AMUNDSEN SPORTS - Key Persons
Captain Robert F. Scott had already announced his expedition to the South Pole, but Amundsen kept his South Pole plans to himself. When he left Oslo, Norway on 9 August 1910 on the Fram, the rest of the world thought he was still heading for the North Pole, even his crew thought so. On board Fram were 97 Greenland dogs, the key to Amundsen's success, along with provisions for two years in the Antarctic.
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After the discovery of the North West Passage, Roald Amundsen had been planning an expedition to the North Pole with the polar vessel Fram for some time, when in 1909 he got the news that Robert E. Peary had beaten him to it. Amundsen immediately turned his attention to the South Pole instead. Captain Robert F. Scott had already announced his expedition to the South Pole, but Amundsen kept his South Pole plans to himself. When he left Oslo, Norway on 9 August 1910 on the Fram, the rest of the world thought he was still heading for the North Pole, even his crew thought so.On board Fram were 97 Greenland dogs, the key to Amundsen's success, along with provisions for two years in the Antarctic.
After five months of sailing, they reached the Ross ice shelf in Antarctica. Amundsen and his crew set up their base camp Framheim, where they had to winter for eight months until the sun reappeared in August. By September the weather seemed warm enough for them to start the trek towards the Pole. After only a few days they experienced temperatures down to -60˚C (-76˚F), the fluid in their compasses froze solid and dogs froze to death in their sleep. They were forced to turn back to Framheim. In late October, Amundsen with a crew of four once more left Framheim on their historic trek to the Pole. The five men made their way over the snow on skis, with sledges pulled by dogs.