Ann Bancroft

Ann Bancroft is an American adventurer and renowned teacher. Her trek to the North Pole in 1956 made her the first woman to get there on foot and by sled. Bancroft is the first woman to cross both polar ice caps and to ski across Greenland. Along with her business partner, Liv Arnesen, she became the first woman to sail and ski across Antarctica in 2001. In 1995, her efforts garnered her induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Bancroft co-owns Bancroft Arnesen Explore. Prior to her various exploration feats, she was a physical education and special education teacher in Minnesota. Bancroft is currently an instructor for the disabled at Wilderness Inquiry. In addition to that work, she is a spokesperson for the Learning Disabilities Association and the Girl Scouts of America. Bancroft has campaigned for LGBT issues in Minnesota. She graduated with a degree in physical education from the University of Oregon.