Alone on the Ice: The Greatest Survival Story in the History of Exploration

David Roberts book, 'Alone on the Ice: The Greatest Survival Story in the History of Exploration' is a thoroughly fascinating and tremendously exhaustive account (for both the reader, as it most certainly was for Mr. Roberts) of the story of the Australian geologist, Antarctic explorer and Academic Sir Douglas Mawson.Many will recall the exploits of Roald Amundsen, leader of the 'Antarctic Expedition' (1910-12) to discover the South Pole along with numerous other arctic exploits, Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated 'Terra Nova Expedition' (1910-13), which took the lives of Scott and four comrades, and Ernest Shackleton's `heroic' account of his 'Endurance Expedition' (1914-17), which has perhaps become the most widely known account of an amazing sequence of events and the ultimate escape from death by an expedition in the Antarctic with no loss of life. Two films have been made of this epic drama, and a museum display with actual film footage shot during the expedition has been on the museum circuit around the world. I saw it while I lived in Anchorage, Alaska.Yet, the story of Douglas Mawson's 'Australasian Antarctic Expedition' (1911-13), though written about several times prior to this book, has finally been told by Mr. Roberts with his usual expertise and in a most thorough manner, documenting yes "The Greatest Survival Story in the History of Exploration."The cast of characters covered in this book is overwhelming from the expedition members who accompanied Mawson, to the explorers before and after, to the loved ones who waited for their return, to the offspring and friends of those pioneers who lived to a ripe old age, and who were able to provide tidbits of information related to this magnificent adventure. Mr. Roberts has done a most thorough job of relating the facts, and he has done it in such a manner the reader feels compelled to hear the whole story long after Mawson's `survival tale' has been told, which is not the climax his book.I believe Mr. Roberts has done so to bring this story into the limelight of today's so-called elite adventurers, who often seem more interested in pursuing a career as an adventurer solely to support their own adventures. One such modern day athlete, in the context of Mr. Robert's book chooses to recreate Mawson's journey, and at the same time have the whole thing filmed and made into a television show, comparing what was done in the `golden days' of Antarctic exploration with what the modern explorer under simulated circumstances could achieve today. It is an interesting paradox, which Mr. Roberts seems to be toying with.Perhaps today's adventurers as well as their admirers have lost perspective, and for whatever reason have tried to push the envelope beyond the exploits of those men in whose footsteps they now follow.I am one of those `modern day' explorers, who attempted to follow in the footsteps of those pioneer explorers on Mount McKinley in 1910-1913, who were ironically seeking their goals during the same time frame that Douglas Mawson and his team of hearty explorers were attempting their miraculous expedition. I am still in awe of what those golden age explorers accomplished, and because of my experiences during a mere 68-day expedition on Denali, my respect and admiration for what those men achieved will be with me until the day I die.My admiration for writers like David Roberts is also felt in a similar vein, since Mr. Robert's life has not only been dedicated to a life of exploration and adventure, he has more importantly taken the time to document and record the fascinating history of those men and women, in whose footsteps he and other modern day adventurers have chosen to follow.Jeffrey T. Babcock, author 'Should I Not Return'

A captivating true tale about one of the last of the "heroic" polar explorations: the Australasian Antarctic Expedition from 1911 through 1914. The expedition was led by Douglas Mawson, a geologist by trade, who was himself a tireless worker who expected the same level of effort and commitment from his men. Many of his men thought he was wonderful and a great leader, but some chafed at his discipline and expectations. Like all of these polar expeditions, this one was beset by horrible weather, some bad decisions, a great deal of heroism, and some tragedies, both avoidable and unavoidable. The importance of this expedition and its scientific discoveries was eclipsed by what happened to the Scott and Shackleton expeditions that were contemporaneous, and, of course, the first World War, which began the same year as the AAE concluded.Mawson himself had a most horrific experience as he and two companions were trying to return to their winter quarters from one of their research trips. One of the three (Ninnis by name) was manning a dog-pulled sledge that had most of their critical gear on it: food, tents, stoves, etc. The sledge, man, and dogs all fell into a huge crevasse and were killed. That left Mawson and the other man Mertz to continue on their way with only 1.5 weeks worth of food for a month-long journey. Soon Mertz got sick and finally died. Mawson stayed with Mertz for 8 days while he was too weak to travel, thus endangering Mawson's own survival by continued exposure to the cold. After Mertz's death, Mawson had to get back on his own across the frozen waste, through bad weather, and with no-one to help rescue him should he fall into a crevasse. He finally staggered back into winter quarters a month later ... and the ship that was to have taken the men (Mawson and others left at the winter quarters) back to Australia had left FIVE HOURS earlier, thus necessitating they stay at winter quarters another year until the ship could get back to them. Talk about endurance and fortitude!And yet, they endured. If you like polar and exploration sagas, this one is a must-read. Mawson was knighted upon his return to Australia, and was celebrity-famous for decades in his home country.

This book's subtitle - "The greatest survival story in the history of exploration" - is Sir Edmund Hillary's assessment of Sir Douglas Mawson's achievement, and Hillary of course knew a thing or two himself. Mawson is, or was, a household name in his native Australia, and used to adorn a banknote there, but few non-specialists outside the continent today will know who he was or what he accomplished. Mawson's Antarctic exploits have got lost somewhere between those of Scott and Shackleton. David Roberts, recognising a looming centenary when he sees one, has made it his task to remedy matters.Douglas Mawson was a young geologist who would enjoy a lifelong association with Adelaide University. As an Antarctic explorer he earned his spurs on Shackleton's 1908 expedition aimed at reaching the South Pole, but as a scientist Mawson was interested in other things. Mawson's team on that trip was charged with getting as close as possible to the South Magnetic Pole which, unlike the fixed `true' pole, wanders considerably.In 1912 Mawson returned with is own expedition at around the time Scott and Amundsen were racing each other to the South Pole. Mawson's aims were again scientific and geological, but he was also seeking to map as much as possible of the area of Antarctica closest to Australia. Sending part of his party to a separate departure point far to the west, he divided the main party into teams of three and, having overwintered, each set off to explore in different directions. Mawson's own team found itself in desperate trouble, the tale that is at the heart of `Alone on the Ice'. Even having survived appalling conditions in a crevasses-riddled landscape, with limited gear and dwindling rations, the endlessly determined and self-reliant Mawson found on his return to base new adversities waiting for him.Mawson had with him in 1912-13 two men who played an important part in the golden age of Anatarctic exploration. One was Frank Wild, an Englishman who had been with Scott's 'Discovery' expedition and with Shackelton and Mawson in 1908. Put in charge of Mawson's western party, Wild would become even more famous as part of Shackleton's marathon trials of 1914-17. The other man was a young Australian photographer, Frank Hurley, whose photographs are well reproduced in this book and whose record of Shackleton's later expedition would set the seal on its fame.The book cries out for a proper map of Antarctica, but in telling this thrilling tale for a new generation of readers, and putting it into context, the author has done the memory of Douglas Mawson a great service.

Very interesting read (even tho I am only halfway thru so far) and am enjoying every page.

Well written account of the most incredible journeys of survival and superhuman determination undertaken by Douglas Mawson and his polar exploring team.

A harrowing true story of danger, struggle, death and survival by a group of intrepid explorers of Antarctica in the early 1900s. Douglas Mawson as leader of the group, and as one who would never give up in the face of insurmountable odds, must take his place with Shackelton, Scott and Amundsen as one of the greatest leaders of Antarctic exploration. A great read for those who enjoy true adventure.

Alone on the Ice is a riveting story of Antarctic exploration and survival in an age when there were NO modern conveniences to make these trips far safer. I doubt anyone today could accurately re-create either this survival story or Shackleton's epic adventure on the ill fated Endurance. In fact at the end of David Robert's book he tells how modern 2 men did try to follow exactly the final tragic month on the ice by Douglas Mawson and the one remaining adventurer trying to eat a similar diet and wear clothes appropriate to the early 20th century. Since they had a film crew: hence help if anything went wrong, and did not travel where there was a risk of crevasses it did not even come close to accuracy.If you enjoy polar adventure or extreme mountain climbing books this one is recommended.