Vilhjalmur Stefansson

Vilhjalmur Stefansson (November 3, 1879 – August 26, 1962) was a Canadian Arctic explorer and ethnologist.

Related Topics:
November 3 - 1879 - August 26 - 1962 - Canadian

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Stefansson was an extremely well-known explorer in his lifetime. Late in life, through his affiliation with Dartmouth College (he was Director of Polar Studies), he became a major figure in the establishment of the US Army's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, New Hampshire. CRREL-supported research, often conducted in winter on the forbidding summit of Mount Washington, has been key to developing materiel and doctrine to support alpine conflict.

Related Topics:
Dartmouth College - US Army - Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory - Hanover - New Hampshire - Mount Washington

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Stefansson's personal papers and collection of arctic artifacts are maintained and available to the public at the Dartmouth College Library.

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Stefansson is also famous for saying that "adventure is a sign of incompetence," and would probably agree that proper prior planning prevents poor performance.

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