Two lines and a pic arriving from the Geographic North Pole said it all - Finland has skied to the NP without support for the first time in history. Image courtesy of the Airborne Rangers Club of Finland.
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Finnish North Pole troopers fold Everest 2008
Posted: Mar 20, 2008 01:15 pm EDT
(MountEverest.net/ThePoles.com) "Due to whiteout, it became impossible for the lead skier to see in front of him. Often on such occasions, from beyond the snowdrift, we would then hear the names of various Finnish Pagan Gods and Devils being shouted to the icy heavens…”
The Finnish Airborne Rangers made the North Pole at last, without support - a remarkable feat considering their limited polar experience. But then again, they are Finns - and kicked butt with the Russians in the winter war so that probably should count for something too.
When the going got tough on the Arctic; the Finnish warrior spirit showed. One particularly gloomy morning they dispatched, "Jermi told a brief but topical tale about how Finnish hunters from a certain heroic village (Paltamo) regularly caught bears with their bare hands, before breakfast."
All the Warrior and Adventure spirit have done little good against the Chinese Everest Olympic spirit this spring though. The Finnish Airborne Rangers had planned to climb the north side, but this morning a message arrived that due to the ban they too are postponing Everest for next year instead.
On April 29, 2006, after 55 days on the ice a 7-member Finland Airborne Rangers Club team achieved the first national unsupported expedition to the North Pole.
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