ImaStory

Dogsleds to North Pole

Shared Chapters
Spring forward.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
North Pole ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Sunday, March 30, 2014, 8:12:00 AM
  • updated: Sunday, March 30, 2014 8:17:00 AM
Departure Looms
Thursday, April 03, 2014
North Pole ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Thursday, April 03, 2014, 10:51:00 AM
  • updated: Thursday, April 03, 2014 10:51:00 AM
Barneo - Russian Ice Camp
Friday, April 04, 2014
North Pole ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Friday, April 04, 2014, 4:48:00 AM
  • updated: Friday, April 04, 2014 4:48:00 AM
Polar Bears and Progress
Saturday, April 05, 2014
North Pole ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Saturday, April 05, 2014, 2:31:00 PM
  • updated: Saturday, April 05, 2014 2:31:00 PM
Medical Evacuation - Part 1
Monday, April 07, 2014
North Pole ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Monday, April 07, 2014, 5:00:00 PM
  • updated: Monday, April 07, 2014 5:00:00 PM
Medical Evacuation - Part 2
Monday, April 07, 2014
North Pole ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Monday, April 07, 2014, 5:04:00 PM
  • updated: Monday, April 07, 2014 5:04:00 PM
Camp Life - Part 2
Tuesday, April 08, 2014
North Pole ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Tuesday, April 08, 2014, 2:54:00 PM
  • updated: Tuesday, April 08, 2014 2:54:00 PM
Where Things Live
Thursday, April 10, 2014
In order to prepare for this trip Mark and I went to a 3 day shakedown camp with the guides in January. We spent two nights in a tent at minus 20 Fahrenheit. The guides talked about knowing where all of your gear is at all times. They would say for example to keep your lighter in the same pocket and if you need it, it is there. And as soon as you are done put it back because it lives there. This is crucial in the arctic because we have limited space and you need to keep track of your gear. Too much energy is spent looking for something and if you are freezing you need it right away. Anyone ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Thursday, April 10, 2014, 4:42:00 PM
  • updated: Wednesday, April 23, 2014 9:52:00 PM
Endurance and EXTREME Cold
Friday, April 11, 2014
Our blog is full of lots of posts about how Mark and I joke around to pass time on the dogsled. Not today. Today was brutal. Coldest day yet. It was at least minus 30 Fahrenheit and the wind was howling. There was very little talking other than to confirm that all of our fingers and toes were working. The ice was flat but if you rode the sled, you frooze. Our boots are rated to negative 145 degrees. It did not help. The cold brought a cease fire to the war for limited space on the sled because we had to take turns running next to the sled all day to stay warm. We covered 12 miles. It ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Friday, April 11, 2014, 3:32:00 PM
  • updated: Wednesday, April 23, 2014 9:49:00 PM
Boom and Gloom
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Last night after we made the blog post we had CP and Maher to our tent for some freeze dried dinner. It is quiet here at night when the dogs are sleeping. Suddenly we hear a massive noise. It sounded to me like a building being demolished. Mark says with an alarmed voice that he thinks he hears water rushing. We agree. The guides move fast and head outside the tent. Mark and I sit awaiting news. We suspect at the time that a massive lead opened up. The guides returned to report that they could not see anything but it was definitely the ice moving. We finish dinner and go to bed. We woke ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Sunday, April 13, 2014, 7:59:00 AM
  • updated: Wednesday, April 23, 2014 9:46:00 PM
Riding Out the Storm
Sunday, April 13, 2014
I woke up this morning hoping to hear nothing other than the occasional stirring of our guides like in mornings past. Instead I was greeted with the sounds of an angry Artic wind. We are in a full blown whiteout and cannot move. The blowing wind fills the air with snow that smashes into your face. It's best described like you see if you are driving into a snow storm on the freeway. The kind of storm that cars pull under over passes for a little reprieve. Our sturdy little tent is our life source. We have to conserve fuel because there is no predicting how long we are here. So no stov ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Sunday, April 13, 2014, 8:10:00 AM
  • updated: Wednesday, April 23, 2014 9:48:00 PM
Off the Pole - Time to Reflect
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
We made it. Hardest thing I have ever done in my life by a long shot. The four of us were reached the Pole in record time for a two degree dog sled team. Overall about 200 miles (lots of east and west). We pushed hard at the end and went 48 hours with an hour sleep. Our guides deserve the glory. Rock stars of human beings. Mark and I spent a lot of time talking about things on the trail. There are hundreds of hours of time to reflect. I hope this post is not too sappy but its from the heart. Both Mark and I talked about this alot. We both agree. As we stood at the North Pole and thoug ...continued...
  • By: Mike  Ketchmark
  • Wednesday, April 16, 2014, 3:37:00 PM
  • updated: Wednesday, April 23, 2014 9:44:00 PM

Links

Links