Lesson 13:Louise Arner Boyd and Glaciers

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

By Dan Rosen
ILLUSTRATION CREDITS: 6 Joe LeMonnier / Melissa Turk; 14 Studio Montage; 16 Mike Maydak / Craven Design
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Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Chapter 1: Finding the Arctic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 2: Exploring the Arctic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Chapter 3: Dealing with Danger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Chapter 4: Glaciers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Introduction
Do you have an interest or hobby that others think is
unusual? Do you think it would make a good story? This book
tells about a very unique woman, Louise Arner Boyd, and her
even more unusual interest, exploring Arctic lands and glaciers.
Why was Boyd’s interest unusual? First, Boyd was born
in California, far from the Arctic. Second, Boyd was born in
1887, a time when women were not
expected to have professions.
And they certainly were not
expected to do anything
involving physical danger like
exploring the Arctic.
Also unusual, was how
little was known about the
Arctic and glaciers in general
at the time. Robert Peary was
the first person to reach the
North Pole, but he did not do
so until 1909. Ice-filled seas
made exploring the Arctic
extremely dangerous.
Boyd was born into
a wealthy family.
3

Chapter 1
Finding the Arctic
Louise Arner Boyd’s life was not like that of most people.
As a child, Boyd’s favorite activity was riding horses with her
brothers on their father’s ranch. But her childhood was scarred
by tragedy. Both brothers died in their teens from rheumatic
fever. Her parents never recovered from their deaths. Then,
when Boyd was in her early thirties, both her parents died.
Boyd inherited her family’s fortune and investment business.
Boyd continued living in her parents’ mansion in San
Rafael, California, by herself. She attended luncheons, parties,
and the opera — all things expected of wealthy women of
her time. However, she grew bored of this life, so she began
traveling. In 1924, after several trips to Europe, Boyd traveled to
the island of Spitsbergen, a part of Norway in the Arctic Ocean.
It was her first view of the far North. She was deeply moved by
the vast expanse of the frigid Arctic Ocean. Boyd had come to
the island because she was bored. She left knowing what she
wanted to do with the rest of her life. She resolved to explore
the Arctic.
For just about any other person, Boyd’s wish would remain
just that, a wish. But Louise Boyd was different. She had no use
for conventions, or unstated social rules, and did not care what
other people thought. Once she set a goal, she was determined
to reach it. Boyd was also financially able to make her wish
come true.
4

Boyd began planning an expedition to the Arctic. First, she
wanted to prime herself for the trip by learning more about this
fascinating place. She hired one of the most famous experts on
the Arctic to instruct her. Boyd also trained to become a nature
photographer. In the 1920s, cameras could not be held in one
hand. A photographer needed to learn how to operate the large,
box-like cameras used at the time. Boyd also trained with a
scientist so she could collect plant specimens in the Arctic.
Boyd explored Artic regions like the one shown
here. Notice the icepack, or floating sea ice.
5

Chapter 2
Exploring the Arctic
In 1926, Boyd was finally ready. Her first trip to the Arctic
was the culmination of months of training. Boyd hired a boat
called the Hobby that was specially equipped to navigate the
Arctic ice. The Hobby had been used before to carry supplies
to explorers in the Arctic. Boyd planned to take photographs
during her first trip. She invited friends to join her.
The Hobby first sailed to the huge island of Greenland,
which is largely covered with glaciers. They came ashore in a
remote place called Franz Josef Land. Boyd was considered the
first woman to ever set foot there.
The Arctic Ocean is
the world’s smallest
ocean. Much of
it is covered by
an icepack.
6

Roald Amundsen,
1872–1928
In 1911, Amundsen became the first
person to reach the South Pole. He raced
an English team led by Robert Scott to the
pole. Amundsen got there first. Scott and
his team got caught in a blizzard on the
way back and perished.
Boyd knew she loved the Arctic, but she still was not
prepared for the power of its beauty. She later wrote:
“I understood for the first time what an old seaman meant when
he told me that once you had been in the Artic and in the ice, you never
could forget it, and always wanted to go back.”
Two years later, Boyd hired the Hobby for a return trip to
the Arctic. This time, she had a different purpose. Boyd brought
scientists to help her explore the region’s glaciers and wildlife.
However, an Italian explorer of the Arctic, General Umberto
Nobile, and his crew had recently gone missing. Roald Amundsen,
a famous Norwegian explorer, had gone off in a plane looking
for Nobile. Now Amundsen had disappeared as well.
Boyd sacrificed her scientific goals to help with the rescue.
The Hobby set sail to look for the missing explorers. For three
months, the Hobby sailed all over the Arctic, often enduring
harsh storms.
7

Highlights of Boyd’s Career
1887
Born in San Rafael, California
1909
Becomes President of Boyd Investment Company
1924
1926
1931
1941
Travels to Spitsbergen, Norway; sees Arctic
ice for the first time
Makes first Arctic voyage on the Hobby
Explores east coast of Greenland aboard
the Veslekari
Makes military mission to map Arctic ice
for U.S. War Department
1955
Becomes first woman to fly over North Pole
1972
Dies in San Francisco
8

Eventually, another ship found and rescued General
Nobile and his crew. Amundsen, however, was never found.
For her efforts, the King of Norway honored Boyd in a
formal ceremony.
More Arctic Journeys
Over the next few years, Boyd affirmed her vision of what
she wanted to do. Her goal was to explore Arctic areas that had
never been mapped. Boyd returned to the Arctic in 1931 fully
prepared. This time, she hired a larger and more durable ship,
the Veslekari. Its captain, Johan Olson, was a famous Arctic ship
captain. Boyd also brought along scientists to help map and
explore the Arctic.
Life on board the Veslekari was not easy. The seas were
rough. The cabins were sparse. But Boyd and her crew
succeeded in their mission, even under the difficult conditions.
They found an opening in the ice that surrounded the coast
of Greenland. This area had never been explored. Boyd took
photographs and gathered plant samples. The scientists
traveling with her studied the glaciers and mapped the area.
When Boyd returned, she reported her findings to the
government of Denmark. (Greenland is a part of Denmark.)
Much to her surprise, the Danish government named the
area Boyd found Wiesboydlund, which is Danish for “Miss
Boyd Land.” They also named one of the glaciers Boyd had
found, “Louise,” in her honor.
9

Chapter 3
Dealing with Danger
Boyd and her team returned to the Arctic in 1933. This
expedition did not go as smoothly as her previous trips. A
breakdown in scientific equipment caused the expedition
to leave from Norway in late August, two weeks later than
planned. It was late in the season for a ship like the Veslekari to
be so far north. The ice could shift quickly, and shipping lanes
could close.
On September 3, trouble struck. The Veslekari ran aground
and became stuck. All the expedition participants knew what
was at stake. There were no ships in the area. If the Veslekari
could not free itself, the ice would close in and crush the ship.
There would be no hope of surviving an Arctic winter.
10

The crew began unloading supplies from the ship.
They placed equipment, food, coal, and water on the ice.
Captain Olson deduced that if the ship were lighter, it might
float itself free. But unloading did not help. The ship remained
stuck, and the ice continued to close in on it.
In a desperate move, Captain Olson used the ship’s ropes
and chains to loop around a nearby iceberg. He planned to wait
for high tide and use engine power to help pull the ship free.
All on board held their breath as Captain Olson gave the order
for full engine power. The plan worked! Finally, the ship pulled
free and was able to make it safely back to port.
Boyd made further expeditions in 1937 and 1938, learning
more about the Arctic each time. After her journeys, Boyd wrote
books that included her photographs and scientific reports.
Then, in 1939, World War II broke out in Europe. American
military leaders wanted information about Greenland and
the Arctic.
Sea ice can trap ships, as this historical
photo from a 1916 exploration shows.
11

Boyd was hired as a consultant to the U.S. War
Department. She helped by sharing all of her knowledge
about Arctic lands. American leaders asked Boyd to delay the
publication of her book, The Coast of Northeast Greenland. They
thought it contained valuable information that could help
enemies of the United States.
Boyd also organized another expedition to Greenland,
this time for the U.S. military. She made it appear that she
was studying radio waves in the Arctic. Actually, Boyd and
her crew were mapping the ice and shipping lanes to be used
in a possible military expedition. The top-secret mission
was a complete success. Boyd stayed on as an advisor to the
government during the rest of the war.
A First
After World War II ended, Boyd’s book on Greenland was
finally published. She was about 60 years old and realized her
days of roughing it in the Arctic were over. But she did have
one more adventure left to experience. In 1955, Boyd became the
first woman ever to fly over the North Pole. She hired a plane
and crew to make her historic flight. It was also the first private
flight over the North Pole.
Louise Arner Boyd died in 1972. She was remembered as
a true pioneer, one who refused to be limited by what other
people thought was proper. She turned the gift of her parents’
wealth into a full, original life.
12

Chapter 4
Glaciers
Newspaper reporters called Louise Boyd the “Ice Woman.”
One of Boyd’s greatest accomplishments was sharing her
knowledge of glaciers with the world. She helped others
understand how glaciers are formed and how they move.
Glaciers are very important to the planet. They cover about
10 percent of all the land on Earth. As much as 75 percent of all
fresh water on Earth is contained in glaciers. Glaciers are found
all over the world, although most glaciers exist in polar areas in
the Arctic and Antarctica.
How Glaciers Form
Glaciers require a certain climate to grow. They are found
in areas that receive lots of snow in the winter and remain cool
in summer. For a glacier to develop, it needs to be in a place
where the amount of snow received every winter is greater
than the amount of snow that melts in the summer. This type
of climate exists mostly in high mountain areas and near the
North and South poles.
Glaciers form when snow builds up over time. Snow that
lasts more than one year is called firn. Firn turns into ice when
new snow presses on top of it. This densely compressed ice
often takes on a bluish appearance.
13

How Glacier Ice Forms
Snowflake
Granular Snow
Glacier Ice
Firn
How Glaciers Move
That glaciers move, may surprise you. However, it
shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that glaciers move very slowly.
They are the equivalent of a frozen river. A glacier will take a
year to move the distance you can walk in just a few minutes.
Glaciers start to move due to the force of their own weight
and because of the force of gravity. The movement of glaciers
is also helped along by sliding. The pressure of the glacier’s
weight causes a thin layer of water to form on the bottom of
the glacier. Water may also form from cracks within the glacier
that reach all the way to its base. Sometimes, the water comes
up from the ground itself. As a result of this film of water, the
glacier slides downward.
14

As a glacier moves, it changes size and shape. Deep cracks
or cuts in the glacier can also form. These deep cuts are called
crevasses. A crevasse can be very dangerous for those who dare
to climb a glacier.
How Glaciers Change the Landscape
Glaciers have caused many different types of landforms
in the United States. About 10,000 years ago, a huge ice sheet
covered about half of the northern United States. When these
massive glaciers gradually melted and moved northward, they
left a vastly changed landscape.
For example, glaciers can cause lakes to form. The five
Great Lakes — Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake
Superior, and Lake Michigan — were created by glaciers. So
were the Finger Lakes in New York and Lake Champlain, the
latter which divides New York and Vermont. Minnesota is
known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” Glaciers created most
of those lakes, too! Large valleys, such as Yosemite Valley in
California, were also formed by glaciers.
Glaciers can leave a lot of debris behind, because they are
so large and because the force of their movement is so great.
This debris is called a moraine. Moraines are usually made up
of a mix of soil and rocks. Some of the rocks are large boulders!
15

Landforms Created by Glaciers
Landform Definition
moraine rocks and soil carried and then left behind by glaciers
drumlin
esker
kettle
a long narrow hill
a long winding ridge of sand and gravel
a hole made by a glacier that becomes a lake
moraine
drumlin
esker
16
kettle

Threats to Glaciers
Today, global warming, or the gradual heating of
Earth, is an important issue. Scientists think that the overall
temperature on Earth is increasing. The cause is likely
pollution, mainly from cars and factories, that has become
trapped in Earth’s atmosphere.
Global warming has a dangerous effect on glaciers.
As Earth heats up, glaciers melt. Huge amounts of melting ice
can cause sea levels to rise. In the future, low-lying islands and
coastal areas could be flooded or end up underwater.
Louise Boyd would not recognize much of Greenland and
the Arctic if she saw it today. The summer season is longer, and
glaciers are melting. As a result, glaciers are retreating from
where they were in the 1930s when Boyd explored them. Louise
Boyd added to our knowledge of glaciers. Now the challenge is
to help stop the threats to the Arctic she so loved.
The photo on the left was taken in 1941; the one on the right
in 2004. These two photos, taken from the same vantage point,
show the extensive melting of Muir Glacier in Alaska.
17

Index
A
Amundsen, Roald, 7, 9
B
Boyd, Louise Arner, 3–13, 17
childhood, 4
and glaciers, 3, 6, 9, 13, 17
and the Hobby, 6–7, 8
and the Veslekari, 8, 9–11
and World War II, 11–12
D
Denmark, 9
G
glaciers, 3, 6, 7, 9, 13–17
formation of, 13–14
landscapes caused by, 15–16
movement of, 14–15
threats to, 17
Greenland, 6, 9, 11, 12, 17
N
Nobile, General Umberto, 7, 9
North Pole, 3, 6, 12
O
Olson, Captain Johan, 9–11
P
Peary, Robert, 3
S
Spitsbergen, Norway, 4, 6
V
Veslekari, 8, 9–11
W
Wiesboydlund (Miss Boyd Land), 9
H
Hobby, 6–7, 8
18

Responding
TARGET SKILL Main Ideas and
Details What details from the book explain
why Louise Arner Boyd is called a pioneer? Copy
and complete the diagram below.
? ?
Why is Louise
Arner Boyd called
a pioneer?
She was the first
woman to fly over
the North Pole.
?
Write About It
Text to World Boyd would be saddened to learn
that glaciers are melting. What do you think can
be done? Write a personal narrative paragraph
about how best to protect glaciers.
19

TARGET VOCABULARY
affirmed
culmination
deduced
durable
equivalent
expanse
frigid
participants
prime
sacrificed
TARGET SKILL Main Ideas and Details Identify
a topic’s important ideas and supporting details.
TARGET STRATEGY Monitor/Clarify As you read,
notice what isn’t making sense. Find ways to figure
out the parts that are confusing.
GENRE Biography tells about events in a person’s life,
written by another person.
Write About It
In a famous quotation, Aung San Suu Kyi said,
“Please use your freedom to promote ours.”
What freedoms do you value most? Why? Write
a letter to the editor of a Burmese newspaper
explaining the freedoms you have and why they
are important to you.
20

Level: V
DRA: 50
Genre:
Biography
Strategy:
Monitor/Clarify
Skill:
Main Ideas and Details
Word Count: 2,384
6.3.13
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books
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