Prince Harry begins arctic trek

by Kraig Becker on

Way back in January we posted a story about the possibility of Britain’s Prince Harry going to the North Pole as part of a fund raising effort for charity. While the prince won’t actually be heading to 90ºN as predicted, he did embark on an Arctic trek this week with a team of disabled veterans from the U.K.

After a number of weather delays, Harry and the rest of his group, were finally able to get underway on Monday. The journey began with a flight from Spitsbergen to the Barneo Ice Camp, a temporary base built on the Arctic Ocean that is annually constructed by a team of Russian paratroopers. After a very brief stay at the station, the group was shuttled off 87ºN, where most of the team began their 200 mile journey to the North Pole.

I say most of the team, because Harry won’t be making that journey with the vets. Instead, he’ll be picked up from the ice in a couple of days. The 25-year old prince was given special leave from his military duties to accompany the squad, but he is due back on base, where he’ll continue his training to become an Apache helicopter pilot. There is also the small matter of a wedding in the family soon as well.

The expedition is being undertaken to raise funds for the Walking with the Wounded foundation. The team hopes to raise as much as $3.2 million for the organization, which is dedicated to helping soldiers injured in military service to recover from their wounds and get on with their lives. Four of the men on the expedition were injured during the war in Afghanistan, with two of those being amputees. Prince Harry serves as a patron for Walking with the Wounded, which made it of utmost importance to him that he get to take part in the trek, even if it was only for a few days.

If all goes as scheduled, the team should arrive at the North Pole around the 25th of the month. Harry will be back in warmer climes by the weekend however.

[Photo credit: The Mirror]

Is Prince Harry going to the North Pole?

by Kraig Becker on

British Prince Harry has always had a bit of an adventurous spirit. The young man has served his country in Afghanistan and is currently training to become an Apache helicopter pilot. But if the 26-year old has his way, he may be off on an adventure of entirely different kind, as he is currently training to go to the North Pole on foot with a group of disabled vets.

The expedition is called Walking with the Wounded, and features four soldiers who were injured in the line of duty for their country. They’ll be joined by two other army officers and a polar guide, who will be tasked with getting the entire team safely to 90º North. According to AOL News, Harry is Patron for the expedition and is keen to join the trek himself, provided he is granted a special leave from his military duties.

The plan is to get underway in late March, setting off from a remote point in Siberia. From there, the team will simply head north until they reach the top of the world. But this is a trek that is fraught with peril as North Polar explorers must deal with extreme cold, inclement weather, miles of desolate terrain, and ice that is continually breaking apart do to climate change. Not to mention the chance encounter with a hungry polar bear.

The expedition is expected to take about a month to complete, with the team hoping to arrive by April 23rd. That’s cutting it mighty close for Harry however, who will be expected at his brother William’s wedding, which is scheduled to take place on April 29th.

It’ll be a few weeks before the prince knows if he’ll be allowed to go on this journey or not, but I for one hope he gets the chance. This sounds like an expedition for a good cause and a true adventure of a lifetime.

[Photo credit: Walking with the Wounded]