Icetrek North Pole Ski Expedition 2015
Apr 19
#23: We have the Pole
Published at 18:18
+895959+342178+0001:Camp 11
Just as we thought our final day would be a pushover another blizzard struck overnight, the fiercest I've seen here in 13 years of North Pole expeditions. The wind gusted at over 40kn and the air was filled with drift snow.
Just after leaving camp a brooding lead confronted us, covered in blankets of fresh snow and waves from the wind. Luckily we could outflank it after 30 minutes of skiing to the east.
If we didn't look so ludicrous swamped in spindrift, our snack break would have been a miserable affair.
The second session was all or nothing, we needed to reach the pole without taking another break and rocked up at 90N just as the wind started to abate and glimpses of sun beamed through. Ice festooned our face masks as we high fived then quickly set up camp, the most northerly people on earth. Heath and Seamus have become I think the 6th and 7th Australians to have skied to both poles, and Nacer the first Moroccan to the North Pole. Congratulations fellas!
Now we await a helicopter to bring us back to Barneo but that will likely be tomorrow judging by the persistent wind and poor vis.
Eric
Just as we thought our final day would be a pushover another blizzard struck overnight, the fiercest I've seen here in 13 years of North Pole expeditions. The wind gusted at over 40kn and the air was filled with drift snow.
Just after leaving camp a brooding lead confronted us, covered in blankets of fresh snow and waves from the wind. Luckily we could outflank it after 30 minutes of skiing to the east.
If we didn't look so ludicrous swamped in spindrift, our snack break would have been a miserable affair.
The second session was all or nothing, we needed to reach the pole without taking another break and rocked up at 90N just as the wind started to abate and glimpses of sun beamed through. Ice festooned our face masks as we high fived then quickly set up camp, the most northerly people on earth. Heath and Seamus have become I think the 6th and 7th Australians to have skied to both poles, and Nacer the first Moroccan to the North Pole. Congratulations fellas!
Now we await a helicopter to bring us back to Barneo but that will likely be tomorrow judging by the persistent wind and poor vis.
Eric
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