[Hiddigeigei]

The balloon attempt was doomed because of poor understanding of the conditions."
I also read that they poisoned themselves by eating polar bear liver. I guess that was part of poor understanding of the conditions

[marktwain]

Their clothing was completely inadequate to the job.

They did not have anything like proper sleds or tents.

They may have got trichinosis from undercooked polar bear meat.

Probably the biggest problem was no proper clothes, shelter, or means of transporting supplies.