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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.

176 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2011

12 people want to read

About the author

John Huston

2 books
John Huston is an American polar explorer, motivational speaker, wilderness guide, and safety and logistics consultant
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hu...


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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
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56 reviews
August 17, 2025
“Do less, and do it better”

Such a good expedition account with all the tiny details of expeditions that are importantly but often left out, which really helped understand a polar expedition.

One of the parts that shone through was when a researcher mentioned that John and Tyler lacked the competitiveness that often accompanies men on expeditions. They over and over again emphasize how much it was importance to them (and their success) to take care of each other.

And, the most dramatic parts of the expedition were towards the end, so it fit nicely into an arc of a story that kept me turning the pages- it doesn’t always happen like that on an expedition but it seemed to for them.
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