History Daily The Race to the North Pole
Apr 6, 2026
A fierce rivalry over who reached the North Pole first, including dramatic claims, planted flags, and lost records. Solo Arctic survival, navigational errors, and long winters shape the story. Scientific endorsements, smear campaigns, and later reexaminations raise questions about who really won the race.
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Cook Saves Peary Then Becomes His Rival
- Frederick Cook saved expedition leader Robert Peary by setting his broken legs after a ship collision, which kept the Greenland mission alive.
- Six months later they crossed Greenland's northern coast together, but their relationship soured into a bitter rivalry over who would reach the North Pole first.
Cook's 1908 Pole Claim With Measurements
- Frederick Cook claims he reached the North Pole on April 21, 1908 after taking repeated sextant and chronometer readings with two Inuit companions.
- He planted an American flag, measured a 26-foot shadow from a 6-foot pole, recorded -36°F, and stayed 36 hours gathering observations before departing.
Cook's Perilous Return And Lost Records
- Cook and his two Inuit companions got lost on the return, ending up over 100 miles off course and trapped through winter for four months before finally reaching Greenland eight months later.
- Much of Cook's expedition paperwork and trunks went missing after he left them in Greenland, undercutting his ability to prove the claim.