For centuries, the North Pole remained elusive. Early attempts to reach it were primarily motivated by the search for a navigable route through the Arctic to Asia, known as the Northwest Passage. Later, expeditions focused specifically on reaching the Pole itself. But for centuries, the goal seemed impossible. The polar environment was extremely unforgiving. Located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, the North Pole is covered by a vast expanse of sea ice which constantly changes due to wind, ocean currents and seasonable melts. Explorers tried to reach the pole using ships, dogsleds, and even traveling on foot. Reaching the North Pole proved to be so challenging, that the first verified, and officially recognized expedition to reach it didn’t occur until 1926 (although several earlier explorers claimed to have reached it earlier). The pole was first reached using the airship Norge, which flew overhead but did not touch the surface.