It was a marathon day for the dogsledders who managed to get to within 2 miles of the North Pole before hitting what could have been a deal-breaker lead. They searched and searched for a way across and finally found one. They reached the North Pole around 5 PM local time (Norwegian time). Congratulations Dever, Anna, Alex, Cheryl, John, Maher, CP and Nancy! They and had a couple hours to celebrate before the helicopters came to pick everyone up and fly them back to the Barneo Basecamp.
The other two ski teams spent the day not far from the North Pole. Rick and Mei skied back to the North Pole to welcome the dogsledders and help them celebrate their accomplishment.
Now everyone is back at Barneo, which is mostly packed up for the end of the season. There is only a runway and pilot tent left.
The teams plan to fly back to Longyearbyen tomorrow for a final celebration dinner, showers and a well-earned night in a warm bed!
Check back again soon for another update from the teams!
Sunday, April 21, 2013
A few pictures from yesterday
We just received these great pictures from the Last Degree Ski Expedition, taken yesterday during their celebration. Included is another wonderful aerial shot from Keith's kite. Enjoy!
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Two teams at North Pole!
A HUGE congratulations to our two ski teams for reaching the North Pole today. It was another sunny day and ice conditions were good. There is much merriment at the North Pole right now, and less than eight miles away another teams prepares to reach the Pole tomorrow. A quick look at yesterday's photos will show a unique one, an aerial view of camp taken from Keith's kite. The team looks quite small compared to the vast Arctic Ocean! We hope to have more pictures to add soon so be sure to check back.
The Last Degree Ski Team called in by accident, apparently pocket dialing my number (not easy to do on a sat phone). For approximately 45 seconds I listened to what was clearly a great party with a lot of laughing and shouting and even Queen playing in the background. The team has two reasons to celebrate. Not only did they reach the North Pole (!!!)but it also happens to be Usukhbayar's birthday! Happy Birthday Usukhbayar! Finally someone noticed I was on the line and after a good laugh they said they were all well and very happy to be at the North Pole after a six mile ski today.
The Chinese Ski Team also reached the North Pole after traveling approximately three hours. They are very excited to be at 90 degrees and the festivities were in full swing. They spent a while taking pictures then making toasts with PolarExplorer's official cocktail of the North Pole the "Aurora Borealis" (vodka, champagne and snow from precisely 90 degrees North all stirred together). Now they are in tents continuing the celebration. Everyone is happy, healthy and very proud of their accomplishment.
The Last Degree Dogsled Team reported in from N 89.52.6. They were ready to travel a little further but they ran into an east-west lead that they could not find a way around. They expect it to freeze overnight making it possible to reach the pan on the other side. As far as they could see to the north the ice looked good. The team did a great job today logging 9 miles despite several leads. Dever skied most of the day in training for a half Iron Man that she plans to do upon her return. Cheryl and John also put in long hours on the skis. Everyone is doing well and enjoying the Caramella Koala's that Cheryl brought from Australia. They will use all those calories up tomorrow on their final push to the Pole!
The Last Degree Ski Team called in by accident, apparently pocket dialing my number (not easy to do on a sat phone). For approximately 45 seconds I listened to what was clearly a great party with a lot of laughing and shouting and even Queen playing in the background. The team has two reasons to celebrate. Not only did they reach the North Pole (!!!)but it also happens to be Usukhbayar's birthday! Happy Birthday Usukhbayar! Finally someone noticed I was on the line and after a good laugh they said they were all well and very happy to be at the North Pole after a six mile ski today.
The Chinese Ski Team also reached the North Pole after traveling approximately three hours. They are very excited to be at 90 degrees and the festivities were in full swing. They spent a while taking pictures then making toasts with PolarExplorer's official cocktail of the North Pole the "Aurora Borealis" (vodka, champagne and snow from precisely 90 degrees North all stirred together). Now they are in tents continuing the celebration. Everyone is happy, healthy and very proud of their accomplishment.
The Last Degree Dogsled Team reported in from N 89.52.6. They were ready to travel a little further but they ran into an east-west lead that they could not find a way around. They expect it to freeze overnight making it possible to reach the pan on the other side. As far as they could see to the north the ice looked good. The team did a great job today logging 9 miles despite several leads. Dever skied most of the day in training for a half Iron Man that she plans to do upon her return. Cheryl and John also put in long hours on the skis. Everyone is doing well and enjoying the Caramella Koala's that Cheryl brought from Australia. They will use all those calories up tomorrow on their final push to the Pole!
Friday, April 19, 2013
So close!
The teams continued to make good progress today and both ski teams are within striking distance of the North Pole, despite some close encounters with the Arctic Ocean. They had sunny, clear skies with very light wind.
The Last Degree Ski Team is at 89.54.203 N, 174.33.100 W. They crossed over the international date line which was exciting. After traveling 3 miles, they encountered a 15 foot lead which they had to ski parallel to for about 2 miles. Sebastian got his feet wet but was quickly able to change into dry socks and spare boot liners (he speaks of his adventure in the audio dispatch below). After that, they had clear sailing for about 5 hours and made camp around 5:00 PM (a relatively early day). They report the wind has shifted to blowing from the north vs. south. Their drift is still northerly and they're hoping it will take a while for this to change with the wind. They do anticipate a cold day tomorrow skiing into the wind but all are very excited by the prospect of reaching the North Pole tomorrow.
Skiing into the sun
Skiing alongside a lead
The Chinese Ski Team called in from 89.57.88 N, 168.19 W. They had a beautiful day with big pans of ice and a handful of leads, one of which two of the team members fell into though the excitement was short lived as they quickly changed and got warm again. They are very excited to reach the North Pole tomorrow. Everyone is in a festive mood and they are looking forward to standing at the top of the world. We expect them to arrive some time mid-morning.
The Last Degree Ski Team is at 89.54.203 N, 174.33.100 W. They crossed over the international date line which was exciting. After traveling 3 miles, they encountered a 15 foot lead which they had to ski parallel to for about 2 miles. Sebastian got his feet wet but was quickly able to change into dry socks and spare boot liners (he speaks of his adventure in the audio dispatch below). After that, they had clear sailing for about 5 hours and made camp around 5:00 PM (a relatively early day). They report the wind has shifted to blowing from the north vs. south. Their drift is still northerly and they're hoping it will take a while for this to change with the wind. They do anticipate a cold day tomorrow skiing into the wind but all are very excited by the prospect of reaching the North Pole tomorrow.
The Chinese Ski Team called in from 89.57.88 N, 168.19 W. They had a beautiful day with big pans of ice and a handful of leads, one of which two of the team members fell into though the excitement was short lived as they quickly changed and got warm again. They are very excited to reach the North Pole tomorrow. Everyone is in a festive mood and they are looking forward to standing at the top of the world. We expect them to arrive some time mid-morning.
The Last Degree
Dogsled Team called in from 89.44.034 N, 176.28.7 W. They reported good travel conditions, mostly
pans of ice. They crossed 5-6 leads that were relatively small. They saw an amazing horseshoe shaped rainbow
pointing upward on top of the sun. We
take that to be a good sign as an upturned horseshoe is good luck. The team members are all in high
spirits. They have a rallying cry of “one
team, one dream” that they use to keep themselves motivated. When they phoned in, they were all gathering
in one tent for some snacks and hot drinks.
They enjoyed Mike and Sara’s white chocolate fudge and Stacey’s banana
bread. They send their best wishes to
Sara and Mike and hope she is feeling better.
This morning Chris Maher’s cinnamon sugar quesadillas got the team ready
for a day of hard work. They’re hoping
for continued good conditions with the plan to make as many miles tomorrow as
possible.
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Check back tomorrow for what we hope will be updates from the North Pole for two of the teams and within shouting distance for the third!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Great ice, great day.
All three teams reported great conditions and weather today, with temperatures around -25 C and a light wind. The ice offered a welcome change for the dogsledders who have been struggling through lots of open water and rubble. After a little research about birds near the North Pole we've determined that the Last Degree Ski Team most likely saw a Ross's Gull, named after the polar explorer James Clarke Ross who discovered the magnetic North Pole in 1831.
The Last Degree Ski Team reported in from N 89.45.742, E 178.36.678. They had a great day skiing 8 miles in approximately hours of travel. Everyone is doing well and having a good time. They are happy to have a supply of Portuguese sardines, compliments of Angelo. Tonight they are enjoying the "finest cut of the tuna". They saw a lot of east-west leads between 1-2 feet wide which are easy to ski over. They also crossed a 1/2 mile stretch of much younger ice, but most of the day was on big pans. They are drifting slowly to the N/ NE. When we spoke they had three flags flying off their kite and Guy and Carl were just making their way over to Angelo and Keith's tent for some after dinner hot drinks and conversation. They sent in a few photos from their day:
The Chinese Ski Team reported in from N 89.51.52, E 179.41. Rick called the day "one of the best days ever" with calm, sunny conditions and 90% travel across big pans of ice. Everyone enjoyed the day and are now enjoying a social hour (or two...) in the tents.
The Last Degree Dogsled Team finally broke away from all the water and found big pans of ice to travel on. This increased their speed significantly and allowed them to make nearly 14 nautical miles. They are now at N 89.33.8, E 176. Unfortunately Sara Schroeder who has spent the last several days fighting a nasty illness left the team with Mike (her father) to recuperate. The pack ice is a miserable place to be sick and we hope she recovers quickly. The good news is that on the way back to the Borneo Basecamp they were able to land at the North Pole and spend some time at 90 degree North. Back at tonight's camp the team is feeling very positive about the change in ice conditions. The mileage they pulled off today was critical to put them in a position to reach the Pole. Spirits are high and they feel rejuvenated and ready for the next challenge.
The Last Degree Ski Team reported in from N 89.45.742, E 178.36.678. They had a great day skiing 8 miles in approximately hours of travel. Everyone is doing well and having a good time. They are happy to have a supply of Portuguese sardines, compliments of Angelo. Tonight they are enjoying the "finest cut of the tuna". They saw a lot of east-west leads between 1-2 feet wide which are easy to ski over. They also crossed a 1/2 mile stretch of much younger ice, but most of the day was on big pans. They are drifting slowly to the N/ NE. When we spoke they had three flags flying off their kite and Guy and Carl were just making their way over to Angelo and Keith's tent for some after dinner hot drinks and conversation. They sent in a few photos from their day:
 |
| Helping one another over a pressure ridge |
 |
| Angelo with camp in background |
The Chinese Ski Team reported in from N 89.51.52, E 179.41. Rick called the day "one of the best days ever" with calm, sunny conditions and 90% travel across big pans of ice. Everyone enjoyed the day and are now enjoying a social hour (or two...) in the tents.
 | ||
| This is what a big pan of ice looks like. Easy skiing and fast travel. |
 |
| Typical break. Everyone sits on his/her sled with their back to the wind. Time to eat and drink! Photo from Mr. Li |
The Last Degree Dogsled Team finally broke away from all the water and found big pans of ice to travel on. This increased their speed significantly and allowed them to make nearly 14 nautical miles. They are now at N 89.33.8, E 176. Unfortunately Sara Schroeder who has spent the last several days fighting a nasty illness left the team with Mike (her father) to recuperate. The pack ice is a miserable place to be sick and we hope she recovers quickly. The good news is that on the way back to the Borneo Basecamp they were able to land at the North Pole and spend some time at 90 degree North. Back at tonight's camp the team is feeling very positive about the change in ice conditions. The mileage they pulled off today was critical to put them in a position to reach the Pole. Spirits are high and they feel rejuvenated and ready for the next challenge.
 |
| On big pans of ice the dogs can run without interruption and travel is much more efficient. |
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
What a difference a few miles can make...
It's amazing the difference a few miles can make. Two of our teams reported great conditions with big flat pans of ice, while another team encountered a lot of open water that hindered northward progress. This is common in the pack ice near the North Pole, where one hour you can have wonderful ice and the next be in a maze of pressure ridges and open water leads. It keeps things exciting and no two days, or hours, are ever alike. The weather today was around -20 C with a light wind. The Last Degree Ski Team saw three birds yesterday and they are curious what kind they might be. They appeared to have a wing span of around 2 feet with a white belly and grey and black wings with white tips. They couldn't get a close view because the birds were in the air. If any of you readers know what kind of bird this might be let us know!
The Last Degree Dogsled Team reported in from N89.20.9 after spending much of the day trying to find their way around a 1/4 mile by 2 mile open water lead. They traveled east and then south before arriving in an area where the ice was active with moving rubble and ridges. Then they headed back west and found an area where the lead petered out, much like a river's delta. They got across and traveled a little further before making camp. There was a lot of great team work building ice bridges and doing general construction to get over ridges and across leads. It's hard but satisfying work. They are hoping the large pans of ice the other teams are seeing come their way tomorrow. When they called in they were just getting ready for dinner. They have been happily snacking on Tim Tams, a special chocolate treat from Australia brought by team member Cheryl Bart. Thanks Cheryl!
The Chinese Ski Team reported their position as N 89.41.680, W 179.38.785. They had great conditions today and made nearly 8 nautical miles. They saw only a couple of frozen leads and one seal poking its head through an area of open water. They also found polar bear tracks that look to be several days old. They are all doing great and they are enjoying the adventure.
The Last Degree Ski Team reported in from N 89. 35. 511, E 176.09. Like the Chinese team they experienced great ice conditions with big pans of ice and few obstacles. They skied for 6 hours and made approximately 9 nautical miles, averaging close to 1.75 nautical miles an hour. Everyone is doing well. For dinner several team members ate chicken quesadillas and everyone loved the special dessert that Sebastian brought from home. They'd like to give a special shout out to his mom for making them!
The Last Degree Dogsled Team reported in from N89.20.9 after spending much of the day trying to find their way around a 1/4 mile by 2 mile open water lead. They traveled east and then south before arriving in an area where the ice was active with moving rubble and ridges. Then they headed back west and found an area where the lead petered out, much like a river's delta. They got across and traveled a little further before making camp. There was a lot of great team work building ice bridges and doing general construction to get over ridges and across leads. It's hard but satisfying work. They are hoping the large pans of ice the other teams are seeing come their way tomorrow. When they called in they were just getting ready for dinner. They have been happily snacking on Tim Tams, a special chocolate treat from Australia brought by team member Cheryl Bart. Thanks Cheryl!
 |
| Lots of open water can make northward progress very difficult |
 | |
| Seal in lead (photo from Mr. Li, 2011 ski team) |
The Last Degree Ski Team reported in from N 89. 35. 511, E 176.09. Like the Chinese team they experienced great ice conditions with big pans of ice and few obstacles. They skied for 6 hours and made approximately 9 nautical miles, averaging close to 1.75 nautical miles an hour. Everyone is doing well. For dinner several team members ate chicken quesadillas and everyone loved the special dessert that Sebastian brought from home. They'd like to give a special shout out to his mom for making them!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Getting into the groove
All teams reported good progress today as their systems become more refined. The learning curve can be steep in terms of camp set-up and breakdown, maximizing travel efficiency, maintaining good body temperature, etc. Typically, each day on the trail gets more efficient.
The Last Degree Ski Team reported in from 89° 23'920 N, 173° 20'938 E. They traveled for about 8 hours and made 10.5 nautical miles. It was fairly windy, 15 knots, and overcast in the morning. But the skies cleared in the afternoon and wind abated to some extent. Overnight they drifted North and the drift is continuing, even drifting 800 meters while they ate dinner! We've had experience where the drift was working against the teams ("nature's treadmill") and it is extremely frustrating. We hope their current luck continues.
The Chinese Ski Team called in from 89° 32'403 N, 177° 10'052 E. They traveled 5.74 nautical miles today. Again, reports of steady winds from the west, leaving everyone's left sides of their bodies quite chilly. The temperature was around -5° C. Their terrain was relatively flat with a few scattered pressure ridges and several leads to cross, presenting a bit of a challenge. Their travel day was longer than yesterday and they had longer stretches between breaks, allowing them to make more progress.
The Last Degree Dogsled/Ski Team reported their position as 89°16 N, 170°8 E. They're feeling very good about their progress especially after the slow going they had yesterday. They made 9 nautical miles and also had some northerly drift overnight. They again experienced a number of leads they had to cross. All are in good spirits.
Enjoy the audio updates below:
The Last Degree Ski Team reported in from 89° 23'920 N, 173° 20'938 E. They traveled for about 8 hours and made 10.5 nautical miles. It was fairly windy, 15 knots, and overcast in the morning. But the skies cleared in the afternoon and wind abated to some extent. Overnight they drifted North and the drift is continuing, even drifting 800 meters while they ate dinner! We've had experience where the drift was working against the teams ("nature's treadmill") and it is extremely frustrating. We hope their current luck continues.
The Chinese Ski Team called in from 89° 32'403 N, 177° 10'052 E. They traveled 5.74 nautical miles today. Again, reports of steady winds from the west, leaving everyone's left sides of their bodies quite chilly. The temperature was around -5° C. Their terrain was relatively flat with a few scattered pressure ridges and several leads to cross, presenting a bit of a challenge. Their travel day was longer than yesterday and they had longer stretches between breaks, allowing them to make more progress.
The Last Degree Dogsled/Ski Team reported their position as 89°16 N, 170°8 E. They're feeling very good about their progress especially after the slow going they had yesterday. They made 9 nautical miles and also had some northerly drift overnight. They again experienced a number of leads they had to cross. All are in good spirits.
Enjoy the audio updates below:
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