the development of skills for cold-weather travel, winter camping and managing equipment in remote conditions. On the 45th day, Eliastam navigated a landscape that was marked by prominent sastrugi and whiteout conditions. She had covered less ground than she had initially hoped. In her later accounts, she described feeling overwhelmed by the slow progress.
Monet Eliastam set off from Hercules Inlet on the edge of Antarctica on November 23, 2025, beginning her solo ski journey to the South Pole. She had to carry her food, shelter and equipment on sledges for 57 days on the Antarctic ice before reaching her destination on January 18, 2026. The combined weight of her pulk-sledge was around 250 pounds at the start of the journey, making each day’s progress physically demanding. As per Barnard College, she usually skied for approximately 10 to 12 hours a day.
Eliastam had spent nearly three years preparing for this expedition, according to the Boston Globe. With this accomplishment, the Massachusetts native became the first American woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole. Eliastam had to carry the provisions and equipment needed for survival on this quest. Her every day routine included walking, eating, breaking camp, skiing for most of the day, and setting up shelter again when her day was done under the continuous polar sun. In addition to the distance, the Antarctic environment posed further challenges. Eliastam encountered whiteouts, which made it hard to see sastrugi, ridges of wind-shaped snow, and powerful katabatic winds that sweep down from the continent’s high interior. On difficult days, uneven terrain and poor visibility prevented her from making further progress in her journey.
