“Skiing to the North Pole”
© The Priklyucheniye (Adventure) Club

Youth expedition “Skiing to the North Pole” to set out in early April

The 9th Russian youth expedition "Skiing to the North Pole" will leave from Moscow for the Arctic on April 9-12, reads a story on the Bolshoye Priklyucheniye (Great Adventure) website of youth camps. A team consisting of four young men and three young women and headed by Matvei Shparo plans to ski a 110-kilometer route from Russia's Barneo drifting ice station to the North Pole in seven days.

"Concerned, romantic and determined people always tend to set big and almost unachievable goals and to push toward them despite the obstacles. I really want to test my potential during this expedition. If I reach the North Pole, it'll be a priceless experience for me, and it would motivate me to do other tourism projects," expedition participant, 17-year-old Elmira Musina, a student at Secondary School No. 107 from Chelyabinsk, says.

The expedition team will plant the Russian flag on the North Pole, as well as the flags of their respective regions and schools. They will also leave a traditional sealed time capsule there.

In 2016, it was decided to primarily select military cadets for the expedition.

The teenagers were invited to take part in the expedition after attending a training session at the Great Adventure camp for youth held in March in Karelia. The candidate selection process was based on physical fitness levels, sport-tourist skills, moral qualities, determination and character. The latter was a consideration of traits like the ability to get along with others, teamwork, good communication skills and the ability to work efficiently. The results of intellectual quizzes were also considered during the selection of team members.