Four North Poles

Geomagnetic Pole Reached

As part of the Ice Warrior Four Poles Expedition, founder Jim McNeill made his second attempt to reach this pole in March but was forced to abandon his part in the expedition when he fell through very broken sea-ice about 130 miles north of the Canadian coastline. He is sore but undeterred and is now planning next year's Ice Warrior expedition.

The novice team consisting of two ice parties - 20 expedition members - 17 trained novices travelling over 250 miles of mixed Arctic terrain - were successful at reaching the Geomagnetic Pole.

During the expedition, Ice Warrior validated the data from the orbiting NASA Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) by taking actual snow and ice depth measurements, twice a day.

For the fourth consecutive year, NSIDC and NASA scientists using satellite data have tracked a stunning reduction in Arctic sea ice at the end of the northern summer. The persistence of near-record low extents leads the group to conclude that Arctic sea ice is likely on an accelerating, long-term decline.

Working with NSIDC/NASA, gathering this crucial data, made this expedition particularly worthwhile because it literally measures and therefore highlights a global environmental problem.

A fantastic adventure combined with true purpose.

The Four North Poles - defined.

GEOGRAPHIC TRUE NORTH POLE 90°N
A fixed location on the surface of the Arctic Ocean where the Earth's axis of rotation meet. First seen in 1926 from the airship Norge.
 
NORTH MAGNETIC POLE 83° 14’N, 118° 19’ W
A wandering location at 90 degrees to the Earth’s surface where lines of magnetic force exit. The magnetic field is vertical and points vertically into the ground. The north seeking end of a compass needle points to this pole (hence this is technically a south pole since opposite poles attract). It was first attained by Captain James Ross in 1831 when it was on the Boothia Peninsula and has subsequently migrated northwards well into the Arctic Ocean at a current rate of ~40km every year.
 
NORTH GEOMAGNETIC POLE 79° 49’ N, 71° 47’ W
The point where the geomagnetic field is closest to True North. North end of the axis of the geomagnetic field which surrounds the Earth and extends into space as the magnetosphere. Tilted at ~11 degrees to the rotation axis of the Earth (the geographic pole), and field lines are not vertical to the Earth’s surface here. Situated over the Darling Peninsula, Canada. Aurora Borealis occur principally in a stratospheric torus 23° around this pole.
 
ARCTIC POLE or NORTHERN POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY 85° 47‘ N, 176° 9‘ E
The farthest point from any coastline; also called the 'Northern Pole of Inaccessibility'
First established in 1927 by Sir Hubert Wilkins, by aircraft.