Oldest person to visit the North Pole, world record set by Richard Eitel

October 16, 2025

North Pole--Richard Eitel reached the North Pole via a long sea expedition and then cross-country skied to the exact geographic point' his journey was supported by his family, who helped him carry out his plans and set the new world record for the Oldest person to visit the North Pole, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"The oldest person to visit the North Pole is Richard Eitel, who was 95 years and 236 days old when he achieved the feat on August 10, 2025. He fulfilled a lifelong dream by skiing to the geographic North Pole at 90° N. (AI Overview)

Who: Richard Eitel
Age: 95 years and 236 days
When: August 10, 2025
How: He reached the North Pole via a long sea expedition and then cross-country skied to the exact geographic point.
Note: His journey was supported by his family, who helped him carry out his plans.

"For Richard Eitel, standing at the very top of the world wasn’t just another travel goal; it was the dream of a lifetime.

"Born on 17 December 1929 in the United States, Eitel grew up with an adventurous spirit, a love for the outdoors, and a lifelong passion for skiing and tennis. Yet, despite living a life filled with activity, adventure, and family, one goal always eluded him: reaching the North Pole. Last month, that dream finally came true," The Brighter World says.

"At 95 years and 236 days old, Eitel skied across the icy expanse of the Arctic to become the Guinness World Records holder for the oldest person ever to reach the North Pole."

"The oldest person to visit the North Pole is Richard Eitel (USA, b. 17 December 1929), who was 95 years 236 days old, as verified on 10 August 2025," the Guinness World Records says.

"Visiting the North Pole was a bucket list item for Richard. He cross-country skied at exactly 90° N."

"The nonagenarian is an active athlete, who enjoys playing tennis, cross-country skiing, and spending time with his loved ones. But he never got a chance to reach the northernmost point in the world... until his family decided they would accompany him to check off that elusive goal on his bucket list," the MSN reports.

"As verified on 10 August, Dick was 95 years and 236 days old when he took the title from Edward Stahl (USA, b. 6 October 1931), who was 90 years and 334 days old when he made the trek on 6 September 2022.

"Accompanying Dick were five family members, including his granddaughter Alexandra, who helped plan his dream. They organized travel plans, secured safety precautions, and submitted evidence to Guinness World Records, to finally help their beloved grandfather achieve his goal."

"The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the Magnetic North Pole.

"The North Pole is by definition the northernmost point on the Earth, lying antipodally to the South Pole. It defines geodetic latitude 90° North, as well as the direction of true north.

"At the North Pole all directions point south; all lines of longitude converge there, so its longitude can be defined as any degree value. No time zone has been assigned to the North Pole, so any time can be used as the local time. Along tight latitude circles, counterclockwise is east and clockwise is west. The North Pole is at the center of the Northern Hemisphere." (Wikipedia)

Photos: Oldest person to visit the North Pole, world record set by Richard Eitel
(1) Adventure Smith Explorations

(2) YouTube