Okay, who is ready to go on a polar adventure? According to this story over at Wide World Mag, arctic explorer and environmentalist Jim McNeill is putting together a team of novice adventurers to make an expedition to the North Pole of Inaccessibility in January 2010, and he’s hoping that he’ll find 28 people willing to go on a leg of the journey.
The Pole of Inaccessibility is defined as the furthest point from land on the Arctic Ocean, and as of now, it has never been reached by man. It is one of the most desolate and inhospitable places on the planet, and as such, it holds an allure for an adventurer.
The plan is to recruit 28 people to join McNeill as he makes the 800 mile journey to the Pole. These recruits will be broken down into four teams of seven, and each of those teams will take part in a 200 mile leg across the ice. Along the way, they’ll take reading of the health of the ice and determine the effects of global climate change on north polar regions.
Anyone interested in joining the team should go to this website where they’ll find more information on the expedition. You can also read the initial press release from a few days back as well, which has some insights into what is expected. And when you’re ready to join the team, download this .PDF document which will answer most of the questions and tell you how to get involved.
Looks like another amazing adventure. Anyone want to sign up? We can go together and laugh at all those fools that are going to the Geographic North Pole. Pfft! Wimps! 😉
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I'm ready let's go
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Sign me up too! What a great opportunity! 🙂
I find it a weird expedition. Why do they need to be 7 at time to measure the ice and do scientific stuff ?
And to dub it the last true polar challenge… has been written before. What about going solo in the winter the the N-pole of inaccessibility. World first yes, but not last polar challenge.
Using newbies who will get a few days or weeks of training ? Why not doing the expedition with 3-4 polar explorers who can do the job certainly better.
It feels more like a commercial adventure to get 28 people to pay 12000 GBP for the trip.
What about the carbon footprint of (I guess) 5 helicopter flights (start, 3 team changes and end)?
I would just have found it better to see 2 or 3 teams of 2-4 explorers with experience and measuring skills. More efficient. less costly in total.
The biggest challenge is to make 4 groups of 7 people work properly as a team. Even if the goal is the same for everyone, it surely works better if people know each other for a long time. Come on the expedition is in less than a year !
Yes I do have a bit of criticism but trust me I hope everything will go well for all of them.
I thought it was a bit odd to be taking newbies too. A cool opportunity for sure, but odd indeed.
And you know that any major expedition tries to come up with some bit of hyperbole. They have to be "the first" to do this or they're embarking on "the last great" challenge or whatever.
In regards to the teams, I wondered if they were doing it to break it up a bit, not make it so demanding on the people coming along, etc. But I also thought that it wouldn't be much fun to be in one of the first two groups and suffer through those harsh conditions and still not be able to reach the Pole yourself.
I just hope no one gets hurt along the way and they pick people that at least belong out there.
True.
The starter will have more problem with leads to be crossed and yes being at the end will mean reaching the pole.
I'm very happy to respond to some of the comments.
The more people we can have in a team the more data we can gather and therefore the more significant the data becomes. I chose 7 because I expect 5 to remain after training and this forms one aircraft load.
Ice Warrior is all about giving everyone the opportunity to take part in expeditions like this – not just those who can get out their cheque books. We train people in how to go and get the sponsorship required and provide all the materials and guidance to do so as well as the media interest. This is captured by pointing out the fact that no-one has reached this signifcant and recognised position and brings in the sponsorship.
As for the training, although it is comprehensive and intensive and takes place in the Arctic winter, it cannot replace the experience necessary, in my opinion, to take part in more than 20 days worth of such an arduous undertaking.
The expedition is carbon off-set but that aside, the footprint is more than justified by the value of data gathered.
Finally, yes, it is a commercial expedition but then most expeditions past and present are commercial to some degree whether it is writing books, giving talks, a sponsorship deal, a tv programme or being paid a guide fee. AND if someone said to me in 1984 when I first travelled in the Arctic that I could spend 20 days on the Arctic Ocean for £12,000 I would have jumped at the chance of getting it sponsored. It would be a very small price to pay for such an everlasting experience, I can assure you. Thanks
Hi Jim,
Thanks for taking the time to come here and share your side of the story and clear up some issues. It is very much appreciated, and I definitely agree with your points. I'm mostly just jealous because I can't join the team, but I'll be following along when you get underway. Very cool project! I wish you the best of luck!