KATABATIC
QUEEN MAUD LAND, ANTARTICA
CAMPAIGN
CONCEPT
When explorers Mike Libecki, Freddie Wilkinson, Cory Richards and Keith Ladzinski set out for the Wohlthat Mountain Range of Antarctica on a National Geographic grant to climb and explore this nearly uncharted part of the world, they had no idea what they were getting themselves into.
CREATIVE
INSIGHT
It’s nearly impossible to prepare for a place this uninhabitable, almost as impossible as the chance of being rescued if anything goes wrong. Inland Antarctica is hailed as the largest desert in the world, a nearly lifeless landscape ravished by katabatic winds that scour the landscape at over 100 mph. The team set out on a first ascent mission to climb unnamed peaks and ended up having an adventure they will never forget.
It’s nearly impossible to prepare for a place this uninhabitable, almost as impossible as the chance of being rescued if anything goes wrong. Inland Antarctica is hailed as the largest desert in the world, a nearly lifeless landscape ravished by katabatic winds that scour the landscape at over 100 mph. The team set out on a first ascent mission to climb unnamed peaks and ended up having an adventure they will never forget.
PRODUCTION
EXECUTION
The team struggled through the elements for the better part of six weeks. They production team was faced with 100+ MPH winds for days on end, making it some of the hardest working conditions on planet earth. Eventually, the put up a first ascent on the “Bertha Tower”.
DIVING
DEEPER
The resulting story made it into a four part series that was featured at Mountain Film as well as an article in National Geographic.
