Exploration: Roald Amundsen: Timeline

This timeline shows you the details of Roald Amundsen's expedition in Antarctica and how he became the first man to reach the South Pole. This is unnecessary unless you are really interested in the events because most of this is repetition from the story.

8 September 1911 Friday	The team started their journey...eight men with sledges pulled by 86 dogs. "The going was splendid", covering 31 miles over the next three days.
11 September	Woke up to find temperatures nearing –70F
12 September	Conditions worsened as the fluid in their compasses froze solid. Decided to make a run for the depot, unload their sledges and race back to Framheim..
14 September Thursday	Weather cooperated. Arrived at depot.
15 September	Evening, Hanssen and Stubberud discovered their heels were frostbitten. A number of the dogs were suffering from the cold; two dogs froze to death in their sleep.
16 September	7:00 am, they set off for Framheim. First two sledges moved so rapidly and the sledge teams broke up. Bjaaland and Stubberud reaching first at 6 pm, while Johansen and Prestrud finally stumbled into camp at 12:30 am the next day. Johansen and Prestrud were totally exhausted, having found Framheim in the dark and fog only by following the barking of the dogs.
17 September	At breakfast, Amundsen asked Johansen why it had taken them so long to make it back to Framheim. Johansen exploded, angrily accusing Amundsen of displaying poor leadership qualities when the group had been allowed to split up. Amundsen never forgave Johansen for this confrontation. Amundsen's excuse to the others was that Hanssen was suffering severely from frostbite... the men were not totally convinced. At noon, Amundsen announced his change in plans. Amundsen would lead one party to the Pole while Prestrud--with Johansen--would lead another to explore King Edward VII Land. If the Pole party were not successful, at least there might still be a "first" gained for Norway. Amundsen then spoke to each man individually (ignoring Johansen), asking for his pledge of loyalty...all gave it.
20 October	Amundsen, Bjaaland, Wisting, Hassel and Hanssen departed with four sledges each pulled by 13 dogs.
24 October	Making good progress, they arrived at 80°S. They uncovered the provisions and gave the dogs a feast of seal meat and blubber.
25 October	The party left with all five men on skis.
4 November	Arrived at 82°S depot.
6 November	They left, accomplishing 20 miles each day.
11 November	Peaks of mountains were seen in the distance, which Amundsen later named Queen Maud's Range, after the Queen of Norway. At the foot of the range they planned for the final run to the Pole, some 340 miles away. The final plan was to take 30 days of supplies, along with the remaining 42 dogs, and make the climb. After reaching the top, 24 of the dogs would be shot, using the remaining 18 in the final dash for the Pole. Once reached, six more would be slaughtered to provide food for the remaining twelve on the return trip.
17 November	Started the climb up the Axel Heiberg Glacier. Weather was warm.
21 November	Reached the summit. Twenty-four dogs were shot and the party stayed at "The Butcher's Shop", as it was now called, for four more days.
26 November	Having waited two days longer than planned, they pushed on heading off into a raging blizzard. For the next ten days they struggled against driving snow in 35 mph winds and thick fog. At last they reached the plateau, only to be confronted by "The Devil's Ballroom", a glacier with a thin crust of snow covering a number of dangerous, deep crevasses. The last major obstacle.
8 December	With the sun shining brightly, they passed Shackleton's farthest south of 88°23'S, only 95 miles from the South Pole. The men had many sores and frostbitten faces, yet still the party pushed on.
14 December 1911 Friday	At 3:00 pm, there was a simultaneous cry of "Halt!" as the sledge meters registered their arrival at the South Pole. Symbolic of their struggle in unity, each of the men, with their weathered and frostbitten hands, grasped the Norwegian flag and planted it firmly at the geographical South Pole. Amundsen named the plain King Haakon VII's Plateau. A tent was erected, naming it Poleheim, with Amundsen leaving a message inside for Scott, along with a letter for King Haakon.
22 January 1912	Returned to Framheim, with all five men and 11 dogs "hale and hearty". The month-long voyage back to Tasmania was a frustrating time for Amundsen, who was now quite anxious to be the first to announce the news of their achievement.
7 March	Amundsen finally cabled his brother Leon with the historic news.