For the most part, I consider myself the weakest link in everything I do. Therefore, I buttress my efforts with routines, systems and more than my fair share of mantras.

I also like having a plan, but on the Arctic Ocean, you cant make a rigid plan and expect to adhere to it as conditions change. It is unsafe and tantamount to failure or worse.

The Arctic Ocean is a thin skin of ice floating on a vast expanse of sea water one and a half times larger than the United States. The frozen surface is broken up into sheets called pans that are in constant motion depending on the winds, tides and ocean currents. As a result, the route to the North Pole is constantly shifting and changing.

Which is why my motto of, â??go up there and see what happensâ? is important on this type of adventure. We cant make a rigid plan and expect to adhere to it as surface conditions, ice drift and weather changes. Instead we keep a strict travel schedule based on time (not distance covered) and modify it as needed. For most, that amount of uncertainty is uncomfortable for the average person but I see it as one of the important keys to success.

Currently we are awaiting our flight to the sea ice where we can begin our short Last Degree Ski to the North Pole. For our part, we continue to focus on the things we can control like food packing and practicing setting up tents and stoves. As far as the temporary ice camp near the pole, that is moving as well.

While we have a relatively straightforward plan right now, ultimately we will just have to up there and see what happens!

Image: ice camp coordinates showing drift.