4th of March 2002
12h30- N81°32' 908'' E 96°19' 336''
Just a few hours after Mike was dropped by helicopter onto the ice of Siberia's Cape Arctichevsky, a storm hit. Temperatures of -50°C and winds of 80km/h confined him to his tent, where he could not only acclimatize slightly but also witness a mating session of two walruses close nearby.

Finally the storm ceased and the temperatures improved. Since then, Mike has been eager to move but has been obliged to wait for the wind from the north to blow the pack ice to the Cape before he can begin his traverse to the North Pole. Unfortunately the area of water separating him with the pack ice is too large to swim and has strong currents and freezing temperatures.

Today, Mike calls to say that two other expeditions (Australian and Chinese) were dropped over the water and onto the pack ice, 80km further north. On the way back the pilot stopped to speak to Mike and told him that the weather pattern this year is quite unusual and that because of the warmer conditions it was unlikely that he would be able to traverse the water for another 15 days. Mike was given the choice of returning to the weather station in Schredny by helicopter or getting the pilot to take him 30km onto the edge of the ice shelf. Mike was disappointed but had no choice but to get the helicopter to drop him onto the ice.

Now, six days after being dropped off, Mike can really start the traverse of the Pole. Time is precious and because of the warm temperatures, the ice is fine and unstable. He must be careful. During his first day of walking he needed to contour large areas of water but made good progress. He feels well and is anxious to move quickly. He is happy with his equipment and says the sledge seems to handle well. Communication is good with the Iridium Satellite phone so we hope to get frequent news.

8th of March 2002
N81° 59 48' E95°55 25'
Mike calls from his tent. Yesterday there was another storm with very strong westerly winds. The temperature dropped dramatically to -40°C. Battling with these winds and temperatures is extremely difficult.

"After five hours of walking I had to take refuge in my tent. My face was freezing. Today was a lot easier. The winds have calmed again and the temperature is still very cold. There are still huge blocks of ice to pull the sledge over but at least it is sliding now with the colder temperatures. I crossed the tracks of the Australian expedition. They are not far away, perhaps two days ahead. It'll be strange to see other people on the ice!"

Since Mike started walking, he has covered about 70km, with about another 880km until he reaches the North Pole. He estimates this will take 60 days. He is happy with his progress and sounds well...

13th of March 2002
N82°36'40" E 93°07'303"
"The snow seems to be getting thicker and thicker. My sledge weighs a ton - I feel like I'm pulling all the snow along as well!" Mike is progressing slowly but surely. He has passed over very difficult terrain these last few days, usually managing 10km a day but today he only did 6km after seven hours of walking.

"I normally wake up at 7am. After making breakfast and getting my equipment packed, I only manage to leave around 10am. I continue non-stop throughout the day and stop around 17h30 when the light is no longer good.

"I saw an enormous bear two days ago. It was only 20m away from me but luckily it did not notice my presence. Fortunately for me the wind was blowing in the right direction. I hid behind a block of ice and watched him for a while. It was a wonderful sight but unfortunately I never managed to get my camera out to film him."

The temperature remains very cold at -30°C and there is a continuous strong westerly wind. "My direction never changes. I'm always heading north. I passed a lot of water yesterday and I'm beginning to get blisters on my feet. Considering the conditions and terrain, my progress is OK. As soon as the sledge gets lighter I'll speed up a little. "

18th of March 2002
N82°48'565" E90°50'427"
Mike decided to have a rest day yesterday to fix equipment and treat wounds. He's finding his progress slow and quite frustrating.

"Today I walked for only two hours. I had to stop because the skins on my skis fell off. I had to pitch my tent and heat the glue so it was pointless to start walking again. Even though I haven't advanced much these past few days it has been a welcome and needed break. The past few weeks have been difficult physically and I felt my body needed a rest."

Worrying news is that Mike has frostbite on his ears. "Very painful and swollen! I have to be more careful. It's virtually impossible not to get frostbitten. Even when I sleep at night the temperature in the tent is -18°. Your nose and ears are always exposed and they freeze when you least expect it.

"The terrain is still very uneven and the last two days have been white-out conditions with temperatures of around -30°. At the same time there are strong winds from the north so I'm being pushed backwards while I walk forwards. They say the terrain will get flatter. I'll believe that when I see it!

"My feet have improved with the rest and I'm wearing many layers to keep my ears warm. They'll be fine but I must be careful. No more bears around - thank goodness!

"Looking forward to moving again tomorrow."

— Dominique le Roux, MountainZone.com Correspondent