Awards

• Commended for Minnesota Book Award (Nonfiction) 2013
• Winner of Benjamin Franklin Award (Sports/Recreation) 2012

Overview

On a perfect day in March, 2009, with the temperature hovering near -40 Fahrenheit, John Huston and Tyler Fish stepped off the North American continent and onto the frozen, jumbled surface of the Arctic Ocean. The two seasoned adventurers had their sights set on one goal: to travel under their own power to the North Pole without resupply. If they succeeded, they'd be the first Americans to do so. Forward is their story. Over a period of nearly two months, John and Tyler skied more than 500 miles, hauling sleds that contained everything they needed to survive. They maneuvered their 300-pound loads through punishing rubble fields and swam across stretches of open water. To fuel their bodies and fight back the cold, each consumed more than 7,000 calories per day, downing deep-fried bacon, chunks of butter, and fat-laden pemmican stew. Richly illustrated with photos, maps, and charts, Forward takes readers across the ice and into the lives of both men, revealing how and why they attempted their unsupported trek to the Pole. The authors describe the details of their journey: the preparations, the daily routines, the personal struggles, and more. This fascinating narrative also interweaves the science of polar travel with the rich history of past explorers, men like Amundsen and Shackleton, who inspired John and Tyler to push themselves to the limits of human endurance.

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9781937747909

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John Huston has completed major expeditions on Greenland, Antarctica, and the Arctic Ocean. He works as a motivational speaker, safety and logistics consultant, and wilderness guide. He also works part-time in commercial real estate. He has appeared on CNN, the History Channel, the BBC, National Public Radio and in Outside Magazine, Popular Mechanics, the Chicago Tribune, and the Los Angeles Times. Huston sees his expeditions as values-based endeavors that push him beyond his perceived limits and challenge him to new levels of possibility. In April of 2009 Huston and his expedition partner, Tyler Fish, became the first and only Americans to travel unsupported from land to the North Pole. This 55-day, 475-mile journey has been accomplished by only 11 expeditions and has been called the toughest expedition on the planet. To travel unsupported means to travel under one's own power without resupply. An unsupported expedition embodies the ethos of preparation, simplicity, self-reliance, and accountability--themes that Huston highlights in his motivational lectures. In November 2011, Huston and Fish authored Forward: The First American Unsupported Expedition to the North Pole. Huston is a student of history. In particular, he is fascinated by great leaders. One of his heroes is Norwegian Roald Amundsen, who in 1911 led the first expedition to the South Pole. Amundsen's intensive approach to preparation and innovation set him apart in his time, and serve as an inspirational beacon today. In the spring of 2005, Huston was selected as the only American to join a team of Norwegians restaging Amundsen's 1911 expedition to the South Pole for a History Channel and BBC documentary. The expedition team skied and dogsledded 1400 miles over 72 days on the Greenland icecap, using only 1911 period clothing, equipment and food. During December of 2007, and January of 2008, Huston led a full-length ski expedition to the South Pole, covering 720 miles in 57 days. Recently he as worked as a guide in polar basecamps, where he has assisted film crews and scientists operating in temperatures down to -57 Degrees F (-50 Degrees C). Huston regularly consults with other polar expeditions, often running logistics and 24/7 safety and communications for teams on the ice. He has also advised and served as a safety auditor for educational outdoor programs. A life-long educator with a passion for challenge and inspiring others, Huston believes in the positive potential in every individual and every team. He started his career at Outward Bound in northern Minnesota's Boundary Waters area, where he worked fulltime from 2000 through 2005. Outward Bound is an expedition school that inspires character development and self-discovery through active learning expeditions. An avid athlete, Huston works out daily. He spends his downtime cooking, reading, and traveling. He lives in Evanston, Illinois, on the shores of Lake Michigan, with his wife and their dog. Tyler Fish has dedicated his life to experiential education, family relationship counseling and the pursuit of challenge. He is an elite cross country ski racer, wilderness travel expert and passionate facilitator of family and team relationships. Tyler lives and works in Ely, Minnesota, where he directs the Outward Bound Intercept program designed for teens-at-risk and their families. Tyler is inspired by the possibilities presented in pushing perceived limits, and leadership and team building philosophies. Tyler graduated from Bates College, Maine, in 1996. Since then he has been working as year-round wilderness expedition leader and administrator for Outward Bound primarily in Minnesota, but also in Texas, Montana, and Manitoba, Canada. He has managed or participated in several dog-sled expeditions in the Canadian Arctic. He has also paddled several remote Canadian Rivers. As director of the Outward Bound Intercept program, he trains and supervises staff to run effective, month-long experiences for teens-at-risk. During the last three days of these courses, Tyler runs an intensive parent/guardian seminar in which he assists families in developing common goals and constructing plans to achieve them. In this way his technical wilderness abilities are strongly balanced by his leadership and facilitation skills. He loves to motivate, inspire, and help others to discover their own passions and unique abilities. According to Tyler, there has never been a day too cold to strap on some sort of ski. He spends his winters skiing at a competitive level in long distance cross-country ski marathons and also coaching a local ski team in Ely, Minnesota.

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