MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Woman conquers “seven mountains” and “three poles”

Norwegian adventurer Cecilie Skog reached Monday the North Pole, making her the first woman to both climb the highest mountains on seven continents and ski to the so-called “three poles,” her team said Tuesday.

The 31-year-old Norwegian set off from Ward Hunt Island in Nunavut, with two male teammates, Rolf Bae and Per-Henry Borch, on March 6 to ski to the North Pole with no outside assistance or supplies.

Late Monday, after 48 days and 22 hours, and 779 kilometres in the icy whiteness of the frozen north, they reached the Pole, having to ski, walk and even swim across openings in the ice.

According to the Internet site www.thepoles.com, which closely follows polar records, Skog is the second woman in history to ski to the North Pole from land. The first was Tina Sjogren in 2002.

Skog's spokesman in Oslo, Bjoern Sekkesaeter, said that Skog's trek also makes her the first woman to have completed what adventurers call "The Seven Summits" as well as "The Three Poles," which refers to the North and South Poles plus climbing Mount Everest.

Skog has climbed the highest mountains in South America, North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Antarctic and Oceania. These are: Everest, Asia; Aconcagua, South America; Denali o McKinley, North America; Kilimanjaro, Africa; Elbrouz, Europe; Vinson, Antarctica and the Cartsensz Pyramid in Oceania.

In December 2005, she skied with the same team of Bae and Borch to the South Pole. For the North Pole trek, Skog, who weighs about 120 pounds, had to pull everything she needed on a sled that started off weighting 125 kilograms.

The team endured temperatures down to - 40 C and blinding whiteouts sometimes while soaking wet when their waterproof suits leaked in open water.