How heavy will my pack/sled be?

That is a great question. You won’t be carrying a pack but rather pulling your gear in sleds. Pulling sleds is a much more efficient way to move your gear while skiing and makes sure your back doesn’t get wet from sweat. In general, sleds are moderately heavy to quite heavy. You will likely be pulling 35kg – 40kg altogether (with personal and team gear) throughout the ski.

All the group gear is spread equally throughout the team. Like on all of our expeditions, there is a strict Leave No Trace policy, so it is best to bring only what you need and prepare your body in training to carry and haul weight.

Will I be sharing a tent?

Yes, we will share tents throughout the expedition. This is due to the extreme cold, where sharing tents keeps everyone warmer and safer. It also reduces the weight of carrying extra, unnecessary tents when sled weights are already significant. If this is a concern for a valid reason don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss. On expedition, you will be responsible for setting up and breaking down your tent.

How cold will it be?

Very! Most of the time, temperatures are well below freezing. Night time temps can be -40 degrees Celsius and even colder depending on the wind and how direct the sun is.

Please be prepared for extreme cold. Cold management and hypervigilance are critical to avoid frostbite. Listen to your guide’s advice and speak up immediately if you are feeling cold or numb.

Why do we go in April?

April is the ideal time to do a North Pole Ski because the ice is at its thickest, but we also have the daylight and warmth to operate. By May, the ice begins to melt and break up because the sun is in the sky for 24 hours a day. Usually, the final passenger flight arrives to pick up the last travelers and researchers from Bareno Camp at the end of April, after which the camp is dismantled and flown back to Longyearbyen, where it is stored until the next year. A new camp will be built the following Spring.

What is the food like on the expedition?

In general our food on and off expedition is excellent. There are many good restaurants in Longyearbyen that we will check out. At Barneo Camp, the food that the chefs prepare is hearty and fresh. On expedition, we will have a mixture of very high-quality freeze-dried and fresh meals to balance out caloric intake (you need about 5,500 calories a day!!) and weight limitations, along with hot drinks, soup, hot chocolate, etc. If you have dietary requirements, please let us know well ahead of departure so that we can accommodate you.

We also ask that guests bring along some of their favorite high-calorie snacks, as many people are surprised to find they lose appetite working hard and need things they know will tempt them even when they don’t feel like eating (approx. 5kgs). We advise things like chocolate, cheese sticks, jerky, salami, nut butter, gu gel, etc. Make sure you pack plenty of goodies you are familiar with.

How long do we ski every day?

Usually, we ski for about 6 – 8 hours per day with regular short breaks to keep our calorie intake up. Our distance/hours depend on the conditions we face, from pressure ridges to open leads of water, ice drift, etc.

What if I’m not a skier?

You don’t need to be an experienced skier to enjoy this expedition. In fact, some of our past expedition members have never been on skis before, which is why we train in Longyearbyen before heading out. In tricky sections, like pressure ridges, we’ll remove our skis and climb over.

What are the greatest dangers?

By far, the greatest danger on an Arctic ski expedition is cold and frostbite. We can’t emphasize the need to be on top of your ‘cold management strategies’ enough. It is vital to listen to your guide at all times, communicate openly if you are feeling cold or numb, and, of course, be well-equipped and not take shortcuts with your gear.

We will also need to navigate open water leads, thin ice, and the very slim possibility of polar bears. Polar Bears normally live in coastal regions where they find their prey and are unlikely to be at our latitude. For safety reasons, your guide will still carry a firearm with the team.

How do we know when we’ve reached the North Pole?

Thankfully, we have the advantage of modern technology, and we’ll be watching the GPS to know when we’ve hit the magic 90 degrees North!

When do I need to be in Longyearbyen?

You need to be in Longyearbyen on the start day outlined in the itinerary (2 days before we fly to Barneo Camp), but we suggest playing it safe and getting to town 3 days in advance in case of any baggage or flight delays as the flight services to Barneo Camp won’t wait for anyone. The extra night in town associated with arriving early would be your own expense, but we can easily book the hotel for you and help you arrange any early arrivals. It is better to be there early than to arrive late and risk missing the flight or not having your gear in time.

I’ve heard about big travel delays and weather holds.

Travel in the Arctic is like no where else. Coupling unique weather patterns, remoteness, and sea ice conditions means that delays, weather holds, and contingencies are the norm and not the exception. You need to be comfortable with this. (There is even the slim possibility the expedition may not be able to run at all!) Our flight operator is the best in the business and well-versed in Arctic travel, but safety is everyone’s first priority, so they will not fly in marginal conditions, poor visibility, or unfavorable sea ice conditions and will wait for clearer windows to fly.

There are plenty of contingencies in place for delays, with cached resources, food, fuel, and medical supplies in the event of lengthy delays. We ask that you be aware that delays are part of an Arctic adventure. Please notify family and friends that in the event of a delay, this is not a situation to be concerned about, and their first point of contact is us.

As the saying goes, it’s better to be on the ground wishing you were in the sky rather than in the sky wishing you were on the ground.  Your safety is more important to us all than scheduling.

When should I book my return flight?

Most people book flexible round-trip flights up front and set their return date back a week or more in case they get delayed. If you are on time, it is usually easier to move flights home up vs. missing them and trying to delay them. There is usually plenty of availability on flights from Longyearbyen, and it’s relatively easy to get on a flight.

If you are early back to Longyearbyen and don’t want to move your flight up, Svalbard is an incredible destination to explore and worth doing so while you are in the region.

For booking travel, we highly recommend using our travel agent. We have been working with them for years and they understand the nuances of expedition travel and our logistics really well. They also help monitor the situation on the ice closely and are able to liaise with the airlines on our behalf when we might still be out of touch in the field. They are usually excellent at finding affordable fares. We are happy to introduce you if you would like assistance booking your flights.

Do I need to purchase insurance?

Yes. Trip delay, interruption, cancellation, rescue, repatriation, and medical insurance are mandatory for this program for your own benefit.

We have seen too many times when people need to cancel their trips either before or during the expedition for reasons such as injury, health, family, and business matters.

With such an expensive trip and so much at stake and highly variable adventure travel conditions, you must be prepared for and expect contingencies, and it’s important to have a good insurance policy on your side.

What happens if there is an emergency?

In an emergency your guide will be able to contact Barneo Camp very quickly and summon a helicopter evacuation. A medical team is also stationed at Barneo. The nearest hospital is at Longyearbyen.

How can my family and friends reach me?

The Arctic is very remote and the only means of communication is via satellite phone or device.

Our expeditions are equipped with satellite phones, but we are conservative in their usage to conserve battery supply (we usually have plenty of batteries and solar panels to recharge, but due to the nature of the expedition, it is important to have an extra backup in the case of an emergency)  In an emergency we can easily and quickly contact Barneo Camp and the outside world.

We make the satellite phone available to expedition members to call home at an extra charge sporadically.

If your family needs to reach you urgently, please ask them to use the contact numbers we provide in your pre-trip departure information and encourage them to contact the office first. They can also reach out to us through our info[at]climbingthesevensummits.com email and the office will be able to contact your guide in the field and arrange a phone call.

Your CTSS Guide will contact our team almost daily with updates that are published on our blog. The blog is a great news source for family and friends wanting to follow on. Please also advise your loved ones that ‘no news is good news’ and manage their expectations that they won’t necessarily hear updates every day or be able to contact you as easily as on other expeditions.

You are also welcome to bring your own satellite communications device, like a Garmin inReach, which you can use to text family and friends. However, be aware of the weight and ability to recharge your device.

How to Choose the Right North Pole Trip: 

Since we come from a mountain climbing background where safety and logistics in difficult remote places are paramount, we are able to use the same frameworks, efficiencies, and systems that we use in the mountains to redefine the Arctic experience. You will find a very comprehensive level of service, which can be quite different from the traditional polar approach to guiding. For instance, we invest extra time before flying onto the sea ice, going through your gear, and running a practice ski to make sure you are familiar and comfortable.

It also goes without saying that CTSS invests in the best gear and leadership to offer you the best experience and so that you can live well and focus on your objective. We believe that well-fed, well-rested, and well-looked after clients are strong and successful clients.