British polar explorer Ben Saunders abandoned his quest to cross Antarctica unassisted saying it was better to return home as a ‘live donkey’ than a ‘dead lion’.
The 40-year-old echoed Sir Ernest Shackleton’s words after ‘ferocious’ conditions left him without enough food to complete his journey.
Mr Saunders attempted what he described as the first solo unassisted crossing of Antarctica in memory of his friend Lieutenant Colonel Henry Worsley, who died on an expedition to traverse the Antarctic alone last year.
He aimed to spend 65 days travelling more than 1,000 miles across Antarctica, but was forced to cancel the trip when he arrived at the South Pole on Thursday, after 52 days.
Ben Saunders, 40, (left) attempted what he described as the first solo unassisted crossing of Antarctica in memory of his friend Lieutenant Colonel Henry Worsley
He said he had made a promise to Lt Col Worsley that he would ‘get home in one piece’.
And writing on his blog after abandoning the trek, he referenced Shackleton’s renowned retort after giving up his own attempt to reach the pole in 1909.
‘Are you a lion or a donkey?’ his wife Emily asked him on hearing of the failure. ‘Better a live donkey than a dead lion,’ Shackleton replied.
‘Are you a lion or a donkey?’ his wife Emily asked him on hearing of the failure. ‘Better a live donkey than a dead lion,’ Shackleton replied.
Speaking of his own defeat, Mr Saunders said the ‘bittersweet’ end to his trip came because he felt the safety margin he faced without enough food was too slim.
‘This is a high-stakes, high-consequence environment and, paradoxically, one where prudence often trumps derring-do and bravado, as Shackleton summed up in his line about lions and donkeys,’ he told The Telegraph.
‘Standing here with less food for the remainder of my journey than I’d planned, with a safety margin that I felt was too slim, I have decided this time to end my expedition at the Pole.’
He said conditions were so tough he felt disorientated was finding it hard to navigate.
‘I’m proud that I’ve always aimed high, I’m proud that I’ve been willing to fail publicly, time and again as I’ve fallen short of some of my biggest goals,’ he said.
‘Right now I’m feeling happier and more content than I thought I’d be, but perhaps the regret might follow later.’
But Ben (pictured with fiancee Pip Harrison) was forced to abandon his trip, echoing Sir Ernest Shackleton’s words that it was better to return home as a ‘live donkey’ than a ‘dead lion’
Mr Saunders said he had just 13 days of food for the remainder of the expedition, which he expected to last 17 days, but only with near perfect conditions and unhampered skiing.
Air rescue would also be impossible on certain sections of the final stretch due to the nature of the terrain, he said.
As much as I am determined to finish this trip for him, I need to make my decision based on safety and not let my own determination cloud my judgment
Despite ending his quest, Mr Saunders said he is only the third person in history – and the only Briton – to have skied by himself to both the North and South poles.
He put up with harsh conditions including temperatures of -30C with windchill and long periods of zero visibility caused by whiteouts.
‘I made a promise to Henry to get home in one piece,’ Mr Saunders said.
‘As much as I am determined to finish this trip for him, I need to make my decision based on safety and not let my own determination cloud my judgment.
‘I don’t think Henry would be telling me to go for it given my concerns about the diminished safety margin. It feels like the most respectful thing I can do after Henry’s fate is to be prudent and safe.’
Lt Col Worsley, inspired by Edwardian explorers Shackleton, Scott and Amundsen, aimed to be the first person to cross Antarctica on foot without assistance.
Struck down by exhaustion and ill health after covering 900 miles, the 55-year-old was forced to call for help, but despite being airlifted to hospital in Chile, doctors were unable to save him.
Mr Saunders(pic) said he had just 13 days of food for the remainder of the expedition, which he expected to last 17 days, but only with near perfect conditions and unhampered skiing
Mr Saunders has walked nearly 4,000 miles across desolate frozen landscapes since 2001
Mr Saunders used his trip to sponsor the Endeavour Fund, part of the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, which supports injured military veterans.
It was his 12th expedition to the polar regions having covered more than 7,000km since 2001.
The announcement comes days after Scott Sears, brother-in-law of tennis star Andy Murray, completed his solo expedition to the South Pole.
At 27, Sears is believed to be the youngest person to complete the trek.
Earlier this week, Andy Murray’s brother-in-law became youngest person to reach the South Pole unaided after an exhausting five-week trek.
Mr Saunders is partnering with Canada Goose, which issued the above publicity photograph
Lieutenant Scott Sears, 27, of the First Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles, survived a gruelling 700-mile walk across the Antarctic wilderness to reach the pole on Christmas Day.
Facing winds of up to 150mph, temperatures as low as -50C and having to carry 90kg of supplies every step of the way, the hero soldier battled through to raise thousands of pounds for the Gurkha Welfare Trust.
Wishing his followers a Merry Christmas from the South Pole, he posted on Instagram: ‘I’m very proud of what has been achieved over the last 38 days but serving alongside the Gurkhas will always be my proudest achievement.’