July

Comparing the Amundsen and Scott expeditions on Wikipedia, it appears the main strategic difference is that Amundsen used sleds with dogs from Greenland for his transport, while Scott used Mongolian ponies. Amundsen decided to sacrifice several dogs before reaching the pole and store the meat for the return trip; this strategy allowed him to reduce the burden of dog food and ensure he could maintain the surviving animals on the way back. Scott’s ponies had to carry sacks of oats for their feed, which increased their burden and the chances of them sinking into the snow. Another disadvantage was that the ponies’ sweat froze on their coats, while the dogs regulated their temperature by panting.

It seems that Amundsen’s expedition had better equipment, and clothing that was more resistant to the cold. All of Scott’s ponies died and the team had to go it alone. Scott added an extra team member at the last minute, which strained the food-rationing plan. While Amundsen’s voyage was efficient and suffered no serious setbacks, Scott reached the pole after great hardships, found Amundsen’s tent marking the Norwegian victory, and after documenting his defeat in the famous photograph, he and his entire team died on the return trip.