En Español

The pony whinnied as it plunged through the deep snow. Robert F. Scott watched as the pony struggled to get its footing. It took great effort to pull its leg out of the snow, only to sink back in with the next step. Perhaps Scott had made a mistake by bringing so many ponies instead of sled dogs. The ponies were already having trouble.

It was winter in 1911. Scott hoped to be the first person to reach the South Pole. He had already tried once. On another expedition, Scott and two team members had come close to the Pole, but had to turn back. Sled dogs had been little help on that trip. That's why he chose ponies this time.

Scott wasn't the only one trying to reach the South Pole. Roald Amundsen was there, too. He had lived near the North Pole. There, he learned how to train sled dogs and how to dress for cold weather.

Both men dreamed of reaching the South Pole first. They wanted the success for themselves and their countries. Scott was from England. Amundsen was from Norway.

So the trip to the South Pole would be a race! To reach their goal, they would travel more than 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles). They would suffer frostbite, snow blindness, and starvation. In the end, only one man would be first. The other would lose his life.

During winter, each team stayed at their separate camps. They planned and got ready for their trip to the Pole.

Each team decided to follow a different path. Scott planned to take the same one he had used earlier. Amundsen decided to go through an unmapped area.

With their routes selected, the explorers sent out teams to set up supply stations. They left food and fuel for heat at each one. This way, the explorers wouldn't have to carry everything as they made their way to the Pole.

The food the men packed was not the most tasty. Yet it gave them the energy they needed as they tried to reach their goal.

With their last supply station set up, Scott and his team headed back to camp. Then something unexpected happened.

An entire team of sled dogs fell into a deep crack in the ice called a crevasse. Tied together, they now dangled from the edge of the ice.

The frightened dogs yelped. They struggled to free themselves. Slowly, the men pulled them to safety. Two dogs had come free from the harness. They had fallen onto a ledge below the surface. They were trapped.

A rescue attempt seemed too risky. Yet Scott refused to leave the dogs behind. He ordered his men to use a rope to lower him down to the ledge. He scooped up the dogs. Then the men hauled Scott and the dogs to safety.

Amundsen: Finally, spring came. At last, Amundsen felt ready. He chose his four toughest men to go with him. Once they loaded the sleds, the dogs sped off. The men skied beside them.

Snow and bitter winds pushed against them. Wearing reindeer furs kept the men warm. Sealskin boots kept their feet dry.

Amundsen and his men worked well as a team. One day, a howling blizzard roared across the ice. In less than an hour, the team calmly set up their tents, fixed a meal, and fed the dogs.

Scott: Meanwhile, Scott was still in his camp. He finally set out two weeks after Amundsen. He still believed the ponies were hardier than sled dogs. If the horses or dogs failed him, Scott planned to have his men pull the sleds themselves.

Shortly after setting out, Scott's men were already feeling the cold. Their clothes were mostly made of wool. Once wet, they took a long time to dry. The men often complained of feeling damp and cold.

Amundsen: Weeks passed. Amundsen's dogs were growing thin from all the hard work. The men were hungry, too. Some of them were getting frostbite on their fingers and toes.

Now, a large glacier stood in their path. The tired dogs fought to pull the sleds up the steep ice. They dug their claws deep into the ice to keep their footing. Each step was a struggle. They pressed on for days.

Scott: Scott and his men were falling farther behind. Another blizzard struck. The men knew it was too dangerous to lead the ponies through the storm. Scott and his men stayed in their tent to wait it out. Outside, the ponies sunk to their bellies in new, wet snow.

The storm lasted for four days. The ponies did not survive. Now Scott and his men had to pull their sleds themselves.

Amundsen: Amundsen's men were still hungry and suffering from frostbite. The dogs were eating anything left unguarded. They even tried to eat a pair of boots!

Then one afternoon, Amundsen stopped the sleds. He checked his navigational instruments. Then he told his men that they were standing at the South Pole.

The men could not believe they were the first to reach the Pole. They marked the Pole with the flag of Norway. They left a tent with some supplies and a note for Scott.

Scott: While Amundsen was at the Pole, Scott and his men continued to haul their sleds. They were growing sick and weak. Weeks passed.

One morning, Scott saw something in the distance. It was a flag that Amundsen had left behind as a marker. Scott's heart sank. He knew he had lost the race.

His team reached the Pole 34 days after Amundsen. They were disappointed. They did not stay long. Scott and his team began the long march back. Each step was a struggle. A blizzard struck. They could not go on.

Months later, a rescue party found Scott's tent. He and his teammates had died of starvation and extreme cold.

Throughout the expedition, Scott had kept a journal. In it, he wrote everything that had happened. Amundsen did the same.

We retell their story to inspire others. Their incredible journeys led to further study of this untamed part of the world. That journey continues. Today's explorers go to the farthest reaches of our planet and beyond to make amazing discoveries.

Article by Michael E. Ruane.