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The Trek
Follow Australians Eric Philips and Jon Muir as they ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean to the top of the world.
Jon and Eric will be departing in late February, 2002, from Severnaya Zemlya's Cape Arktichevski in the Siberian Arctic. Stay tuned for updates or check their progress here.
Without the use of dogs or aeroplanes to re-supply their trek, the team hopes to ski 1000 kilometres to the North Pole.
The expedition begins in late February when the Arctic Ocean is frozen and the sun has only just returned after its winter absence. Temperatures are between -30°C and -40°C, making travel difficult and dangerous. Ocean currents pull the ice away from the Siberian coast, creating leads of open water. The team will use specially modified Dagger kayaks and Mountain Hardwear submersible 'Ice' suits to cross these channels.
Pressure ridges and fields of ice-rubble will also hinder their progress, causing them to scout and detour through the jumbled maze. When the terrain and wind allow, Quadrifoil kites will be used to harness the wind and increase their speed.
As the days and weeks progress, the sun begins to return to the Northern Hemisphere, and the adventurers will welcome the light and growing warmth.
However they must complete their journey before the onset of summer. Although the sun brings comfort, it also brings hungry polar bears, fresh from hibernation. Jon and Eric must be very careful as they are in the bear's natural habitat, and it is a fierce predator. To protect themselves from bears, the team will use a specially-designed sensing and alarm device activated by a trip wire surrounding the tent.
The pack-ice of the Arctic is affected by the ocean currents underneath, and Eric and Jon will be walking over shifting ice. The pack, which drifts from Russia over the pole to Greenland and Canada, can move many kilometres in a single day, often sending the adventurers back from where they came!
So, join the team and log-on every day to watch the adventure unfold.