The Three Poles is an adventurer’s challenge to reach all three of the North Pole, the South Pole, and Mount Everest.
The Norwegian explorer Erling Kagge was the first in recorded history to accomplish this challenge in 1994. Kagge reached the North Pole on May 8 1990 with Børge Ousland; the South Pole solo on January 7 1993; and the Summit of Mount Everest on May 8 1994. This final date carved in stone the first record set for the Three Poles.[1]
Tina Sjögren became the very first woman to complete in 2002.[2]
Adrian M Hayes recently set a new ‘speed record’ by completing the Three Poles challenge in 19 months, breaking the previous record of 24 months. In 2011, former Wales rugby union international Richard Parks completed the Three Poles challenge in 5 months as part of his successful attempt to reach both geographic poles and climb all of the Seven Summits within 7 months; however, his journeys to both the North and South Poles began at 1 degree of latitude from each pole.