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Arctic wrap-up: New team from Russia for the last degree
Apr 4, 2005 10: 22 EST
Teams evacuated last week are heading back home. But the NP could still be reached from Russia this spring, albeit not through a full trip: Among the attempts lining up as the Borneo Base is cleared, is a team guided by Mike Thornewill. The guys are flying to the 89th degree next week from the Borneo base from where they will cover about 60 nm to the Pole. The cool part is that one of the skiers is blind!
NP Teams from Canada are progressing swiftly after getting a resupply on March, 30th.
Meanwhile, Mikael and Johan are back on the Siberian tundra for the last leg of their journey, the Finns are covering a good distance despite deep fresh snow on Svalbard and Troy and Dixie slowly manage to advance in the right direction pushing through a negative drift.
NP teams from Russia
NP teams from Russia are back in Krasnoyarsk. Both Pole Track and Ann and Liv have reported that they expect to fly to Moscow tomorrow, and home from there.
Polar Challenge expedition for the last degree
After leading a group across the frozen Great Bear lake in NW Canada, Mike Thornewill is getting ready to hit the ice again. This time, Mike will be guiding six Arctic newbies on a last degree trip to the NP…from Russia!
Team will be flown from Borneo base to the 89th degree (about 60 nautical miles to the Geographic North Pole). The expedition will start dispatching on April 9th.
Team members will be Barry Harper (46, assistant guide), Vanessa McGroaty (32), Liz Warner (42), Darren Davis (36), Sheldon Jury (36), and David Shreeves (32).
David has a serious visual disability, but he is determined to show others what can be achieved when you really put your mind to it - and highlight that there are people out there who have hidden disabilities.
NP teams from Canada
Tom Avery’s Ultimate North Expedition
Latest dispatch from Tom Avery was sent on April 2nd:
“One of our two Iridium satellite phones has decided to pack up; we are down to just one that works properly. As this is our only means of communication, we are keeping its use to an absolute minimum so website updates will be less frequent, and with no photos, video clips or voice dispatches. The good news is that a new telephone is being flown in at Marvin Camp (where we hope to be in around a week's time) so hopefully normal service will be resumed from then on.”
The guys got an airdrop on March 30 in Goodsell Camp, the same spot where Peary had a resupply on his polar quest back in 1909.
“The three days since leaving Goodsell Camp have been the most productive of the trip so far. We've covered over forty miles in that time and have enjoyed much better surface conditions - smoother snow and fewer pressure ridges."
"The weather continues to be cold, much colder than usual for this time of the year up here, and whilst this makes each day on the trail a real battle to keep warm, it does at least mean that the majority of leads that we have encountered have been frozen solid. We are traveling as much as we can now whilst the conditions are in our favor because we never know when the ice pack might start to crack up.”
“The dogs have been working well and the half day's rest at Goodsell Camp has done them a power of good,” Tom mentioned. Raven the dog had a nasty experience though: “He's feeling sorry for himself today after deciding to lick an aluminum karabiner after lunch, which resulted in his tongue being frozen fast to the metal for several painful seconds.”
Team’s position on April, 2nd: 85° 3.11' N, 70° 8.77' W.
Young Seok-Park
The Korean team received an air resupply on March 30. One of Mr. Park support team-members joined the flying crew and gave us some details on the operation:
“We departed Resolute on the 29th afternoon, stopped for the night in Eureka base, and dropped off resupplies on the morning next. Resupplies were provided for our team as well as Tom Avery's team (Tom and Mr. Park decided to share the resupply flight). Both expeditions seem to be well and in good spirits.”
The Koreans heard about the events in Russia: “We're very sorry to hear about the situation in Russia. We know expeditions take a lot of time and money to organize; to end like that is really disheartening.”
Mr. Park team position on March, 31st: 85° 15.799N, 72° 38.337W
Other expeditions from Canada
Bering Strait crossing
“Determined steps and acceptance of constant instability have enabled Troy and Dixie to make slow but steady progress in the right direction: West,” wrote the explorer’s support team earlier today.
Troy has reported on the hostile environment they’re dealing with: “The current has an overpowering strength and everything depends on it. It makes it confusing and difficult in making choices on which way to travel and what to do.”
Siberia expeditions
Mikael and Johan
The guys left Kolymskaya yesterday, covering 24 km before pitching their tent right next to the winter road heading East to Cherski.
“When we passed the museum this morning, embarking on our last stretch to Ambarchik Bay, all our friends where there, waiting for us. He had put on a lot of extra weight the last two weeks. A table full of local delicacies had been made to honor us, and we stuffed ourselves again. When finished, our friends walked us down to winter road, where we said goodbye."
"Our pulkas are filled with an extra 2 kg of sun dried fish, cookies, dried reindeer meat, blood sausage and a huge 2 kg blueberry cake! We also have one liter of vodka. Not for drinking purposes though, but to use as an offering to the Gods, when the going gets tough.”
Team’s position yesterday: 68°44'N, 159°14'E
Svalbard expeditions
Finnish to Svalbard
“After a chilly night (-35 C) we resumed our trip. Terrain got better during the day and raising temperatures made our skis sled better. After eight legs we had covered 12.3 km. That's not enough to reach the moon, but maybe 80N.”
“The Veteranen-glacier that we are currently skiing is really special. Surrounded by marvelous mountains on both sides, it feels like skiing along some kind of huge couloir.”
Team's location yesterday: N 79.11.88 E 17.16.71
Ann & Liv’s dispatches | Pole Track | Siberia Expedition’s dispatches | Vancouver to Moscow | Ann Daniels’ daily log| Ultimate North Tom Avery cybercast in Peary's footsteps | Bering Strait crossing | Finnish to Svalbard | Young Seok-Park NP (Korean) | Polar Challenge’s NP last degree expedition
Image of the Korean team from the plane during the resupply operation, courtesy of Young Seok-Park expedition’s website.
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