To the ends of the Earth
ON APRIL 21, 2015, SAMELENE BERNARDO PIMENTEL became the first Filipina to reach the North Pole. And it’s all been downhill since then. All the way down to the South Pole, that is, as Pimentel gears up for another expedition, this time to the opposite end
“I’ve always loved adventure,” she says. Though she does not consider herself an athlete, she has always been naturally active and athletic.
“I joined a 10k marathon in my high school and won first place. No practice whatsoever,” she shares.
Pimentel also enjoys mountain climbing, scuba diving, wind surfing and other water sports. At age 33 she started roller blading. At 39, it was ice skating.
“In 2006 I went to Australia and climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I cannot pass an opportunity to have fun after a good week’s work. And adventure sports is always my idea of fun,” she tells
The amateur but natural explorer joined the North Pole Last Degree Expedition, an extreme tour group of sorts, organized by Børge Ousland Polar Exploration.
Ousland is a climate advocate and is a member of the National Geographic Society. He is considered one of the renowned polar explorers of today.
Pimentel joined Ousland and a group of five other explorers for the expedition of a lifetime.
Pimentel was recovering from a sprained ankle when she went on the North Pole expedition last year. She had been undergoing endurance training with the Philippine Marines for 90 days prior to the trip.
“Since I was wearing a cast for my left ankle before I left the Philippines, I was having diffi-
but there was no way of backing out anymore. So I just had to bear it.”
Pimentel didn’t know how to ski until she got to Svalbard – and had three days to learn the skill, which was essential to the journey.
She also endured sleeping in a cramped tent every night.
“Sometimes I’d get disoriented, I’d wake up in the middle of the night thinking it’s time to get up. So I got very little rest.”
She adds, “As a Filipino, we are very particular with hygiene and feeling fresh all the time. I had to endure not taking a shower and brushing my teeth every other day, because survival is way more important. And those are petty things when you’re on a mission.”
Perhaps the biggest struggle was the walk itself – 10 to 12 hours a day at freezing temperatures and 60-80 kilometers per hour winds.
Pimentel even remembers that she felt like she was sleepwalking, with her hands and feet working on autopilot, but her eyes and brain shutting down.
“Focus was my best friend,” she reflects. “If I let my mind wander, I will lose it.”
The team Pimentel was with was composed of professional mountaineers that had climbed the Seven Summits and the North Pole – the hardest – was their last destination.
She, however, was starting with the North Pole. The team made the 10- day climb in five days.
“Most of the time, I felt like stopping for a rest, but then I remembered why we were there in the first place. We needed to reach our destination faster and not get sidetracked, or else it may mean disaster for our team. The ice was shifting, cracking and thawing at the same time, so we have a very limited time to make it,” she recalls.
All of the pain and struggle paid off when Pimentel reached the North Pole and she remembers it clearly: “At 5 a. m. Norwegian time ( 11 a. m. Manila time), April 21, 2015, with the most glorious morning sun I have ever seen.”
She adds, “But most of all, the connection I felt with something higher than myself and the Universe was with me
the whole time. I was really fired up after that.”
Pimentel did not know that she was the first Filipina to reach the North Pole at the time she was there. She only found out later on, when the team had returned to base camp.
“All my teammates were the first for their countries, except for the guide. I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to have done so. The chances were slim for me to be able to make it,” she says.
“Although honestly I feel elated and it was pretty extraordinary for a month, but that’s about it. That was 16 months ago.”
Now, Pimentel has set her sights on the opposite end of the earth.
“To reach the South Pole is a follow through of what I started. I have made a commitment so I need to deliver on that commitment whether I like it or not.”
She is scheduled to make the journey from Dec. 7 to 18 this year.
“Other than learning to do downhill skiing and rappelling, it is the same basically. And this time around, I would like to have more fun and enjoy the daily routine,” she anticipates.
“However for Mt. Vinson, I have to learn to use harness and pickaxe on the ice.”
Pimentel hopes that she will get to see the emperor penguins when she reaches her destination.
“The journey is a reward in itself, few people realize – the bliss of growth, the glory of action, the splendor of achievement,” says Pimentel.
The Filipina explorer says, “My hope for the country is that our unity as a nation will show through instead of division and hateful language. To show progress in our society, our environment, our schools, our government and to protect our resources – our people and our land. To give confidence to all our citizens that their lives matter. To give them dignity and decency.”
After seeing many different, beautiful places during her travels, she reflects, “Everybody loves great cities – how they manage and maintain their environment and society. Great cities are made by great people, a nice society is made by nice people… We can be a great nation, with hardworking and compassionate people, it is about time that we work together to raise our standards.”
Pimentel’s ultimate goal is to climb the Seven Summits, an explorer’s grand slam. “The logistics and financing of this project is a workout in itself,” she says. “So I need to find a company who will work with me and would be willing to participate and support this endeavor, for the country.”
When she is not out seeking adventure, Pimentel is CEO of Adco Blue, a concrete specialist, and the only company in the country that specializes in decorative concrete finishes.
With over 20 years of experience in management, marketing, sales and human resources, she also formerly served as president of the Junior Chamber International-Global City Taguig.
“I know what my priorities are – my mental health, my body, my family, my work,” she says on balancing her work life with her thirst for adventure.
“I cannot be of use to anyone if I have no energy or enthusiasm to share, or inspiration for the people around me.”
Pimentel says she hopes to inspire others with her triumphs.
“I aspire to inspire our young generation to aim beyond what’s in front of them, to think of progress in ways that will stretch and expand their abilities and mental capacities. To leave a legacy of achievement in whatever field they choose. And for our working women behind the desk to try an adventure. You’ll never know what awaits you.”