Caught in the Storm
In 1926, Danish explorer Peter Freuchen faced a dire situation during an Arctic expedition. A powerful blizzard immobilized his dog team, forcing him to shelter beneath his sled. Over the next 30 hours, wind-driven snow encased the sled in a thick, icy shell, leaving him trapped. When the storm passed, Freuchen tried to dig himself out but couldn’t break the ice using his bare hands.
An Unorthodox Tool
In his 1953 autobiography Vagrant Viking, Freuchen wrote that he turned to the only material available. He defecated, then shaped the feces into a chisel and allowed it to freeze solid. According to his account, the improvised tool was firm enough to chip away at the icy walls surrounding him.
After escaping the snow coffin, Freuchen trekked three hours to reach his camp. Upon arrival, he discovered three of his toes were severely frostbitten. With no medical equipment available, he removed them himself using pliers and a hammer.
A Scientific Test
In 2019, a team from Kent State University tested the plausibility of Freuchen’s claim. Drawing inspiration from both his story and an Inuit tale about a man crafting a frozen feces knife to kill a dog, researchers used experimental archaeology to recreate similar conditions.
One participant consumed a high-protein, Arctic-like diet for eight days to mimic Freuchen’s presumed diet. Feces were shaped into knives using ceramic molds or by hand and then frozen at -20°C. Before testing, some were cooled even further to -50°C. Researchers then attempted to use the frozen tools to cut animal hides.
The results were consistent. None of the fecal knives succeeded in cutting the pig hide. The tools softened under pressure, leaving brown smears but no punctures. Even with extreme preparation and low temperatures, the material was too fragile. One scientist compared it to trying to cut with a brown crayon.
Explorer, Writer, Showman
Freuchen’s exploits extended beyond the Arctic. He appeared in the Oscar-winning 1933 film Eskimo, serving as both an advisor and actor. He also won the top prize on the American quiz show The $64,000 Question by correctly answering questions about polar exploration.
Known for his dramatic flair, he often posed for striking photographs and once lifted actress Jean Harlow above his head at a Hollywood party, spinning her around in front of amused guests and reporters.
Freuchen stood 6 feet 7 inches tall and wore a dramatic beard and fur clothing that matched his explorer image. His vivid stories and public appearances contributed to his reputation as a remarkable figure in 20th-century exploration.
Whether or not the frozen feces chisel functioned as he described, Freuchen was the only source of the original account. The Kent State experiment could not confirm its effectiveness, but it remains a story he included in his own published memoir.
In 1926, Danish explorer Peter Freuchen was caught in a brutal Arctic blizzard that buried his sled in ice.
Trapped beneath it for 30 hours, he realized he couldn’t dig himself out with bare hands.
What he did next became one of the most bizarre escape stories ever… pic.twitter.com/kJOWy0KVqy
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) June 1, 2025