In 2009 I joined an expedition to the Northern Patagonian Ice Cap. The objective was to climb San Valantin (4,058m), Patagonia's highest mountain.

For 42 days we were battered by 120mph winds, sub zero temperatures and heavy snowfall. We travelled over 100 kilometres to the base of the mountain, sometimes having to spend weeks at a time in snow caves to survive the weather. We finally had to retreat in the face of the biggest storm we'd yet seen, 36 hours of pain and suffering saw us to safety.

Never in all my life have I experienced a place of such extremes, savagely beautiful, desolate and powerful. We didn't make it up the mountain but we all overcame many things during the trip and it remains to this day one of the best experiences of my life.