Supposedly the "final frontier" is outer space, yet we haven't even explored 95% of Earth's oceans or its poles. As detailed by antarctica.gov.au, "The mean thickness of the Antarctic ice sheet is 2.16 km; the maximum known thickness of the ice sheet is 4776 m (Terre Adélie)." As a continent that holds approximately 90% of Earth's fresh water, you can gain a sense of how much smaller the North Pole is in comparison. You could find unique Arctic organisms and gain an opportunity to see the Northern Lights, but most likely you'll see ice and more ice.
The North Pole and Antarctica are similar except for a few key differences. Possibly the most significant being that land lies under Antarctica's ice and mostly water under the North Pole's. On paper, the South Pole seems like the more attractive expedition choice.
Not only will the North Pole be boring, but it will also be hazardous. The number of dangers contained at the North Pole could not be overstated. Arctic predatory animals, dehydration, and frostbite? The North Pole is not a place to raise a family. Plus, there's no wi-fi for reading thetravel.com. Already a deal breaker. These are 25 things in the North Pole we are glad to be far away from.
25 Frostbite is a serious issue!
Ice at the North Pole can be deceiving. What may appear to be a place to walk safely over could be a disaster waiting to happen. One can fall through thin ice and succumb to severe frostbite. The frostbite that happened to Mr. Deeds when he was younger is an exaggeration for comedic purposes, but not as far from the truth as you'd guess.
Hypothermia and other conditions could occur for those falling through thin ice. Thin ice is abundant throughout the North Pole and is almost like falling in quicksand. Will the North Pole ever be safe to visit?
24 Hidden Alien Civilization
According to the NY Post some people believe that there is an alien civilization hiding in the remote region of the North Pole. Few people would dare to venture to the North Pole. Aliens could use the landscape of the North Pole to their advantage by hiding around an abundance of snow and ice which could conceal a base. People believe that Earth is hollow and contains many races in the interior. Rodney Cluff, author of “World Top Secret: Our Earth IS Hollow.”, actually planned an expedition to prove that he was right. Sadly, it was cancelled because it cost $20,000 per head to join. He still believes, however, that his movement is gaining quite a bit of traction.
23 Icebergs
The 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic was the result of the ship striking an iceberg. Icebergs are a major reason not to want to visit the North Pole. Although the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean, which is relatively close but an enormous distance from the North Pole, the conditions were similar.
There are a few ways to reach the North Pole including riding in an aircraft or boat. You could witness polar bears and have a once in a lifetime experience, yet the number of risks associated with venturing to the North Pole such as icebergs makes it not worth it.
22 Ships Can Sink Or Become Stuck On Ice
The Endurance ship was led by Ernest Shackleton who embarked on a voyage to Antarctica in 1914. The boat became stuck on ice, and the crew had to abandon ship.
The Endurance ship did not venture to the North Pole, but it did go to the South Pole which is very similar. The dangers associated with venturing to the North Pole make it an unattractive trip. Even with significant advances in boat technology, a boat can still become stuck on ice. According to smithsonianmag.com, the 2019 Weddell Sea Expedition will attempt to locate the wreck of the Endurance using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV).
21 Qalupalik, A Legend Of The Inuit
If the Inuit legend if true, there might be a mermaid-like creature residing at the North Pole. As stated on the website visitcryptoville.com, "The Inuit tell their children that if they are near the shore and hear a humming, the Qalupalik is near. She tries to entice them to the edge so she can grab them and take them away somewhere to hide."
What the Qalupalik does with the children that it takes is unknown. Some stories say that the Qalupalik eats the children and others say that the Qalupalik keeps them trapped in a secret place. The tale may have been created to stifle children from peering into the water.
20 Lack Of Shelter
There are not many places to stay when visiting the North Pole. Unlike other places in the world where you can easily find the nearest hotel or Airbnb, the North Pole is like a vast desert of ice without manmade structures.
We know much about the North Pole, however, we haven't explored 100% of its area. It's possible that hidden structures lie beneath the snow at the North Pole. Most of the area is not land but shifting ice, so it's highly unlikely. Regardless of if you can find a hidden structure or not, you probably won't find any shelter at the North Pole unless you know where to find it.
19 Greenland Shark
Few species can swim in water that is the temperature of the Arctic Ocean. The Greenland Shark is one of the lesser-known shark species and a reason to avoid the Arctic Ocean. The odds of someone falling into water are significant considering the North Pole offers few stable surfaces to walk over. According to sharksider.com, "Greenland Sharks have been found with a polar bear jaw, an entire reindeer, horse bones, and a moose hide in their stomachs."
Ordinarily, scuba divers would avoid a Greenland Shark and not attempt to swim next to one. They are highly aggressive marine organisms which feed on fish and would eat a human.
18 Strong Winds
Strong winds spread across the North Pole. Although the weather phenomenon of tornadoes is rare, cold airstreams heavier than a breeze make the conditions of the North Pole unfavorable. If you've ever been skiing or snowboarding and used a chairlift to go to the top of a slope, you most likely know what it feels like to be in a windy, cold temperature. The feeling of icy rain on a chairlift is so cold. Take that feeling and double the coldness and you will have a sense of what the North Pole can feel like—and chances are, you won't find a lodge.
17 Walrus
The walrus is known to be a friendly and passive creature. Still, you wouldn't want to go near one who becomes protective of its young or is one who senses danger. They look like seals but are much larger in size and have giant tusks Not even the mighty Polar Bear can eat a walrus easily. The Walrus is powerful, so it can pull a Polar Bear towards water. Walrus has thick hides which are nearly impenetrable by Polar Bear claws and teeth. With giant ivory tusks, an untamed walrus could be as dangerous as a crocodile.
16 Dry Air
While humid air can make a warm climate feel like a sauna, dry air has the reverse effect to make places like the North Pole bitter cold. Because of dry air at the North Pole, it may be only a day before you get the sniffles. At least you won't encounter a heat wave at the North Pole. It is cold, cold, and cold 24 hours a day, 8 days a week. Er, actually 7 days a week. Dryness may remove the moisture from your lips and leave you dehydrated, so while at the North Pole, try to imagine yourself at a warm place. The feeling alone should warm you up. Or, don't go to the North Pole.
15 Arctic Kraken
Sightings of the Kraken date back to before the 13th century. We've explored less than 5% of the world's oceans, so its possible that the Kraken exists in untouched areas of the North Pole.
According to the website of mentalfloss.com, "Accounts disagree on exactly how big the Kraken is, but one thing is certain: It’s huge. Descriptions go from vague (the length of 10 ships) to more specific (a mile and a half long)." Differently than the giant squid and colossal squid, the Arctic Kraken is a creature of myths, but may still exist. Ships who come into contact with the Kraken are dragged into the sea.
14 Polar Bears
Unlike most bears you'll find in the world, polar bears are highly aggressive and will likely try to eat you. Living conditions in the North Pole are harsh and there is a severe lack of vegetation and other foods for bears. Chances are, if you encounter a polar bear, you will be their next meal.
The polar bear is the largest bear on Earth. It is unique from other bears as it has hollow hairs and even more fat than a grizzly bear. According to polarbearsinternational.org, "Bears are insulated with two layers of fur and a thick layer of body fat. This provides enough insulation that their body temperature and metabolic rate doesn’t change, even when temperatures reach -37 C (-34 F)."
13 It's Melting
Global warming is continuing to have noticeable effects on the ice of Earth's poles. The fact that it is melting can be even more of a reason not to visit the North Pole. Many areas are melting away, and as a result, 35% of the North Pole has disappeared since the year 1970.
The website of activesustainability.com lists a plethora of facts about climate change and the melting of the north pole. According to activesustainability.com, "The melting of the North Pole is directly related to the increase in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2)." We need to take steps to save the North Pole, but its not the ideal spot for a vacation or for someone to build a resort.
12 Reindeer
They are like regular deer except for a few differences. For one, reindeer have hooves that are ideal for walking in the snow. According to the website of difference.guru, "Only males have antlers with most of the deer species." On the other hand, whether a reindeer is a male or female, they eventually grow antlers.
It's probably not a good idea to visit the North Pole, especially with the existence of reindeer. Reindeer are not like how they are portrayed in Christmas movies. They can attack humans if they feel vulnerable. You won't run into Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen or Rudolph at the North Pole!
11 Water, Water, Everywhere. Not A Drop To Drink"
Who cares for icy ocean water that you can't even drink? The North Pole is surrounded by water, but you wouldn't want to drink the water of the salty water of the Arctic Ocean. According to oceanservice.noaa.gov, "The salt content in seawater is much higher than what can be processed by the human body."
At least there is plenty of ice around that can be melted into drinking water. Even an iceberg could be melted into drinking water. How you would melt an iceberg is a little tricky. If you're lucky enough, you can find a melting iceberg that has created a small waterfall, allowing you to drink fresh ice water. It would be a once in a lifetime experience.
10 Ice Fishing
Fishing in the Arctic Ocean at the North Pole is not any more exciting than fishing elsewhere. In fact, it's far more difficult than you think and you're less likely to catch fish. At least the amount of fish in stocked lakes is tracked. Somehow you'll have to cut a hole in the ice and sit in near 0 Degrees Celsius temperature until the rod gets a bite. The odds of anyone completing the setup steps for ice fishing at the North Pole is way less than them returning home. Forget ice fishing and head to the nearest seafood restaurant for a halibut burger or fish & chips.
9 People Get Lost
Plenty of people become lost while at the North Pole. Even compasses can be confusing since the North Pole's center isn't the most Northern part of the world. Magnetic North is quite a ways away from the North Pole's center. Also, the place looks so similar that it is understandable for people to become lost while at the North Pole. You could also be someone who is lost in the arctic fog, never to return to civilization. It's a dangerous venture in a remote environment that's not worth the risk, especially since you can have a similar adventure at other places in the world.
8 Starvation
There is almost essentially no vegetation at the North Pole and finding food is extremely difficult. Unless you are native to the region or have tremendous hunting experience, there are few ways to find food. You will see a vast land of nothing that contains some wildlife, but almost no way to make a fire to cook the animals. Since our stomachs are not designed to eat raw meat, chances are you'll become sick even if you found a way to find meat. Climate change will make starvation more common to animals of the North Pole such as polar bears.
7 There Aren't Any Penguins
One of nature's most remarkable creatures does not live at the North Pole like many believe. Penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere in Antarctica. The romantic penguin scene in March of the Penguins is memorable for being a scene that had two penguins kiss each other mouth-to-mouth. Penguins are flightless birds like the dodo bird. If penguins lived on any other continent besides Antarctica, they most likely would have gone extinct long ago. Instead of seeing witnessing cool animals like penguins, you're more likely to be attacked by one of the North Pole's predatory animals.
6 Ice Caves
You finally decided to visit the North Pole and are snowshoeing across the vast landscape. Chances are, sooner or later, you'll pass by an ice cave, which may contain an ice beast such as a polar bear. Who knows, maybe you'll find a Wampa like the one from Hoth Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. You'll have to slice open a Tauntaun to save yourself from freezing.
Ice Caves will barely keep you warm and who knows what you'll find inside one. You could risk the journey or skip the North Pole trip and head to the nearest mountain for skiing or snowboarding. The difference between the two trips is miniscule.