"Ralph S. Plaisted, an insurance salesman turned explorer who in 1968 led the first expedition that indisputably reached the North Pole over the ice, has died. He was 80.
Plaisted died Monday of natural causes at his home in Wyoming, Minn., north of the Twin Cities.
Traveling by snowmobile, Plaisted and three other men reached the North Pole on April 19, 1968. An Air Force weather plane verified their position a day later and gave them a lift back."
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-plaisted11-2008sep11,0,6631967.story
Lots more detailed info on the trip hardships here:
http://www.snowmobile.com/events/ski-dooing-to-the-north-pole-707.html
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He also had a Ski-Doo dealership in St.Cloud,MN for several years.
Ralph was scheduled to make a presentation on his N.Pole trip in January '09 at the Pequot Lakes,MN antique snowmobile rendezvous. Sad development.
I saw his presentation twice shortly after he returned from the adventure in 1968-69, and was looking fwd to seeing it again.
Some things I recall was they took the belts off the sleds when making camp at the end of the days ride (struggle!), and put them inside their shirts next to their bodies, to keep them warm, otherwise the belts would snap to pieces, the next morning.
Remember sleds in those days had the engine right in front of the rider. Also the carb intake was out in the open facing the rider.
(Young "whippersnappers" might not know this.
)
To get the machines started, after sitting all night at extreme below zero cold, they would dip a small rag in gasoline , light it, and hold it infront of the carb intake while pulling the engine over, sucking in the hot air in hopes of getting the engine to fire.
Smooth trails from now on Ralph.
Plaisted died Monday of natural causes at his home in Wyoming, Minn., north of the Twin Cities.
Traveling by snowmobile, Plaisted and three other men reached the North Pole on April 19, 1968. An Air Force weather plane verified their position a day later and gave them a lift back."
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-plaisted11-2008sep11,0,6631967.story
Lots more detailed info on the trip hardships here:
http://www.snowmobile.com/events/ski-dooing-to-the-north-pole-707.html
......................................
He also had a Ski-Doo dealership in St.Cloud,MN for several years.
Ralph was scheduled to make a presentation on his N.Pole trip in January '09 at the Pequot Lakes,MN antique snowmobile rendezvous. Sad development.
I saw his presentation twice shortly after he returned from the adventure in 1968-69, and was looking fwd to seeing it again.
Some things I recall was they took the belts off the sleds when making camp at the end of the days ride (struggle!), and put them inside their shirts next to their bodies, to keep them warm, otherwise the belts would snap to pieces, the next morning.
Remember sleds in those days had the engine right in front of the rider. Also the carb intake was out in the open facing the rider.
(Young "whippersnappers" might not know this.
)To get the machines started, after sitting all night at extreme below zero cold, they would dip a small rag in gasoline , light it, and hold it infront of the carb intake while pulling the engine over, sucking in the hot air in hopes of getting the engine to fire.
Smooth trails from now on Ralph.