Nathan’s South Pole Trek & King's Trust Patch

Aim

I'm skiing 700 miles solo to the South Pole! Pre-order an official badge to back the trek, 10% goes directly to support The King's Trust.

Brief Overview

In November 2026, I am embarking on a 700-mile (1,130 km) solo, unsupported polar ski expedition across the Antarctic plateau to 90° South, the Geographic South Pole. Hauling a 100kg+ pulk containing all my food, shelter, and survival equipment, I will ski for 50 to 60 days without any resupplies or wind assistance.  

The Frozen Horizons Expedition is built on three core pillars: preserving the spirit of extreme polar exploration, collecting live climate science data with Science in the Wild, and raising vital funds and awareness for The King’s Trust to support young people overcoming adversity.

Why Are We Crowdfunding?

While 84% of our operational budget is already locked in thanks to our corporate partners, we are running this Crowdfunder to bridge the final budget gap while offering individual supporters and smaller businesses a chance to directly join the journey! 

To make this campaign tangible, we are pre-selling limited-edition Official Expedition Patches for £50.

• Physical Commemorative Patch: Every £50 pledge secures a custom  patch posted to you upon my return in January 2027.
• Signed Note from 90° South: Your patch comes with an official thank-you card signed directly at the South Pole!
• Direct Charity Donation: 10% of every patch sale goes directly to The King's Trust to help young people gain the confidence, skills, and resources needed to transform their lives.  

Our Impact & Purpose 

Charity Collaboration: The King’s Trust

We are supporting the next generation by donating 10% of every £50 Expedition Patch pre-order directly to The King's Trust to help young people overcome adversity and unemployment:

• £10: Funds a call to the support helpline.
• £20: Provides an hour of 1-on-1 support with a youth worker.
• £50: Covers first-month travel costs to help a young person start work (matches your patch pledge!).
• £100: Contributes toward essential job training equipment.
• £250: Provides a laptop for remote education and job applications.

Adventure Meets Science: Science in the Wild

Partnering with NASA-linked scientist Dr. Ulyana Horodyskyj Peña, this 700-mile solo trek serves as an active research platform:

• Climate Data Collection: Gathering snow samples along the route to study Light-Absorbing Particles (LAPs) accelerating glacial melt.
• Live Classroom STEM Broadcasts: Hosting direct educational broadcasts from my tent on the ice to inspire primary school students in STEM subjects.

The Team

While I will be on the ice alone, this expedition is backed by a world-class support network:  

• Nathan Lumb (Solo Polar Lead/ Founder): Business Manager and father living in Manchester with his partner Laura and baby girl. Driven by a passion for extreme endurance, Nathan is skiing 700 miles solo across the Antarctic plateau to 90° South.
• Falcon Scott (Expedition Patron): Official patron of Frozen Horizons. Falcon is the grandson of legendary polar explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott.  
• Dr. Ulyana Horodyskyj Peña (Scientific Lead): NASA-linked scientist and founder of Science in the Wild, leading our Antarctic snow-sampling climate research.

The Route

Track Record & Technical Preparation

A solo, unsupported trek to the South Pole carries zero margin for error. This expedition is the culmination of years of rigorous polar training, endurance testing, and field preparation:  

• Jan 2022: Foundational polar survival and winter campcraft training in Finse, Norway.  
• Mar 2022: 6-day traverse across Hardangervidda & Hardangerjøkulen glacier.  
• Apr 2023: 120 km ski crossing of the Hardangervidda plateau.  
• Feb 2024: 21-day, 280 km double ski crossing of Finnmarksvidda in Arctic Norway.  
• Aug 2024: Crevasse rescue and glacier navigation training on Svartisen glacier with record-holding polar guide Vincent Colliard.  
• Feb 2026: High-volume stress-test skiing 46 km per day alongside Vincent Colliard.  
• Apr 2026: Expedition simulation and gear test in Finse, Norway.

How We Will Spend the Money Raised

We believe in complete transparency. The funds raised through this Crowdfunder are strictly allocated to cover remaining essential costs:

• 10% Direct Charitable Donation: Donated directly to The King's Trust to fund helpline support, youth workers, and practical skills training.  
• Patch Production & Shipping: Manufacturing the physical badges, packaging, and posting to backers.
• Safety & Logistics: Satellite comms hardware (Iridium/GPS tracking), dual multi-fuel stove redundancies, and Antarctic air logistics.

If You Are A Business Interested In Formal Sponsorship or Partnership

The Frozen Horizons Expedition offers a high-impact corporate branding and storytelling platform. With over 32,000+ recent impressions across LinkedIn (32% C-Suite and Managing Director audience), we provide custom opportunities including:

• Custom logo placement on extreme-weather polar gear and sled.
• High-resolution photo and video content captured directly at the 90° South
• Bespoke company flag raised at the South Pole.
• C-suite keynote talks on decision-making, resilience, and high performance under pressure.

If your organisation wants to explore corporate packages or lock in remaining equipment branding slots, please click the 'Contact Project' button on this page or email us directly at [email protected]

How Everyone Can Play Their Part

There are simple ways to help us reach our target and make this project a reality:

• Make a pledge: Don't delay if you're going to support us because momentum is key to our success! Secure your limited-edition badge today.
• Spread the word: Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
• Offer rewards: Get involved if you are a business by donating things we can offer to our supporters as pledge tiers. We will give you a full shout-out!
• Fundraise for us: If you want to run your own fundraiser or sponsored activity, use the 'Contact Project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won't need any bank details. Just a fun idea!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 27th October 2026 at 8:47pm