Through the Homeland of Ice and Storms

Released: 1990-12-01

Runtime: 43 minutes

Episode Overview

The start of the Antarctic crossing of Arved Fuchs and Reinhold Messner with stopover South Pole is difficult. First, the flight connection between Punta Arenas in South America and the Antarctic base camp with an ancient aircraft not works until the third attempt due to the weather. As in Patriot Hills even the smaller transport plane to the starting point of the expedition is not available, Reinhold Messner gets angry and demands the prepayment back. The route of the two adventurers must be reorganized and shortened by 600 kilometers. Finally, they start on skis with 80 kilograms of sledges per man in the direction of the Thiel Mountains through inadequately explored territory.

Series Overview

In 1989, the German polar explorer Arved Fuchs and the South Tyrolean mountaineer Reinhold Messner set out together to reach the South Pole on skis without sled dogs or motor technology and then cross the entire Antarctic. There are problems right from the start because the onward transport to the starting point by plane cannot be carried out on time. Finally, the adventurers set off from Patriot Hills Base Camp on the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf to the Pole. The completely different character traits of the two men quickly emerge. Messner is impetuous and pushes for speed. The calm Fuchs divides his strength and consistently follows his pace during all planned breaks. On New Year's Eve 1989, the two men are warmly welcomed by the crew of the US Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. But the much larger and more dangerous part of their adventurous continental crossing still lies ahead of them. The 3-part documentary shows one of the last great adventures of modern times in impressive pictures.