In a satellite phone call to Expedition headquarters in Minneapolis, Huston had this message for everyone who has been following their journey. "Tyler and I are having a hard time comprehending the fact that we are finally here at the Pole," said Huston. "The last two months have been an incredible physical and mental challenge, and over the last few days we have pushed ourselves further than we ever thought possible. Of course, there is nothing here at the Pole to signify our accomplishment, just a white, quiet expanse and some beautiful latitude and longitude readings on our GPS units. We are exceedingly grateful to have had this opportunity. Our thoughts now are with our families, our sponsors and everyone who has encouraged us. You can talk all you want about our perseverance, but we know in our hearts that we would not be standing in this spot without the support of everyone who believed in us. Tyler and I thank all of you for making this an incredible journey. We are now going sign off and catch an hour or two of sleep before our Russian friend, Victor, arrives with his helicopter to fly us out from the Pole. Many thanks to all of you from the Victorinox North Pole 09 Expedition."
Renowned adventurer and explorer, Will Steger, had this to say about Huston and Fish when he received word of their arrival at the Pole. "John and Tyler must be commended for a job well done," said Steger. "Their success started with their meticulous planning and training, and played out on the ice through their persistence, cool minds and optimistic attitudes. They have accomplished an incredible feat, and I am very proud of them."
Huston and Fish began their Expedition on March 2 from the northern tip of Canada's Ellesmere Island, and have received no outside assistance such as airdrops or re-supplies. Instead, they have carried and pulled along with them all of the gear, food, cooking fuel and navigational equipment they needed for the two-month trek - more than 650 pounds in all. In the early days of the Expedition, the Arctic sun never rose above the horizon, and the Expedition team picked its way through chaotic masses of sea ice in near total darkness. During one particularly brutal four-day period, the daytime highs ranged from -60 to -35 degrees F and the harsh terrain limited their progress to one to two nautical miles per day. After the first five days of skiing and snowshoeing the team had progressed just eight nautical miles. They had nearly 407 nautical miles to go (the equivalent to 468 statute miles).
The last five days of the Expedition were equally difficult, but this was due to far different circumstances. Huston and Fish were now operating in 24 hours of sunlight, and the temperatures were relatively mild, from -20 to + 3 degrees F. However, exceedingly strong winds from the north and west decreased visibility and created waves of snow on the surface of the ice, which slowed their progress. More frustrating was the negative drift of the sea ice, which the winds and currents were now propelling in the direction opposite the Pole. It was as though they were skiing on a treadmill, pushing and straining to progress toward the Pole even as the ice beneath their skis was moving south and east. It was not unusual for Huston and Fish to wake up from a short sleep two to three miles further away from the Pole than when they went to bed. It was at this point they determined that the only way to reach the Pole by the evacuation deadline was to ski more or less straight through for three days.
Huston, age 32, and Fish, age 34, met when they both worked as Outward Bound wilderness expedition leaders following their graduations from Northwestern University and Bates College, respectively. They began planning this Expedition more than two years ago, and have been training extensively to handle the rigors of traveling over the Arctic Ocean. Their Expedition was sponsored by Victorinox Swiss Army, DeLorme GPS and Bergans of Norway performance outdoor apparel.
Huston and Fish undertook this challenge to raise awareness and funds for CaringBridge®, a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that creates supportive online communities for people facing serious medical conditions. For the last few weeks of the Expedition they dedicated each day of skiing to another CaringBridge patient. Those interested in supporting CaringBridge through the Victorinox North Pole '09 expedition are encouraged to visit firstgiving.com/northpole09, where they can make a tax-deductible financial donation. Audio dispatches from each day of the Expedition and an interactive map showing the progress of the team are available at northpole09.com, and at the Victorinox web site northpole.swissarmy.com.
- For detailed bios on John Huston and Tyler Fish, please visit Expedition Bios
- Photos of Huston and Fish can be requested by contacting Jack Klobucar at
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About Forward Expeditions LLC
Forward Expeditions is a values-based company founded by Huston and Fish for the purpose of using ambitious wilderness expeditions to inspire people to embrace challenge with optimism, humility and responsible action. The Victorinox North Pole '09 expedition receives major support from Victorinox/Swiss Army, DeLorme, and Bergans of Norway. For more information visit www.northpole09.com.
About CaringBridge
CaringBridge® is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization offering free personalized Web sites to those wishing to stay in touch with family and friends when facing a serious medical condition, treatment or recovery. For more information visit www.CaringBridge.org.
About Victorinox
Victorinox Swiss Army, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Victorinox, A.G., is the exclusive United States, Canadian and Caribbean marketer of VICTORINOX multi-tools, forged cutlery, and LED lighting products; VICTORINOX SWISS ARMY timepieces, and R.H. FORSCHNER BY VICTORINOX cutlery. It sells apparel throughout the world under the VICTORINOX trademark and has flagship retail stores in New York and Tokyo. Under license from Victorinox A.G., the Company sublicenses the VICTORINOX trademark and the famous Victorinox Cross and Shield to selected manufacturers and distributors of fine products including VICTORINOX TRAVEL GEAR. The company Web site is located at www.swissarmy.com. Victorinox Swiss Army, Inc. is based in Monroe, CT. "VICTORINOX," the famous Victorinox Cross and Shield, and "SWISS ARMY" are trademarks owned by Victorinox AG and its affiliates and are registered in many countries.
