Ann Bancroft/Liv Arneson
10/15/2001
As young girls oceans aprt, Ann Bancroft and Liv Arneson read Alfred Lansing's book, Endurance, chronicling Sir Ernest Shackleton's legendary attempt to cross Antarctica - and despite being completely unaware of one another, each declared the same childhood dream: to ski across Antarctica. In 1998, the women met for the first time, realized they were kindred spirits, and formed yourexpedition.com to plan and promote the Bancroft Arneson Expedition.
On November 13, 2000, the explorers landed on Antarctica with the intent to cross the continents landmass, as well as the Ross Ice Shelf, a floating slab of ice the size of France. On February 11, 2001, Bancroft and Arneson made history by becoming the first women to cross Antarctica's landmass but unusually calm conditions and occasional blizzards prevented their crossing of the Ross Ice Shelf.
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