One Man's Arctic Quest

Tri-Valley Herald
Posted May 11, 2004

THE UNADULTERATED arctic is serene and beautiful. But don't be fooled, Wave Vidmar says. It is a vast and unforgiving region fraught with ice, danger and more ice.

"Welcome to a place that wants you dead," says Vidmar, a Fremont resident, who returned home last week after spending more than six weeks on a solo trek to the North Pole.

Reaching the North Pole had been a childhood dream for Vidmar, a 39-year-old self-described entrepreneur who decided in April 2003 to try to make his dream come true.

Starting with $12,000 of his own money, Vidmar rallied 30 companies and individuals to sponsor him in the $150,000 expedition. One of his sponsors shared his vision of

creating an interactive educational Web site that allowed thousands of classrooms around the world to follow his progress.

Vidmar began training for the trip in May 2003, with a regime of cross-country biking, skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing and hiking. On March 5, Vidmar was dropped at Cape Artichevsky in Russia, where he began the 660-mile journey.

He walked, skied and swam his way north. In the beginning, he averaged four miles a day. Toward the end, he was averaging 14 miles a day.

On March 30, in his online logbook, Vidmar wrote: "I put out 100 percent, but often the results (in mileage) don't reflect the effort. I've never worked so hard, both physically and mentally, as I have on this trek."

Aside from the harsh conditions, Vidmar endured physical setbacks along the way. About 27 days into the adventure, Vidmar's sledge -- packed with nearly 300 pounds of goods and equipment -- slid down a ridge into his ankle. He used duct tape as a makeshift tourniquet.

"There has to be a willingness to endure discomfort and pain," he said.

The 6-foot-2 Vidmar, who weighed 180 pounds when he started the trip, lost 40 pounds during his trek. He suffered frostbite on his toes and fingers, and severe infections caused his eye to swell shut.

Of course, he had no one to blame but himself. At one point, he even decided to take a swim in the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean. He spent three hours in the ice-filled water, swimming 300 meters -- believed to be a world record for an Arctic swim.

"I might not have tried to do it, if I had known no one had done it before," he said.

Vidmar's pale blue eyes light up when he talks about one of his most enjoyable experiences, a friendly encounter with a mother polar bear and her two cubs.

At first, he was cautious.

"I didn't want to be mistaken for a tasty snack," he said.

Trying to establish dominance, Vidmar made himself appear bigger and tougher than the mother bear.

"I put my skis on top of my head and went, 'Woo, woo, woo, woo,'" he said. Afterward, Vidmar says he was able to call the bear and her cubs back and photograph them.

"I just talked to them. I pointed north and told them I'm going to the North Pole," he said.

On April 24, Vidmar made it. But not the way he wanted to.

He had planned an unsupported expedition, meaning no outside assistance. But his expedition travel company decided to pick him up after 51 days -- 253 miles shy of the North Pole. A helicopter carried him the rest of the way.

"It was bittersweet. I was happy to be there, but saddened by the I way got there," he said.

"I have to go back. I accomplished 95 percent of my goal, but I have to finish that 5 percent," he said.

First, though, Vidmar is planning a trip to the South Pole.

"The ice has changed me," he says. "I miss it a great deal. It had a bigger impact on me than I thought it would. It's ingrained in my system."

While he insists he isn't special, and that he was just trying to accomplish his goal, his journey has reinforced his beliefs about success.

"We are a lot more capable than we believe we are, and can go much further than we think we can," he said. "It just takes trying."

Tri-Valley Herald

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