Travel to Arctic - 8 Renowned Polar Explorers and their journeys

Author : Unwild Planet

At the end of the 19th century, explorers realized that there was little left in the world to explore. So they turned to ice: the North and South Poles. And so began a mad race to explore the Arctic and Antarctica. This article explores the historical achievements of some men and women who explored the North Pole.

Robert Peary (1886-1909):

Remember that adage, “Try and try till you succeed?” This could have been written with Peary in mind. The man had one focus: To reach the North Pole.

He manned eight expeditions to the Arctic Circle. The first five focussed on understanding the Arctic. His sixth expedition, in 1898, was when he tried summiting the North Pole. He failed. He made a second attempt in 1905. He failed, again. He finally succeeded in 1909.
Peary made numerous expeditions over two decades. He charted vast areas of the Arctic, studied glaciers and ice formations, and contributed to scientific knowledge of the region.

Insider news by UnWild Planet polar experts: Peary's expeditions had a lasting impact on the Inuit communities he interacted with. Introducing new technologies and disruptions to traditional hunting practices had positive and negative consequences.

Frederick Cook (1908):

Cook was a surgeon who had been part of Peary’s Greenland expedition. He got the explorer bug while travelling with Peary, and decided to forge his own path.

He became the first man to summit Mount Denali in Alaska, and the tallest mountain in North America, in 1906.
He then claimed that he had reached the North Pole in 1908, a whole year before Peary. Peary and the National Geographic Society (major supporters of Peary) claimed that Cook was a fraud. In the end, Peary was declared the first man on top of the world.

Insider news by UnWild Planet polar experts: Cook's expeditions often included and relied on the skills of Inuit people. He documented their culture and learned survival techniques from them, promoting a more collaborative approach.

Matthew Henson (1909):

Henson was an African American dock worker from Maryland, who was part of Peary’s crew for seven of his expeditions, including the one where Peary reached the North Pole. Peary held him in high regard and considered him his right-hand man.

In 1909, on their final attempt, Henson, Peary, and four Inuit companions reached the supposed North Pole. Henson himself said he was the first to arrive as he was sent ahead to scout the area.
Though Peary received most credit initially, Henson's contributions are increasingly recognized. Though history documents Peary as the first man on the North Pole, Henson is the true hero.

Insider news by UnWild Planet polar experts: He learned Inuit survival techniques, becoming fluent in their language and an expert at dog sledding and navigating the harsh Arctic environment. These skills were crucial for the expeditions' success. Henson is credited with rescuing Peary on at least two occasions: once from nearly drowning and another from a musk ox attack.

Fridtjof Nansen (1888-1896):

Even though Nansen never summited the North Pole, the Norwegian explorer has carved his legacy in the unforgiving Arctic.

He built a special ship, Fram, designed to withstand the crushing pressure of pack ice. The idea? Let the natural east-west current carry Fram towards the North Pole while the crew conducted scientific research between 1893-96.
While reaching the Pole remained elusive, Nansen's expeditions provided valuable scientific data. They made groundbreaking observations about ocean currents, the formation of polar ice, and the lifeforms that thrived in the harsh Arctic environment.

Insider news by UnWild Planet polar experts: The long periods of isolation during the drift expedition took a mental toll on the crew. Nansen employed various strategies to maintain morale, including educational lectures, shared storytelling, and even celebrating manufactured holidays to create a sense of normalcy. While they didn't reach the exact pole, Nansen and Hjalmar Johansen left the ship, skied and drifted further north, achieving a new farthest north record then.

The USS Nautilus (1958):

A lot of people have been on the North Pole. Under Admiral Hyman Rickover, the crew of the USS Nautilius, a nuclear-powered submarine, became the first people to sail UNDER the North Pole.

On a mission named "Operation Sunshine," it completed a daring trek, diving beneath the North Pole. This groundbreaking voyage proved nuclear subs could navigate lengthy underwater routes, like a possible Arctic shortcut.
The Nautilus' 1,830-mile journey under the ice cap wasn't just a feat of engineering, it was a historic moment that ushered in a new era of submarine travel.

Insider news by UnWild Planet polar experts: The success of the Nautilus's 1958 submerged transit under the North Pole demonstrated the viability of nuclear submarines for Arctic exploration. This knowledge likely played a role in future Cold War submarine activities for both the US and USSR, who used the Arctic for undetected travel and potential missile launches.

Richard Weber and Family (1986-present):

Few people know the North Pole and Arctic like the Weber family do. Richard, his wife Josee, and two sons Tessum and Nansen, operate Arctic Watch, Canada’s most northerly lodge.

Richard is the only human to have completed six full North Pole expeditions. In 1986, he joined an expedition that became the first Canadian team to reach the North Pole by foot. Weber didn't stop there. He achieved the unique feat of reaching the Pole from both the Atlantic and Pacific sides.
Most remarkably, in 1995, with teammate Mikhail Malakhov, Weber completed the first unsupported round-trip trek, skiing to the North Pole and back to Canada, relying solely on their own power for an incredible 123 days.

Insider news by UnWild Planet polar experts: One lesser-known detail is that in 1989, during the Soviet-Canadian Polar Bridge Expedition, he became the first person to stand at the exact Geographic North Pole, confirmed by GPS readings registering "90 degrees north."

Ann Bancroft (1986-present):

Bancroft was part of the Will Steger International Polar Expedition which aimed to travel entirely by dog sled, relying on hunting and traditional Inuit skills for survival. This was a challenging and immersive experience.

Bancroft is a lady of firsts. She was the first woman to reach the North Pole by dogsled and foot in 1986 and the first woman to reach the South Pole in 1993.
In 2001, along with Norwegian adventurer Liv Arnesen, she became the first woman to ski across Antarctica. She is the first woman to ski across both Poles.

Insider news by UnWild Planet polar experts: She was also the first person to teach a whole semester of college geology classes via radio (during her 1986 expedition). Imagine learning about glaciers while traveling across one!

Top Gear Team (2007): This story deserves a place on this list because it has drama, a climax, a tragedy, and teaches us geography, too!

Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond are known for their wild antics on the car show Top Gear. In a 2007 episode, they aimed to be the first people to reach the North Pole in a car. Clarkson and May drove a specially modified Toyota Hilux truck built for harsh Arctic conditions.
Hammond traveled by dog sled in a race format for entertainment value. Clarkson and May reached what they thought was the North Pole and were delighted. But they had reached the 1996 location of the North Pole. Huh?

Insider news by UnWild Planet polar experts: You see, the North Pole is magnetic and constantly moving. In 2007, it was 150 miles away! Even the North Pole wanted to partake in Top Gear shenanigans.

In conclusion

The history of Arctic exploration showcases the resilience and inquisitiveness of humanity. Starting from the groundbreaking expeditions led by Robert Peary and Matthew Henson to the journeys of explorers such as Ann Bancroft and Richard Weber these individuals have enriched our knowledge about the Arctic. Their stories highlight the courage required to explore and protect this unique and fragile region, reminding us of the profound impact of their discoveries on global knowledge.