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Episode #9arktis

Crossing the North Pole in the darkBørge Ousland

A man wearing a Norrøna hat and jacket is covered in snow and ice.  The cold weather creates a stark and textured image.

In this episode, Børge talks about one of his latest great adventures – where he and Mike Horn crossed the North Pole during winter darkness.

How does he prepare for such an adventure? What kind of equipment does he use? And how do you survive in such challenging conditions?

In the winter of 2019, Børge Ousland and Mike Horn became the only two people in history to experience the full polar night this far north — skiing unsupported across the Arctic ice cap in total darkness, pulling sledges weighing 190 kilograms, crossing open water by packraft up to 15 times a day, and surviving on oatmeal, dried fruit and freeze-dried meat for nearly three months.

In this episode, Børge opens up about what it truly takes to attempt the impossible: the meticulous satellite map analysis that shaped their route, the mental strategies for staying sane through weeks of darkness and silence, and the near-fatal moment near the end when Mike Horn broke through the ice — soaked from the neck down, just kilometres from safety.

He also reflects on what makes a great expedition partnership, why experience trumps youth in the harshest environments on earth, and what "unsupported" really means when you're starving, exhausted, and friends are offering you chocolate just metres away.

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