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Ed Jackson, Darren Edwards and Dr Niall McCann each had accidents that left them with spinal cord injuries and a set of disabilities unique to them. The team set out in late April 2023 to make an unsupported 155 km traversal of Iceland’s Vatnajokull Glacier, the largest ice cap in Western Europe.

The three expeditionists, Ed Jackson, Darren Edwards and Dr Niall McCann, roped up and in formation for their icecap traverse.

Darren’s sit ski set up for the traverse — he will propel himself using poles.

Darren will be travelling in a sit ski (propelling himself along using poles), Ed and Niall have walking difficulties and sensation loss in their lower limbs and will be on ski. This expedition is to raise awareness of the powerful role that adventure and the outdoors can play in helping people recover their physical and mental health. It will raise funds for Millimetres 2 Mountains, a UK charity that creates positive change for people who are facing mental health challenges as a result of encountering adversity in their lives.

The team preparing for the expedition with the pulks and skis they will be using for the Icelandic icecap traverse.

Basecamp is providing sponsorship to this expedition, in support of the expeditions and the collection environmental samples across the icecap. The collaboration aims to record the microbial biodiversity across this Icelandic icecap as the team traverse.