Gavin leads team to Magnetic North Pole

Gavin’s Bate expedition, dubbed Race Me To The Pole, will involve a 550km ski and sledge-hauling polar trek from Resolute Bay in Canada to the 1996 position of the Magnetic North Pole.

Gavin hopes to raise funds £22,000 for his charity Moving Mountains Trust which he founded more than ten years ago.

He is also the founder and managing director of Adventure Alternative, an adventure travel and expedition company. Gavin has previously climbed Mount Everest; also raising donations for Moving Mountains.

Writing on his Facebook page, Gavin said: “Shopping for expedition food in the largest food hyperstore I’ve ever been in.

“We bought food for 372 days, bags at 500 grams each. This is for grazing. On top of that is breakfast, and dinner of soup and main. Each day we have 1.2 kg to consume and give us 3000 calories. Sadly no wine.”

Gavin’s team arrived in Resolute Bay last Friday and made the final preparations and gear testing for their expedition which will begin on Thursday, weather permitting.

Their route will be: Resolute Bay, McDougall Sound, Polaris Mine, Little Cornwallis Island, Crozier Strait, Queen’s Channel, Penny Strait, Cator Harbor, Sherard Osborn Island, Maclean Strait, Noice Peninsula, Ellef Ringnes Island and finally to the 1996 Magnetic North Pole.

The team will stock up on supplies at Polaris Mine, Little Cornwallis Island and Cator Harbor, Sherard and Osborn Island.

They hope to arrive at the Magnetic North Pole on Tuesday, April 30.

To donate to the Moving Mountains team check out www.racemetothepole.com