NORTH POLE EXPEDITION 2006     Day 61

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FOLLOW THE EXPLOITS OF MIKE HORN AND BORGE OUSLAND AS THEY NAVIGATE THE NORTH POLE

 

 

 

PROGRESS DAY CHART

 

 

 

 

 

23.03.06  -  MIKE AND BORGE ARRIVE AT THE NORTH POLE!!


After 60 days and 5 hours, Mike and Borge have become the first men ever to walk to the North Pole completely unassisted in the Arctic winter.

 

On Thursday the two adventurers became the first men to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a grueling 1,000-km expedition from northern Siberia to the North Pole, organizers said.

 

Mike and Borge now invite you to a Press Conference - and please see the LATEST NEWS link above for details.

 

See what the international press said below................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adventurers hike to North Pole in dark - Tribune news services March 25, 2006

 


BUFFALO NEWS

OSLO, NORWAY -- After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming across ice openings and dodging polar bears, a Norwegian and South African have reached the North Pole on foot in the darkness of Arctic winter, their team said Friday.  Mike Horn, 39, of South Africa, and Borge Ousland, 43, set off from Cape Artichesky in northern Russia on their 620-mile trek without outside supplies or help from dog sleds.

The professional adventurers pulled everything they needed in sleds that started off weighing about 300 pounds. On Thursday, they completed the trek--most of it in complete Polar darkness.  "This journey has been so tough that I think it will be a very long time until someone tries to repeat our expedition," said Ousland, who previously skied across the Antarctic.  According to the team, no one had attempted to cross the ice and snow-covered wasteland on foot during the six-month Arctic winter.

 

 

 

THE CITIZEN 

 

 

GENEVA – South African explorer Mike Horn and his Norwegian colleague Borge Ousland have reached the North Pole after a 60-day crossing which is said to be the first ever accomplished during the polar night, their website announced Friday.

 

The explorers said they had reached the North Pole at 1600 GMT Thursday after a 1 000-kilometre (620-mile) trek from the northernmost point of Russia, unassisted by dogs or machines.  “Its great to finally be standing on the North Pole. This mystical place is all that it is made out to be. Its incredible out here,” Horn said on the website.

 

“Borge and I have walked far and the conditions have been extremely tough - but we’ve made it. I cant tell you how happy we are feeling,” the 39-year-old, who lives in Switzerland, added.

 

Horn and Borge hauled their 160-kilogramme sledges for up to 12 hours a day in extreme Arctic temperatures and in 24 hours of complete darkness for most of the expedition. They also swam between floes in special suits.  They left Cape Artichesky on the island of Komsomolets in January and had been aiming to arrive by March 21, when the sun started to rise over the Arctic for the first time after the polar winter.  The crossing was timed at 60 days and five hours.

 

The duo were suffering from frostbite and were camping out at the North Pole for a few days until a Russian helicopter flew them out to Barneo Base, a floating airstrip about 100 kilometres away.  Ousland was the first person to have made unassisted solo crossings of the Arctic and Antarctic.  Horn had accomplished a solo 20 000-kilometre (12 430-mile) circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle, and a similar trip around the hotter climes of the equator.

 

 

 

 

INDEPENDENT ONLINE  24 March 2006

 

 

Geneva - Two adventurers on Thursday became the first men to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a gruelling 1 000-km expedition from northern Siberia to the North Pole, organisers said.  During the 61-day trek, mostly conducted in total darkness of winter, South African Mike Horn and Norwegian Borge Ousland braved bitter winds, temperatures of -50°C and polar bears.

"Today (Thursday) Mike and Borge reached their aim, the North Pole, and made history. They are the first people to ever attempt an expedition to the North Pole during the arctic winter," said a statement on the website, www.mikehornnorthpole.com.

The skiing duo did not have the help of dogs or machines in the first ever bid to reach the North Pole in winter, it said. 
Horn, who lives in Switzerland, battled an infection in the last days, taking antibiotics after a possible fuel leak inside his sledge may have contaminated his food.  The pair of adventurers left Geneva on Jan 8 for Moscow, then were dropped by helicopter at Cape Artichesky on Jan 22 when conditions were right to set out on the solid sea ice.

"Borge is 42 years old and now looks 80, and I'm 39 and look like 90," Horn quipped in an email to his site on Wednesday.  Ousland was obliged to saw his skis in half last week after a repair job did not hold.  In October 2004, Horn became the first man to circumnavigate the Arctic Circle without motorised transport, completing a more than two-year solo odyssey of 20 000km.  Married to a Swiss woman and the father of two daughters, his motto is: "A caged lion is not happy".

 

 

 


 

 

 

Adventurers hike to North Pole in dark
Chicago Tribune, United States - 15 hours ago
OSLO, NORWAY -- After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming across ice openings and dodging polar bears, a Norwegian and South African have reached ...

 

 

Norwegian, South African Trek to N. Pole
Houston Chronicle, United States - Mar 24, 2006
By DOUG MELLGREN Associated Press Writer. OSLO, Norway — After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming across ice openings ...

 

 

 

Don't Miss: Dark Explorers
NPR - Mar 24, 2006
Borge Ousland (left) and Mike Horn in their tent at the North Pole. Mike Horn. March 24, 2006 · In January, two explorers set out on a hike... ...

 

Ousland reaches the North Pole
Norway Post, Norway - Mar 23, 2006
Norwegian adventurer Boerge Ousland and his companion Mike Horn have completed their trek to the North Pole. They are the first ...

 

 

Bears, Winds Fail to Derail 1st Winter Arctic Foot Trek
National Geographic, D.C. - Mar 23, 2006
The first ever winter trek to the North Pole reached its goal today despite setbacks from weather, equipment failures, and polar bears. ...

 

Explorers ski across Arctic Ocean
Reuters.uk, UK - Mar 23, 2006
GENEVA (Reuters) - Two adventurers on Thursday became the first men to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a gruelling 1,000-km (620 mile ...

 

 

Two explorers first to reach North Pole in winter
Tuam Herald, Ireland - Mar 24, 2006
Two explorers have reached the North Pole, after skiing for nearly a month and a half. It was pitch dark when Borge Ousland and Mike Horn reached their target. ...

 

 

620-mile Arctic adventure called `tough'
San Jose Mercury News,  USA - 15 hours ago
By Doug Mellgren. OSLO, Norway - After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming across ice openings and dodging polar bears ...

 

 

Norwegian, South African Trek to N. Pole
Guardian Unlimited, UK - Mar 24, 2006
By DOUG MELLGREN. OSLO, Norway (AP) - After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming across ice openings and dodging polar ...

 

Norwegian, South African trek to N. Pole
Boston Globe, United States - Mar 24, 2006
By Doug Mellgren, Associated Press Writer | March 24, 2006. OSLO, Norway --After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming across ...

 

 

S African treks to North Pole
News24, South Africa - Mar 24, 2006
Geneva - South African explorer Mike Horn and his Norwegian colleague Borge Ousland have reached the North Pole after a 60-day crossing which is said to be the ...

 

 

SA man and partner ski across frozen sea
Independent Online, South Africa - Mar 24, 2006
Geneva - Two adventurers on Thursday became the first men to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a gruelling 1 000-km expedition from northern ...

 

 

Explorers first to ski across Arctic Ocean in winter
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - Mar 23, 2006
Two adventurers have became the first men to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean in winter, completing a gruelling 1,000-kilometre expedition from northern ...

 

 

Explorers ski across Arctic Ocean, reach North Pole
Malaysia Star, Malaysia - Mar 23, 2006
By Ross Colvin. GENEVA (Reuters) - Two adventurers on Thursday became the first men to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing ...

 

Explorers ski across Arctic Ocean, reach North Pole
Turkish Daily News (subscription), Turkey - 19 hours ago
Two adventurers on Thursday became the first men to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a grueling 1,000-km expedition from northern Siberia to the ...

 

 

Norwegian, South African Trek to N. Pole
CRI, China - Mar 24, 2006
After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming across ice openings and dodging polar bears, a Norwegian and South African have reached the North Pole on ...

 

 

Norwegian, South African Trek to N. Pole
Ely Times,  USA - Mar 24, 2006
By DOUG MELLGREN, 9 minutes ago. OSLO, Norway - After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming across ice openings and dodging ...

 

 

Norwegian, South African Trek to N. Pole
Times Daily, AL - Mar 24, 2006
By DOUG MELLGREN. After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming across ice openings and dodging polar bears, a Norwegian and ...

 

 

 

South African and Norwegian reach North pole after night time trek
African News Dimension, South Africa - Mar 24, 2006
By ANDnetwork .com. South African explorer Mike Horn and his Norwegian colleague Borge Ousland have reached the North Pole after ...

 

 

Frozen feat!
GG2.net, UK - Mar 24, 2006
TWO ADVENTURERS have become the first men to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a gruelling 1,000-km (620 mile) expedition from northern Siberia to ...

 

 

 

Warm congratulations for a frozen first
The South African Star (subscription), South Africa - Mar 23, 2006
Geneva - Two adventurers, one a South African, have become the first to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a 1 000km expedition from northern ...

 

 

 

Arctic. Polar explorers Mike Horn & Borge Ousland set new North ...
BYM News (press release), Spain - Mar 23, 2006
After 60 days and 5 hours Mike and Borge have become the first men ever to walk to the North Pole completely unassisted in the Arctic winter. ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 


For latest news on Mike and Borge go to: www.mikehornnorthpole.com


WEB LINKS

Sign up for updates on Mike's progress on his North Pole Winter Expedition at www.mikehornnorthpole.com

Click here to view Mike & Borge's latest position on Google Earth. To download Google Earth click here ( PC and Mac OS X 10.4 only).


For further information on Mike Horn contact:
Josie Robinson
T: +44 (0)870 063 0210
E: josie.robinson@ocgroup.com



MIKE HORN PERSONAL DETAILS


Age: 39
Nationality: South African resides Switzerland
Status: Married to Cathy, two children aged 11 and 12

 

 


MIKE HORN'S PHILOSOPHY:


'The drive to go beyond our physical, mental and spiritual limits is an internal attitude that transcends global borders. It tests our personal limits and opens the way for new levels of achievement in all aspects of life. This philosophy is the driving force behind every endeavour.

Although I find myself in the most extreme circumstances, I always use caution. My philosophical approach is to live the endeavour as an expression of my being. Alone, immersed in nature, with no creature comforts, to surpass the limits imposed by man and nature itself. With faith and determination, one can embody the purest expression of this philosophy.'

 

 

 


 

 

 

ARCTIC AND ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION LINKS:

 

 

Ernest Shackleton

Roald Amundsen

Scott of the Antarctic

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

Nelson Kruschandl:  We're with you all the way.

 

 

 


 

 

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