How to Start Polar Expeditions: Low Barrier Entry Tips

In this clip from the Adventure Diaries Podcast, Ash Routen shares his insights on polar expeditions, particularly emphasizing the accessibility of Arctic and polar travel. He highlights that while high-altitude mountaineering or ice climbing require technical skills, polar travel has a relatively low barrier to entry. You don’t need to be an expert climber or extreme sports athlete to explore some of the world's most remote and striking winter landscapes. According to Ash, the primary skill needed is the ability to walk or shuffle for long hours, sometimes pulling a sled behind you, all while embracing the natural beauty of the cold environment.
He explains that although polar travel is physically demanding and requires specialized winter camping skills, there are fewer technical requirements. The challenge lies in endurance and commitment, with money and time being significant factors. Winter camping, pulling sleds, and maintaining warmth are specialized skills to master, but they are not overly complicated for outdoor enthusiasts to learn.
For Ash, one of the great rewards of polar travel is the landscape itself, especially during midwinter in the Arctic. The low-hanging sun casts ethereal light across the snow, creating breathtaking scenes that he describes as a "carpet of twinkling diamonds." The pastel colors, the Belt of Venus-an atmospheric phenomenon where the sky turns pink and purple-and unique sights like fog bows (fog rainbows) all add to the magical atmosphere. These phenomena can only be truly appreciated in these pristine, remote winter environments, which take on a surreal beauty in the cold months.
Ash reminisces about his time in the Arctic Circle in Finland, where the changing light and short days added to the incredible feeling of being immersed in nature. He notes that while the environment may be harsh, it is a special place that leaves a lasting impact on those who experience it.
While polar travel has a low barrier to entry, Ash emphasizes the importance of training for specific conditions. Depending on whether you're traveling over ice or land, and the presence of dangers like crevasses, polar training can be crucial. Ash himself underwent polar training before his recent expedition to Finnmark, a cold and snowy region in northern Norway that closely replicates Arctic and Antarctic environments. During this training, he learned essential skills such as winter camping and cross-country skiing, transferring his existing knowledge from 20 years of outdoor experience and mountain days into more specialized techniques for polar conditions. While he already knew how to pitch a tent, use GPS, and navigate in the mountains, polar training honed his abilities for cold-weather survival.
For more of Ash Routen’s fascinating stories about polar expeditions and his advice on how to approach these unique adventures, visit AdventureDiari... for the full episode.