lacking in sufficient preparation. Not only do they jeopardise rescue possibilities for those who really need them, they also risk the lives of rescuers. Worse, some explorers overdramatise situations simply to gain media attention…
To trek to the North Pole from Canada is a tough, harsh, challenging journey, probably the hardest trek in the world. I applaud any adventurer who dares to take up this challenge. Adventurers choose to be on the Arctic Ocean. Each adventurer has a responsibility to have the food, fuel and money in place so that they can get off the ice safely using the normal methods (for example a pick-up by Twin Otter aircraft). It is the responsibility of the adventurer to ensure they have adequate supplies, taking into account the fickle nature of the Arctic Ocean. Polar adventurers have no right to run out of food and/or fuel and to call Search & Rescue. The rescuers are trained professionals who risk their lives to save the lives of others. Adventurers have no right to ask these men and women to risk their lives to take them off the Arctic Ocean.
To run so low on expedition resources that one needs to call the military, at the cost of the Canadian tax-payer, is completely unacceptable… Roald Amundsen once said ‘adventure is bad planning’. A well-planned and executed expedition does not include dramatics.
When an adventurer turns on an emergency beacon and calls for Search & Rescue, it is no longer a personal decision. It affects the safety of the Search & Rescue personnel, it affects the Canadian tax-payers who foot the bill and it affects other (more responsible) adventurers. This behaviour does and will reflect on the entire polar adventuring community. The Canadian authorities will not accept paying for very many unnecessary Search & Rescues before they put in place restrictions and regulations. In Canadian National Parks, if a person calls for rescue, that rescue is evaluated and… that person may be asked to pay the bill.
The same procedure should be used for polar adventurers. Anyone who calls for unnecessary Search & Rescue should not be portrayed as a hero on CNN, but as a fool.
Clearly, it is up to each individual to take responsibility and to put in place all the pieces of the puzzle in order to prevent reckless behaviour on the ice. Polar expeditions are not an exact science, and with Mother Nature being fickle and unpredictable even the most professional explorers are faced with problems that have them puzzled. But everything must be based on appropriate experience and immaculate preparation – and, once out there, sensible decision-making. Even though the complete uncertainty of the polar pioneers has long gone – replaced by the relative security of the modern era – the risk factor is still very much present.
At the top of the world – but even with modern technology, there are always risks
Novices often give themselves a false sense of protection by surrounding themselves with hi-tech communications tools such as rescue beacons, satellite telephones, GPS and other apparatus, and then rely on them totally. But it has been proven again and again that the only way to appreciate the polar regions fully is to immerse yourself in all aspects of the terrain, and make sure that you survive without the gimmicks.
Environmental Impact and Climate Change
We must all recognise that, as polar explorers – whatever our starting point – it is a long way to the places we have set our sights on, and that all travel imposes an environmental footprint. The very least we can do is take a look at alternative options, or choose different techniques to compensate for our actions.
To put things in perspective, the impact of the few polar expeditions that wend their way across the frozen (Ant)Arctic each year is close to zero by comparison with the footprint of the scientific bases or the more classic forms of tourism. At a rough estimate, polar expeditions are responsible for 0.001 per cent of the total impact of human activity in these fragile areas. However, it is not really about how much we ‘do wrong’ or who is responsible, but about what we honestly can or should do to minimise our impact. It is up to each expedition to decide how far they want to go in this regard. One option, for example, is to offset the emissions of the aeroplane and other motorised travel leading to your departure point and getting you back home.
THE RULES OF POLAR COMPETITION
There is no global organisation monitoring polar travel, nor is there a board of experts working together towards an internationally recognised framework to monitor polar travel; any rules that exist have been defined by private organisations. A more credible set of definitions and parameters is needed for those who want to engage in a more ‘competitive’ kind of polar exploration.
Cold and harsh environments with constant changes in conditions do not lend themselves to true competition but while the trend to compete exists, some guidelines are required. The following ones are reproduced with permission from Explorersweb (www.thepoles.com).
Assist
This is the outside help received by an expedition. The most common form of polar assist is air re-supply.
Labels
Unassisted
Assisted – re-supplies
Assisted – emergency (this category also applies if one or more members leave an ongoing expedition)
SUPPORT
External power aids used for significant speed and load advantage. Typical aids are wind power (kites), animal power (dogs) or engine power (motorised vehicles). Only human-powered expeditions are considered unsupported. Human-powered equipment such as skis, snowshoes and sleds is not considered support. Navigation aids such as compass and GPS are not considered support. Safety aids such as radios, satellite phones and location beacons are not considered support.
Labels
Unsupported
Wind support
Dog support
Motorised support
STYLE
This captures other characteristics of the expedition.
Labels
Unguided
Guided
Solo (The style label ‘solo’ requires that the explorer is alone and receives no outside assistance. A solo performance must therefore also be ‘unassisted’.)
START/END POINTS
The items below refer to overland or oversea North Pole or South Pole expeditions.
Travel to the South/North Pole
The start point has to be from the boundary between land and water – the coastline. Permanent ice is considered part of the ocean, not the land.
If the coastline is not obvious due to permanent ice, the start point should be according to the mapped outline of the coast.
Partial travel to the South/North Pole
Any start point that is not at the edge of the continental landmass, but at least 1° from the pole itself. This covers ‘Last Degree’ expeditions as well as Patriot Hill
