Sally Isaacs - Helen Thayers Arctic Adventure: A Woman and a Dog Walk to the North Pole

Few people have walked to the . Especially alone.

In 1988, Helen Thayer decided to try. She was 50 years old at the time. She planned to walk 364 miles (585 kilometers) around the magnetic North Pole.

No woman had ever done so.

It took two years to .

Finally, Helen packed her clothes and . She flew to a tiny village in northern Canada.

When she told a local bear hunter her plan, he protested.

Dont go alone! Tony warned. He worried about the fierce polar bears. You wont see them, he said. Theyll come to your tent while you sleep.

But Helen wanted to go alone. She wasnt concerned that she might feel scared. She had climbed some of the highest mountains in the world. She had kayaked in the wildest rivers. She loved exploring the little-known corners of the world.

She had chosen the magnetic North Pole because that is the place to which all compasses pointthe top of the world!

She was ready for this long, silent, solo journey.

If you must go, take a team of dogs with you, Tony begged.

But Helen refused. I want to depend on my own skills, she said.

Take just one dog, Tony pleaded.

Helen bent down and stared into the dogs gentle face. He had no name because these dogs were not pets. They did not live inside the villagers houses. They stood guard outside, tied to chains, ready to scare off polar bears.

Helen stroked the dogs ears. She agreed to take the dog. She named him Charlie.

Helen and Charlie started their journey over the wide-open frozen sea. Soon there were no sounds, except for their footsteps and the wind.

At night Helen set up her tent and crawled inside her sleeping bag. She put Charlie outside the tent door to watch for polar bears.

On Day 5 Charlie and Helen were eating lunch near an . Suddenly Charlie stopped. He glared into the distance and growled. Helens eyes followed Charlies.

A full-grown bear was heading their way! Charlie burst forward until his chain stopped him. He snarled through his teeth.

Helen ripped off her skis. She placed her hand on the clip that attached Charlie to his chain.

The bear raced toward them. With a quick swipe of its paw, it tossed Helens sled into the air. Then the bear stood up on its hind legs, towering over them both.

Helen took a deep breath and grabbed her rifle. She had never intended to kill anything. But she had no choice. Helen fired at the bears head. At the same time, the bear dropped down on all four legs, and the bullet sailed over its head. The bear stalked closer to Helen and Charlie.

Charlie snarled louder, and Helen released his collar. He ran toward the bear and sank his teeth into its right rear heel.

The furious bear twisted round and round, trying to snatch Charlie, who held on with all his might. Helen grabbed her flare gun and fired flares at the ground in front of the bear, hoping to scare it off.

Finally, with a powerful shake, the bear tossed Charlie off its heel and ran away.

Charlie raced after the bear.

Helen was alone. Where was Charlie? Was he alive? What if he didnt return? How long should she wait for him?

Helen wanted to cry, but she didnt. She knew her tears would turn to icicles and burn her face.

Finally a tiny spot came into view. It grew larger. The spot turned into Charlie. He was back!

Helen and Charlie were becoming best friends. By the eighth night, an exhausted Helen headed to her sleeping bag. There was Charlie! He was sleeping inside the tent, his head was resting on Helens pillow. Well, you left a corner of the pillow for my head, she thought, smiling.

On Day 9 Helen woke to the sound of the wind slamming against her tent. A HUGE storm had blown in overnight.

Charlie didnt even budge from sleep. Helen bundled herself into her and tiptoed outside. The howling wind blasted ice and snow at her until she looked like a snowman.

She circled the tent and yanked down all the ropes to keep it secure. Then she scrambled back inside to where Charlie still slept.

Were not going anywhere today, Charlie, she said. Charlie raised his sleepy head. Of course, he had known that all along.

They Waited.

All Day.

All Night.

Helen checked her map. There was such a long way to go.

As the sun rose, the wind still howled and the snow still pounded at the tent.

Helen had to decide:

Should they stay?

Should they move on?

Suddenly she heard a piercing sound outside.

CRACK!

Charlie jumped up. Helen did too. She peeked outside and gasped.

There was a long crack in the iceonly 5 feet (1.5 meters) from her tent door.

How could she leave? The violent wind was hurling ice and snow.

How could she stay? The crack was inching toward her tent.

If the ice broke under the tent, they would fall into the icy black water.

Helen decided to wait again.

Another day.

Another night.

Finally, the sun rose on a new day, and the wind settled down. Helen and Charlie set off again for the North Pole.

Scary thoughts of cracked ice and polar bears swirled through Helens head as she took one careful step after another. She bravely forced her fears away.