Explorer's Grand Slam


The Explorer's Grand Slam, also known as the Adventurer's Grand Slam, is an adventurer goal to reach the North Pole and South Pole, as well as climb the Seven Summits: Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Vinson, and Puncak Jaya or Kosciuszko. The reason for a choice of Puncak Jaya or Kosciuszko was to give Explorer’s Grand Slam participants a choice in following the Bass List or the Messner List when choosing their seventh summit. For more information see paragraph entitled Controversy in Eight Summits.
Heo Young-Ho, a South Korean Alpinist, was the first person to complete the Explorer’s Grand Slam, after he reached the South Pole from Berkner Island in January 1997. British Explorer, David Hempleman-Adams, unaware of Heo Young-Ho’s achievements, claimed he was the first person, but this has proven to be incorrect. The top three to complete the Explorer’s Grand Slam are: first, Heo Young-Ho, South Korean Alpinist, finishing with the South Pole in January 1997, second, Russian Survivalist Fyodor Konyukhov finishing with Denali in May 1997, and third, David Hempleman-Adams finishing with the geographic North Pole in 1998.
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History

The original concept involved the polar trips starting from accepted coastal points, involving long sledging journeys. Over time the significantly shorter, easier, and less serious "Last Degree" polar trips – from 89 degrees to the pole – have been claimed as the Explorer's Grand Slam. The climbing community, the American Alpine Club, The Explorers Club, climbing companies such as International Mountain Guides, define the Explorer's Grand Slam as having accomplished the Seven Summits plus the North and South Poles. There is some consensus that a True Explorer's Grand Slam means one will also have summitted all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres (26,247 ft). Likewise, there is some consensus that a True Adventurer's Grand Slam is achieved by also visiting the magnetic north and south poles.
As of 2022, all terminology and guidelines regarding polar data records are being conducted under the Polar Expeditions Classification Scheme.
In April 2005, Park Young-seok became the first person to complete a True Explorer's Grand Slam.
In December, 2005, Stuart Smith of Waco, Texas, became the first American to complete an Explorer's Grand Slam.
In 2011, former Wales rugby union international Richard Parks became the first person to complete the Grand Slam within a single calendar year, doing so within seven months.
On April 16, 2013, Vanessa O'Brien became the first woman to complete the Grand Slam under a single calendar year, doing so in eleven months.
On April 22, 2013, Cheryl Bart became the first Australian woman and the 31st person worldwide to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam.
In 2014, Jing Wang became the fastest woman to complete the Grand Slam in 142 days.
In 2014, Ryan Waters became the second American to complete the True Adventurer's Grand Slam by skiing full-length, unsupported and unassisted North and South Pole expeditions and climbing the seven summits.
On May 27, 2016, Colin O'Brady became the fastest person to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam, doing so in 139 days. He is the world speed record holder for completing the Explorer's Grand Slam.
On April 12, 2017, Marin Minamiya became the youngest person to complete the Explorers' Grand Slam at 20 years old.

People who completed the quest

Full Grand Slam (both poles from an outer coastline/shore)

In chronological order:
  1. Heo Young-ho
  2. Fyodor Konyukhov
  3. David Hempleman-Adams
  4. Park Young-seok
  5. Bernard Voyer
  6. Cecilie Skog
  7. Maxime Chaya
  8. Stuart Smith
  9. Ryan Waters
  10. Johan Ernst Nilson
  11. Wilco van Rooijen

Grand Slam (one pole from an inner coastline/shore and one pole from an outer coastline/shore or last degree)

In chronological order:
  1. Haraldur Örn Ólafsson
  2. Khoo Swee Chiow
  3. Arnold Witzig
  4. Alison Levine (mountain climber)
  5. Mostafa Salameh
  6. Newall Hunter
  7. Zhang Liang
  8. Grazyna Machnik
  9. Jaco Ottink
  10. Jérôme Brisebourg
  11. Mark Shuttleworth
  12. Inge Meløy

Last Degree Grand Slam (both poles from 89 degrees)

In chronological order:
  1. Sean Disney
  2. Vaughan de la Harpe
  3. Sibusiso Vilane
  4. Arthur Marsden
  5. Andrew Van Der Velde
  6. Vernon Tejas
  7. Will Cross
  8. Lei Wang
  9. Neil Laughton
  10. Jo Gambi
  11. Rob Gambi
  12. Randall Peeters
  13. Wang Yongfeng
  14. Ci Luo
  15. Liu Jian
  16. Wang Shi
  17. Zhong Jianmin
  18. Jin Feibao
  19. Wang Qiuyang
  20. Suzanne K Nance
  21. Richard Parks
  22. Andrea Cardona
  23. John Dahlem
  24. Matthew Holt
  25. Len Stanmore
  26. Cheryl Bart
  27. Vanessa O'Brien
  28. Sebastian Merriman
  29. Jing Wang
  30. Tashi Malik
  31. Nungshi Malik
  32. Omar Samra
  33. Maria (Masha) Gordon
  34. Colin O'Brady
  35. John Moorhouse
  36. Victor Vescovo
  37. Sean Swarner
  38. Marin Minamiya
  39. Michael W. Grigsby
  40. Julia Elinor Schultz
  41. Muhamad Muqharabbin Mokhtarrudin
  42. Mike Gibbons
  43. Nikolaos Mangitsis
  44. Josu Feijoo
  45. James Holliday
  46. Joel Schauer
  47. Alexander Pancoe
  48. Leifur Örn Svavarsson
  49. Khai Nguyen
  50. Taylor Sweitzer