![head of Ross MacPhee](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-ross-mcphee-headshot/5896440-2-eng-US/pole-ross-mcphee-headshot_full_495.png 115w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-ross-mcphee-headshot/5896440-2-eng-US/pole-ross-mcphee-headshot_full_990.png 115w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-ross-mcphee-headshot/5896440-2-eng-US/pole-ross-mcphee-headshot_full_1468.png 115w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-ross-mcphee-headshot/5896440-2-eng-US/pole-ross-mcphee-headshot_full_1980.png 115w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-ross-mcphee-headshot/5896440-2-eng-US/pole-ross-mcphee-headshot_full_2475.png 115w)
Click the (+) signs to explore the items in my scrapbook.
![Who Won?](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/tothepole_t04_whowon/5898790-1-eng-US/tothepole_t04_whowon_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/tothepole_t04_whowon/5898790-1-eng-US/tothepole_t04_whowon_full_990.png 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/tothepole_t04_whowon/5898790-1-eng-US/tothepole_t04_whowon_full_1468.png 1200w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/tothepole_t04_whowon/5898790-1-eng-US/tothepole_t04_whowon_full_1980.png 1200w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/tothepole_t04_whowon/5898790-1-eng-US/tothepole_t04_whowon_full_2475.png 1200w)
![scrapbook page showing Norwegian team captain and team planting a flag at the South Pole and a copy of a letter to the King](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/pole_tothepole04_whowon/5928575-3-eng-US/pole_tothepole04_whowon_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/pole_tothepole04_whowon/5928575-3-eng-US/pole_tothepole04_whowon_full_990.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/pole_tothepole04_whowon/5928575-3-eng-US/pole_tothepole04_whowon_full_1468.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/pole_tothepole04_whowon/5928575-3-eng-US/pole_tothepole04_whowon_full_1980.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/pole_tothepole04_whowon/5928575-3-eng-US/pole_tothepole04_whowon_full_2475.jpg 926w)
![Amundsen in with dogs posing in front of the Norwegian Flag](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon01_first/5936798-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon01_first_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon01_first/5936798-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon01_first_full_990.jpg 590w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon01_first/5936798-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon01_first_full_1468.jpg 590w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon01_first/5936798-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon01_first_full_1980.jpg 590w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon01_first/5936798-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon01_first_full_2475.jpg 590w)
1st at the Pole: The Norwegians!
On December 14, 1911, Amundsen claimed victory: the Norwegians were first at the South Pole. After 57 grueling days on the trail, the men were still healthy and fit. To celebrate, they added a small piece of seal meat to their dinner.
![4 Norwegian crew member posing in from to of pitched tent with flag](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon02_plant/5936810-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon02_plant_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon02_plant/5936810-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon02_plant_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon02_plant/5936810-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon02_plant_full_1468.jpg 1000w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon02_plant/5936810-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon02_plant_full_1980.jpg 1000w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon02_plant/5936810-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon02_plant_full_2475.jpg 1000w)
Bjaaland took this picture of his teammates Amundsen, Hanssen, Hassel, and Wisting.
Planting the Flag
Together, the five men proudly raised the flag of Norway. They pitched a tent and called it Pollheim, or “Home at the Pole.”
![man with dogs near the ship](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon03_home/5936806-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon03_home_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon03_home/5936806-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon03_home_full_990.jpg 800w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon03_home/5936806-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon03_home_full_1468.jpg 800w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon03_home/5936806-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon03_home_full_1980.jpg 800w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon03_home/5936806-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon03_home_full_2475.jpg 800w)
Homeward Bound
On December 17, they started back to base camp. The team had plenty of food and fuel. The path back was well marked. Apart from some frostbite, Amundsen’s hardy men were in good shape. On January 30, 1912, the Fram set sail for home.
![letter to the kind on Fram Expedition letterhead](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon04_letter/5936802-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon04_letter_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon04_letter/5936802-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon04_letter_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon04_letter/5936802-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon04_letter_full_1468.jpg 1000w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon04_letter/5936802-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon04_letter_full_1980.jpg 1000w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/race-to-the-south-pole/pole-03_tothepole/enlarge_tothepole_whowon04_letter/5936802-1-eng-US/enlarge_tothepole_whowon04_letter_full_2475.jpg 1000w)
A Letter for the King
Inside the tent, Amundsen left a letter to the Norwegian king—and a note to Scott, asking him to deliver the message. He wanted to make sure that the world heard of the Norwegian victory even if they did not return safety.
Image Credits:
Norwegians at the Pole, planting the flag, letter to king, Fram, © The Fram Museum / JFO.