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An Arctic Adventure

By Kathyrn R. Satterfield

Polar explorers Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen have dragged heavy tires for miles. They have hiked up hills carrying backpacks full of bricks. For the past year, they have been building their strength for a long, hard trip across the Arctic Ocean.

But this preparation will get them only so far. When Arnesen and Bancroft set off on their icy trek, they will need inspiration. They are counting on kids to supply that. Messages from kids who are following the polar pair on the explorers' website, bancroftarnesenexplore.com, have already started to pour in.

"You get so much juice from these letters," Bancroft told TFK. "You think, 'I can push a little harder today.'"

Arnesen and Bancroft want to become the first women to cross the Arctic Ocean. To do so, they will have to ski, swim and sail across 1,240 miles of constantly shifting ice and frigid water. They plan to begin their journey in Russia on February 21. By the end of April, they expect to reach the halfway point, the North Pole. The pair hope to finish their journey on Ward Hunt Island, Canada, by June 1.

Into the Arctic
Arnesen, 51, who is from Oslo, Norway, and Bancroft, 49, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, are both former teachers. They are also experienced explorers. In 2001, they became the first women to cross Antarctica.

The duo will face many challenges on their trek. Early on, they will travel in almost 24-hour darkness in temperatures that can get as low as -75°F. They will have to swim in some spots, then pull their 220-pound sleds, packed with supplies, across the water. And through many parts of the journey, they will have to watch for polar bears.

But Bancroft and Arnesen's biggest challenge may be the shifting ice beneath them. The movement can push up chunks of ice as big as a house. Moving ice could set them back several miles while they sleep.

No matter how tough the trail, the explorers are thrilled to know that kids will be charting the mission's progress. "We love teaching and sharing stories," Arnesen says. "That's what gives us a purpose."

Next: United They Stand