Hannah McKeand
Polar Expedition Training founder and Guinness World Record holder Hannah McKeand has over 20 years of experience in the polar world. Her goal is to provide an experience that not only shares her ideas and knowledge about polar travel, but also the broad range of options that are available to you on almost every topic and decision.
Hannah often, although not always leads the courses, however the syllabus is her creation and the world-class instructors work closely with her to deliver her vision.
“There surely isn’t anyone more knowledgeable than Hannah on polar expeditions and polar travel, it was the draw for me to attend this course. Brilliant teaching style, very patient, challenged us when necessary and always let us chew her ear with incessant questions throughout the course. ”
Biography
In 2006 Hannah McKeand set a world speed record for skiing solo and unsupported to the South Pole, a journey of 690 miles that she completed in 39 days, 9 hours and 33 minutes. She went on to completed six expeditions to the South Pole and over 6000 miles of Antarctic sled-hauling, more than anyone else in the world today. She has also undertaken expeditions on the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, South America, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Namibia, Afghanistan and the Amazon and she has sailed around the world. She works full time as a polar field guide, logistics consultant, and motivational speaker.
Hannah actively mentors young people, teaches aspiring explorers and hopes that by writing and speaking about her experiences in the world and sharing them with those who care to read or listen, then she will inspire people to go after their own dreams and achieve their own goals.
Hannah now lives on a small farm in Northern New Mexico.
awards
2006 - Guinness World Recold - Fastest Solo Unsupported Coast to South Pole
2007 - Sue Ryder, Woman of the Year Award
2012 - Guinness World Record - Most expeditions coast to South Pole - Six
2018 - AITO Travel Writer of the Year Award ( Under 1500 words)
resume
Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
International Polar Guides Association (IPGA) Board Member
Polar Expedition Classification System (PECS) Committee Member
Committee member of the Shackleton Award
Founding committee member of the Wally Herbert Award
Patron of the British Schools Exploring Society
Baffin and Slingfin team athlete.
2004
Skied 56 days from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on the Hercules route as part of a guided team.
Undertook a 1 month expedition up the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan as part of a team.
2005
Watch leader on the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race
2006
Refitted the 23m expedition yacht The Blizzard for high latitude sailing and co-founded Blizzard Expeditions.
Set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest solo and unsupported ski journey from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on the Hercules route, 39 days, 9 hours and 33 minutes.
2007
Three week training trip on the Arctic Ocean near the North Pole
Guided 6 clients on the last 2 degrees to the South Pole.
Made a The North Face team athlete.
Sailed the yacht Blizzard from Tasmania, around the Southern Ocean to Southern Chile.
2007-2009
Undertook sailing charters from Southern Chile to the Antarctic Peninsula, Cape Horn and around the Beagle Channel
2008
Solo North Pole attempt aborted after 16 days due to dislocated shoulder.
Greenland 3 week kite traverse of eastern ice cap as team member.
2009
Solo through-hiked the central GR11, 21 days.
Guided an individual client from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on the Messner route, 38 days.
2010
Guided an individual client from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on the Hercules route, 48 days.
Guided and mentored 6 Youth Ambassadors on a 200km hike through the Amazon Rain Forest for I2P.
2011
Guided a team of 3 from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on the Messner Route, including the first registered blind person to achieve this, 39 days.
Deputy Camp Manager of the Scott Centenary South Pole Camp.
2012
Guided a single client from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on the Messner Route, 38 days.
Awarded second Guinness World Record for having completed more expeditions to the South Pole than anyone ever.
Guided and mentored 5 Youth Ambassadors on a two week running expedition in Bolivia, completing 8 marathons in 8 days with I2P.
Co-founded Expeditions365 and created their first Polar Training Course.
2013
Remote Camp Manager of the ALE Emperor Penguin camp and the ALE South Pole camp, 3 months on Antarctica.
Co-delivered Expeditions365 Polar Training Course to 2 students including Lewis Clarke who went on to become the youngest person to ski from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole.
Undertook a 3-week expedition to the Brandberg Massif in Namibia, surveying all it's many rock-art sites as part of a team.
2014
Remote Camp Manager of the ALE Emperor Penguin camp, 2 months on Antarctica.
2015
Remote Camp Manager of the ALE Emperor Penguin camp and the ALE South Pole camp, 3 months on Antarctica.
Co-delivered Expeditions365 Polar Training Course to 5 students, including Zac Poulton who went on to a guiding career on Antarctica.
Delivered a bespoke Polar Training Course in North America to 1 student who went on to undertake a solo expedition on Antarctica.
Guided 6 clients on a short trip to the North Pole 1 week.
2016
Remote Camp Manager of the ALE Emperor Penguin camp and the ALE South Pole camp, 3 months on Antarctica.
Delivered a bespoke Polar Training Course in Canada to 1 student who went on to undertake a solo expedition on Antarctica.
Co-delivered Expeditions365 Polar Training Course to 4 students. And a solo-delivered second course to 2 students who both went on to successfully ski the last degree to the South Pole.
Awarded second place in the AITO Travel Writer of the Year Awards
2017
Remote Camp Manager of the ALE Emperor Penguin camp and the ALE South Pole camp, 3 months on Antarctica.
Co-delivered Expeditions365 Polar Training Course to 5 students.
Founded Polar Expedition Training as an independent company focussed on delivering high quality Polar Training.
2018
Remote Camp Manager of the ALE Emperor Penguin camp and the ALE South Pole camp, 3 months on Antarctica.
Delivered polar training courses for Polar Expedition Training in Finse, Norway.
Guided a last degree to the North Pole with 4 clients.
2019
Remote Camp Manager of the ALE Emperor Penguin camp and the ALE South Pole camp, 3 months on Antarctica.
Guided a single client on the Arctic Ocean from Northern Siberia.
2020 - 2021
South Pole Assistant Area Manager for the United States Antarctic Program. Supported the South Pole Area Manager and the SP leadership team in the day-to-day operations of the South Pole station and staff team.
2021
Remote Camp Manager of the ALE Emperor Penguin camp and the ALE Three Glacier Retreat, 3 months on Antarctica.
2021 - 2023
South Pole Area Manager. Head of the South Pole Area for the US Antarctic Program. Responsible for the strategic planning, tactical execution and team leadership for this remote field station supporting some of the biggest and most pioneering science projects on earth.