Pre-flight breifing and final pack out

Today the team had their pre-flight briefing with the charter flight providers. This briefing covers the flight rules and regulations (same security check as any other international flight), as well details about the Union Glacier basecamp and the South Pole. They were also given a decent weather report, and so far it looks like their flight will go on schedule (knock on wood please!)

If the weather continues to hold they will depart for Antarctica around 20:00 tomorrow evening. This gives them most of the day to relax, but they won't stray far from the hotel. When they get "the call" giving them the green light to fly, they need to be ready to go immediately.

If they fly tomorrow it means that tonight will be their last night in a bed for a long time. That might sound unappealing to some people, but not to our team! They are very, very excited and ready to go. They want nothing more than to board that flight tomorrow and take off on the adventure of a lifetime.

We wish the team sweet dreams and an extra long hot shower in the morning, but most of all clear skies and an on-time departure for their expedition.

Don't forget to listen to Ronny's audio update and check back again tomorrow for another update from the team!

Back on the land!

The team is finally back in Longyearbyen! After a party on the charter plane as it stood on the ice runway awaiting take-off the team flew the 2.5 hours back to civilization. They are now happily clean, warm, comfortable and enjoying the comforts of Longyearbyen, including an end-of-the-expedition celebration and a comfortable night in a bed!

The helicopter that picked the team up near the North Pole.

Loading the charter flight back to Longyearbyen.

The expedition officially ends tomorrow but the journey will continue on as each team member shares the adventure with family, friends, colleagues, and their greater community. The team wants to thank everyone for following the expedition's progress and for the questions and messages of support.

It has been our pleasure to work with each and every team member in preparation for this expedition. They truly have been a wonderful group of people to get to know and we look forward to future adventures together!

Make sure to listen to the final audio update from guide Chris Maher!

Happy Birthday Wendy! How about another night on the ice?

First things first, HAPPY BIRTHDAY WENDY!!!! We were hoping that you would be back in Longyearbyen today, but instead you get to spend another day in a small tent with your lovely team at the North Pole. That's a pretty exciting place to spend your birthday! We hope it's a good one :)

The team phoned in today to say that their scheduled pick up was delayed due to bad weather. When they woke they had very windy conditions (around 20 miles per hour) with low visibility and snow. They thought there might be a break in the bad weather but even though conditions did improve slightly the plan is to spend the night on the ice. They will check back in with the Borneo basecamp tomorrow morning, and they hope to fly back to Longyearbyen tomorrow afternoon.

The PolarExplorers flag in a lull between gusts of wind.

One day of tent time after skiing the last degree to the North Pole is nice, and relaxing. Two days and you start to get a little antsy. No doubt they are having visions of long, hot showers, and dreams of sleeping in a bed with clean sheets and a deep mattress. Ahhh....  Let's all keep our finger's crossed that they make it back to Longyearbyen tomorrow! The team wanted me to pass along that you may not hear from them today because they will be trying to conserve their battery power (the solar battery recharger for their phone doesn't work so well when the sun is barely visible!)

Check back again tomorrow for another update from the team... hopefully from the hotel in Longyearbyen!

The North Pole!

The team phoned in today to report that they reached the North Pole at 2:45 PM Longyearbyen time. A huge congratulations to everyone on the team! They have worked very hard to earn every single mile, and now, after a long journey they have finally reached 90 degrees North. Way to go! We couldn't be more proud and happy for the group.

The North Pole, at last!

Upon arrival the team had a celebration that included setting off flares, taking dozens of photos, calling home to family and friends and many words of congratulation. It was a welcome relief to be able to stop traveling. The day was very overcast with extremely flat light that made the travel difficult. In flat light it can be very hard to discern any variation in the ice and by the end of a the day your eyes and brain are literally exhausted from looking so hard for any indication of bumps, divots, ice blocks, cracks...anything! Rick mentioned that today was one of the most challenging days just because of the flat light.

Happy to have arrived at the Pole!

Luckily their hard work is over now they get to kick back, relax, celebrate and savor the sweet taste of success. We imagine that there will be celebrations long into the night, and then some very sound sleep for our team members.

Rick before hitting the sac. The team will sleep well tonight!

The current plan is for the team to be picked up tomorrow morning by helicopter and brought back to the Borneo basecamp from where they will catch their return flight to Longyearbyen. Tomorrow is Wendy's birthday and weather permitting she will get the very pleasurable gift of a hot shower and comfortable bed! Of course if the weather does not cooperate the team could be on the ice for another night.

The team phoned in an audio report but the signal was very weak and the call was dropped. If they call back again we will be sure to post the audio report.  Otherwise we expect to hear from the team again tomorrow, so check back again soon for another update.

Again, a huge congratulations to the 2011North Pole Dogsled & Ski Expedition on a job VERY well done!

Closing in on the Pole!

The team called in today to report good ice conditions, but very flat light with low visibility. Low visibility makes it difficult to see obstacles in the snow such as bumps or blocks of ice. Everything including the sky, the horizon, the ice and the snow all blend into one gray mirage and navigation gets difficult. It's very easy to hit something and tip over or fall. Luckily the team had mostly big pans of flat ice separated by the occasional rubble zone, and they were able to make 9.5 nautical miles. They are now located at N89.54.09, E122.

This picture is from our ski expedition, but you can see how
flat light makes the obstacles "blend in" harder to see.

 When they called in they had just finished dinner and were rocking out to Jimi Hendrix on Rick's ipod. Their energy is very high and everyone is looking forward to reaching the North Pole. All day they encountered lead after lead that had closed up allowing them to pass with ease. They are now on solid old ice. Let's keep our finger's crossed that the remaining miles to the Pole are on pans with no open water!

Getting excited as they close in on the North Pole.

Make sure to listen to today's audio report from Wendy, and check back again tomorrow for what will hopefully be an update from the North Pole!

Finally! Big pans and fast travel...

The team phone in today to report that they have FINALLY had some good ice conditions that allowed for some fast travel. The frozen lead that they camped next to last night did NOT prove to be a good highway because rather than freezing more it opened up during the night and became a large open water mass that they could not get across. Luckily it was running north/south and instead of crossing they simply traveled along side it for a long distance. The rest of the day they had large pans, some several miles big that were separated by areas of rubble. They still had to do some chopping and clearing to make it through the rubble, but at least they had the pans to add some fun to all the hard work! At one point while chopping a way through a pressure ridge Tony went in the water up to his thighs. Luckily it was towards the end of the day and the team made camp shortly after.

The frozen lead they camped next to last night opened into a wide active lead by morning.

The team was able to hear the ice moving today, not far off in the distance. Wendy described it as sounding like a freight train. She mentioned that they would have likely heard more, but dog team 2 is "So noisy! All they do is bark, bark, bark!" Apparently dog team 1 (that's the team with dogs named spot 1-8) is very calm and quiet.

Happy to be on a flat pan!

The team started the day out with snow, then it became sunny, and now it is cloudy but still very warm. Their position when they called in was N89.45, E131. They are within striking distance of the pole, and with any luck they should reach it day after tomorrow.

Make sure to listen to the audio report below and check back in again tomorrow for another update from the team!

Rubble, rubble, rubble...

The team phoned in to report that it was an incredibly beautiful day, with virtually no wind and temperatures that hovered around -14C. That's warm! But the nice weather was the best part of the day because the ice conditions left a lot to be desired. It seemed that no matter where the team went there was another pressure ridge waiting for them. Each pressure ridge requires a lot of hard work to surmount. Chopping off blocks of ice and sculpting a path through pressure ridges is now standard operating procedure. Rick reports that the pressure ridges have been made up of old "multi-year ice" which means that the ice has been around for 3+ years and it is quite thick, with big chunky blocks that like to upset the dogsleds.

This rubble is small, but look behind them! Aye yay yay!

The team also saw the ice move today, which is always exciting. Tonight they are camped next to a recently frozen-over lead that is heading almost due north. They hope to travel on the lead tomorrow for as long as it will take them. Finding a northward heading lead that is frozen-over enough to support the weight of the sleds and skiers is like winning the lottery, especially after spending a couple days in areas of high pressure.

Leads that are frozen over can make for very fast travel.

Despite the difficult ice conditions the team made 7 nautical miles of northward travel and they finished at N89.34. 53. As the team signed off they were settling in for a comfortable night. Beef stew with mashed potatoes was almost ready and the team was finishing off polar pizza appetizers. Wendy Booker wants to wish a very special birthday greetings to her son Alex. Happy 22nd Birthday Alex! Check back again tomorrow for another update from the team.

The most beautiful day...

The team called in today to say that they had an incredible day with some of the most beautiful conditions that Rick has ever seen on the Arctic Ocean (and he has been guiding North Pole expeditions since 1993!)

They traveled 10.5 nautical miles over pans of ice separated by medium pressure ridges that posed little challenge. They encountered their first open water of the expedition, a lead that ran NE/SW approximately 20 feet across. They skied along the lead for about 20 minutes before finding a place where the two sides pinched together and they were able to scoot across.

A typical lead will vary in size from just a few feet wide to a kilometer or more.
If you're lucky you'll find a spot where the lead naturally pinches closed forming a small bridge

This picture is from one of our ski expeditions, but you can see
how the team travels along side the lead until they find a spot to cross.

The temperature was close to -15 C with virtually no wind and full sun. That's almost as good as it gets! When they reached camp the usual rush to get inside the tents was replaced by a desire to linger outside and enjoy the evening. Most team members didn't even have their parkas on!

A beautiful day on the Arctic Ocean

An exciting moment today was when the team encountered fox tracks. Though we've seen fox tracks before on the Polar Sea it is very unusual and a real treat. The closest land is nearly 400 miles to the south, so this is one intrepid fox! Looking for food no doubt, perhaps following the scent of a seal carcass? But with so little open water he will likely not see many seals, alive or dead!

Make sure to listen to Wendy's audio report today on which she introduces the dog teams. And check back again tomorrow for another update from the ice!

A day when "nothing came easy..."

The team called in today to report that they made good progress given the number of pressure ridges they had. From the get-go they were in areas of high pressure, where mounds of snow and ice blocked their path, seemingly one after the next. This is not uncommon, and though at times it can be frustrating there is always an end to the pressure somewhere.

In this photo the team has just chopped a path through a pressure ridge.
One guide is taking out the last few bumps with his ice axe while a team member
is signaling to the awaiting dog team that they can now approach.
He shows the exact angle that they should approach with his hands overhead.

Despite all the cutting and hacking away at the ice to make a path for the sleds the team had a good day. The weather was brilliant with warm temperatures for the second day in a row and full sun. There is a very slight wind coming from the NE. Still no open water - which is a great thing! When the team phoned in their position was N89.16.9, E 136. Wendy's audio report from today gets cut off, and though she phoned in a "part 2" it was very choppy and hard to hear. The first part of her update is below. The second part mainly has to do with how smokey the tent is from Rick's cooking, even though the end result wasn't so bad :) Check back again tomorrow for another update from the team!

Warm weather and clear skies...

The team called intoday to report that they had a great day, making 8 nautical miles of northward travel. It was warm and very calm, and there were times when some people skied without their anoraks. This is a bit uncommon at this time of year, but one should never complain about good conditions, because things can change fast on the Polar Sea!

The team had varied terrain today, but mostly a combination of pans of ice and small to medium sized pressure ridges. Trying to get a heavy sled over a pressure ridge can be a challenge. It usually wants to tip over a couple times, and once you get the sled to the top of the pressure ridge you have to be ready to control its descent so that it doesn't bump into the "wheel dogs" (those are the two dogs closest to the dogsled).

Controling the descent to avoid capsize and collision can be tricky!

We hope to get the names and some of the personality traits of the sled dogs soon, so that you can get to know the full team. The dogs are such an integral part of this expedition they should each have a bio and headshot on our website, just like our team members do!

Make sure to listen to the two audio reports below (one from Chris, one from Wendy) and check back again tomorrow for another update from the team!

Half way there, and together with the one degree team!

The two degree dogsledding team made good progress today, making it to 89 degrees even. Way to go Paul, Tony, Nancy and Chris! Though the going was rougher and longer than their first couple of days they were less tired at the end of the day, a sign that they are becoming much more efficient and experienced. The weather was calm, clear and sunny - giving them yet another day of glorious conditions!

Good pans of ice are often separated by areas of high pressure.

The team has encountered numerous pressure ridges and frozen leads that are all on a E-W trend. Two of the frozen leads that they had to cross today would have been "show stoppers" had they been open, because they were 100 meters across and 75 meters across respectively. Luckily they were very solid, though the second lead was about four feet lower than the level of the snow and the team had to build an on-ramp so that their sled would not make a four foot drop. This is a common strategy to get a heavy dogsled onto a frozen lead without the shock of suddenly dropping onto the ice.

Talk amongst the team today had to do with lactation. Yes, lactation. It's amazing the things you think about when surrounded by nothing but snow and ice! Tony had recently read a book about anthropology  that mentioned a group of men who lactate...and that was all it took to get them on the subject for a good portion of the day. Of course much of the day one gets lost in his or her own thoughts, and there is no communication. Then the team will take a break, or encounter an obstacle and everyone starts thinking as a team again.

Late in the evening the one degree dogsled team, who just spent the last two days at Borneo, touched down via helicopter and met up with the two degree team. Together the two teams will complete travel to the North Pole as one expedition.

High tech vs. low tech. A dogsled standing next to the MI-8 helicopter.

Before they arrived Wendy, Ken and Rick spent the day at Borneo meeting Russian VIP's who flew in to take a helicopter to the North Pole, and taking time to refine their kits. No doubt it feels good to put all the anticipation behind them and start the actual expedition. Make sure to listen to Wendy's audio report below, and check back again tomorrow for another update from the team!

Lots of rubble for Tony and Paul, and more practice for Wendy and Ken...

The two degree team encountered some rough ice today with many pressure ridges that the team had to zig-zag around or find a way over. On several occasions they had to cut and chop their way through with an axe and/or ice axe. This takes time and it's very hard work! But the weather was beautiful, a little more haze than in the last several days, with a temperature of around -20 C.

When the ice was flat the team was "moving like the wind" and making great progress, then they'd encounter more broken ice, where the skis would come off yet again, and they'd find their way through to the next flat pan of ice.

The team's current location is N88.51.646, E135.58.758. They traveled 7.7 nautical miles in approximately 8 hours. When they phoned in their update they were getting ready for a hearty lasagna dinner, with what seems to be their favorite appetizer - quesadillas!

Finding a way through all the rubble can be a big challenge!

The dogleds easily tip over when they hit blocks of ice.

The one degree team spent their second day at the Borneo basecamp practicing their dogsledding skills and getting some good film footage of traveling across the ice (Ken is a cinematographer). They are making many new friends from around the world and when they phoned in their update they had just finished dinner and were getting ready for bed. There was a bottle of Bailey's on the table that, according to Rick, Wendy was doing her best to kill (it's hard to believe she would be the only one!). Tomorrow they plan to meet up with the two degree team at or near 89 degrees, from which point they will continue on as one team to the North Pole.

The Borneo basecamp is comprised of a handful of heated tents,
a very, very...very rustic privy, the runway, and a dedicated support staff.

Make sure to listen to the audio report below, and check back again tomorrow for another update from the team!

Two degree team makes more miles, one degree team soon to join them...

The two degree doglsled team reports today that they had another "blue-bird" day and their progress reflects the fact that they are not only efficient, but also fortunate to have such good travel conditions! The team passed several rubble zones that a mere week ago might have been a nightmare to navigate. Their experiences the past several days are excellent practice for what is still a long journey ahead and the team appears ready to face the challenges. Today they made approximately 10 nautical miles ending at N 88.43. Make sure to listen to Nancy's audio update below! 

Leading the team North!

The One Degree Dogsled Expedition with Wendy, Ken and Rick has landed at Borneo for 2 days of training. They jump started their journey with a short tour with the dog teams, allowing both dogs and people to work out any kinks in their systems and to get some practice with their routines. On the 16th they will meet up with the Two Degree Dogsled Expedition (Tony, Paul, Chris & Nancy) and the two teams will complete the last degree to the North Pole as one expedition.

The Borneo basecamp where Wendy, Ken and Rick will spend the next two days training.

Make sure to listen to Wendy's report update from the ice and check back tomorrow for another update from the team!

Still making miles!

Someone on this team has brought some good luck with them! For the third day in a row the team had incredible conditions and made great progress. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, the wind was calm and the dogs were running beautifully. Paul and Tony shared mushing responsibility today navigating around pressure ridges and over leads that appear to be approximately 9-12 days old.  It is clear to the team that they are passing areas that must have been incredibly active a week or so ago, but now everything has stabilized leaving only a beautiful icescape to admire.

This lead was once open water, but has now frozen over enough that it can be safely crossed.

The team's position when they called in was N 88.32, E 138. 21. They are still experiencing some northward drift (they made nearly 2.5 miles north while they slept last night!) When they phoned in they were just settling down for a hearty meal of chili mac and quesadillas ("the best north of Mexico"). Mmmmmmmm.....

Make sure to listen to Paul's audio report and check back again tomorrow for another update from the team!

A few more pressure ridges...

The team reports today that they had another good day of travel, logging 10 nautical miles of northward travel. They also gained nearly 2 miles of northward drift last night while they slept. They will happily take these miles because the drift can change any time, and take hard earned miles away!

They experienced a few good sized pressure ridges that they needed to cut a path through, and they also crossed over some larger frozen leads that were old enough to bear their weight. The team feels that they are becoming a "well-oiled machine" and that each day they become more efficient on the ice.

Navigating around a pressure ridge.

In any given hour the team can experience a multitude of challenges that effect their speed and northward progress. The two biggest challenges are "leads" and "pressure ridges." Leads are cracks in the ice that expose open water. The cracks are formed when an ice flow splits or two ice flows separate. Pressure ridges are formed by the opposite motion. They occur when two ice flows collide causing the ice to buckle and become a ridge of blocky ice. It is an incredible sight to see either of these two processes happen right before your eyes!
Make sure to listen to today's audio report from Paul, and check back tomorrow for another update from the team!

Off to a great start...

Despite being dropped off late last night, the team got off to a good start logging 10 nautical miles of northward travel. The day was beautiful, with bright blue skies, calm winds and a temperature of -26C. There were a few team building moments as the group encountered some pressure ridges, but nothing that posed any major challenges. The team crossed a few recently frozen-over leads that were likely a week or so old.

the team had excellent traveling conditions and made good progress.

The dogs pulled very well on their first day. They are tired but happy, just like the team members:) When they called in they were busy melting water for the dogs and frying up some cheesy quesadillas. Check back tomorrow for another update from the team!

The team has landed!

Today the team called to report that they have been delivered to the ice on schedule.  Everyone is in high spirits and all are looking forward to the journey ahead. They departed Longyearbyen today in the mid afternoon and made the uneventful flight in approximately 2.5 hours. The smell of dog breath wafted through the air of the plane as the 8 Greenland huskies panted away in the cargo area.

The Borneo basecamp from the air.

The helicopter that will transfer the team to 88 degrees.

The team called from Borneo where they were making last minute preparations for their helicopter shuttle to 88 degrees, where they will likely spend the night and start moving North tomorrow.

Welcome to the PolarExplorers 2011 North Pole Dogsled Expedition Blog!

Are you ready for an incredible armchair adventure? Following our 2011 North Pole Dogsled & Ski Expedition will be just that! We are delighted to have you follow the expedition's progress as they dogsled and ski the "final dash" to the North Pole.

All team members are in "final preparations" mode. This includes reviewing their personal kits (for the 100th time!), sorting out logistical details of their travels, and keeping up with the training. As you read this their guides are already in Longyearbyen, Norway sorting the group equipment, readying the dogsleds, and making final preparations.

The two degree expedition will officially begin on April 8 in Longyearbyen, Norway, and that's when we'll begin the daily updates. The one degree expedition will kick off on April 12 and we'll start their daily updates then. We invite you check back daily or sign up for the Follow by Email auto alerts. You can also send questions or messages to the team.

We look forward to sharing this amazing journey with you! Check back again soon!