To the Pole On March 8, 1986, the Stoger Expedition got off. Ann Bancroft wos the only fomale member of the team. Bancroft, along with hor seven malo loam mortera set off from Canada's Northwest Territones. The goal was 1.om mlles ( 609 km) across the ice to the North Pole Unlike other oxpeditions, the one wouldn't depend on outode help, Airplanes wouldnt be dropping on lood along the way. Using dogs and sleds, the team would carry everything they needed. Thoy would have to ration their food and try to make it last the distance, Bancroft found the journey gruoling and exhausting. Once, the snow she was standing on gave wem plunging her into the rigid waters of the Arctic Ocean. With quick thinking, Bancroft extended her arms, anchorng them on moro solld Ice. Then, using pl of her strength, sho wilagled up over the odgo. Bancroft had avolded drowning, but now she was at risk of rearing to doah. As quickly as she could, she changed into dry clothes and tried to ralso her body tomperature by pushing the sledis forward. I look Bancroft two full days to fool warm agaln, but she didn't complain onco. When Bancroft was young, school was ospecially difficult for her. Dyslexic, she had trouble learning to rand and rotalning Informatlon. Instead of complaining whenever conditions wera especially gruoling. Bancroft would think, "School was harder." Bancroft arrived at the North Pole on May 1, 1986, with five other members of her team. Two members were alried out for medical reasons.) On that day, Bancroft became the first known woman in history to cross the ice to the North Pole.​