Rune Gjeldnes
Encyclopedia
Rune Gjeldnes is a Norwegian adventurer. He completed his military education in 1992, where he met fellow adventurer-to-be Torry Larsen
, also of Møre og Romsdal
. Gjeldnes served in the Norwegian Naval Special Operations Command
until 1997.
, Rune Gjeldnes travelled across Greenland
in 1996. In 1997 he planned and completed the "Arctic Ocean 2000" expedition–a 109-day, 2,100 kilometer
trip—becoming the first to cross the Arctic Ocean
without resupplies. In 1998 Gjeldnes and Bjørn Loe became the first to paddle the Rio Merevari in Venezuela
. Rune participated in North Pole
expeditions in 1997 and 1998, crossed Baffin Island
in northern Canada
in 1998, and later the same year climbed Mt Aconcagua
(6,959 m
/22,831 ft). From 1999 to 2000 he again worked for the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN)
.
across the South Pole
region, becoming the first person to cross that area alone without being resupplied. His route went from Queen Maud Land
, over the Pole, and on to Terra Nova Bay
. The final couple of weeks of the journey had to be made on foot, as Gjeldnes had lost one of his mountain skis off his sled, this before having to descend a glacier of 2,000 m (~6,500 ft) ASL
in order to reach his destination. The distance is the equivalent of the distance between New York City and San Francisco by road across the United States. The expedition had a scientific element as Gjeldnes took regular blood samples of himself to be used in studies of the human immune system under extreme conditions.
He now holds the records of the longest ski journey without being resupplied and the longest ski journey generally. He is the only person to ski across the North Pole
, the South Pole
and Greenland
without resupplement.
Torry Larsen
Torry Larsen is a Norwegian adventurer and Arctic explorer.In 1992 he met fellow adventurer-to-be Rune Gjeldnes, also of Møre og Romsdal. Both Gjeldnes and Larsen served in the Norwegian Naval Special Operations Command....
, also of Møre og Romsdal
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
. Gjeldnes served in the Norwegian Naval Special Operations Command
Marinejegerkommandoen
Marinejegerkommandoen is a Norwegian maritime special forces unit. It was formally established in 1951. It is located in Ramsund in the northern part of Norway and at Haakonsvern Naval Base in Bergen...
until 1997.
Expeditions
Together with Torry LarsenTorry Larsen
Torry Larsen is a Norwegian adventurer and Arctic explorer.In 1992 he met fellow adventurer-to-be Rune Gjeldnes, also of Møre og Romsdal. Both Gjeldnes and Larsen served in the Norwegian Naval Special Operations Command....
, Rune Gjeldnes travelled across Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
in 1996. In 1997 he planned and completed the "Arctic Ocean 2000" expedition–a 109-day, 2,100 kilometer
Kilometre
The kilometre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand metres and is therefore exactly equal to the distance travelled by light in free space in of a second...
trip—becoming the first to cross the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
without resupplies. In 1998 Gjeldnes and Bjørn Loe became the first to paddle the Rio Merevari in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. Rune participated in North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
expeditions in 1997 and 1998, crossed Baffin Island
Baffin Island
Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is the largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Its area is and its population is about 11,000...
in northern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1998, and later the same year climbed Mt Aconcagua
Aconcagua
Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
(6,959 m
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
/22,831 ft). From 1999 to 2000 he again worked for the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN)
Royal Norwegian Navy
The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support...
.
The Longest March
In February 2006, Rune Gjeldnes completed "The Longest March", a three-month 4,800 kilometer solo ski trekCross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
across the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
region, becoming the first person to cross that area alone without being resupplied. His route went from Queen Maud Land
Queen Maud Land
Queen Maud Land is a c. 2.7 million-square-kilometre region of Antarctica claimed as a dependent territory by Norway. The territory lies between 20° west and 45° east, between the British Antarctic Territory to the west and the Australian Antarctic Territory to the east. The latitudinal...
, over the Pole, and on to Terra Nova Bay
Terra Nova Bay
Terra Nova Bay is a bay which is often ice free, about long, lying between Cape Washington and the Drygalski Ice Tongue along the coast of Victoria Land, Antarctica....
. The final couple of weeks of the journey had to be made on foot, as Gjeldnes had lost one of his mountain skis off his sled, this before having to descend a glacier of 2,000 m (~6,500 ft) ASL
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
in order to reach his destination. The distance is the equivalent of the distance between New York City and San Francisco by road across the United States. The expedition had a scientific element as Gjeldnes took regular blood samples of himself to be used in studies of the human immune system under extreme conditions.
He now holds the records of the longest ski journey without being resupplied and the longest ski journey generally. He is the only person to ski across the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
, the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
and Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
without resupplement.
External links
- Rune Gjeldnes – Official website
- Arctic Ocean 2000 – Official expedition website
- The Longest March web page – From the website of SEAL Adventure, Gjeldnes' company
- The Longest March – Official expedition website
- "Adventurer finishes polar trek" – By Arnfinn Mauren, AftenpostenAftenpostenAftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
, 3 February 2006 - RNoN The Longest March page