The Arctic is undergoing dramatic changes, warming up three times as fast as the rest of the globe. This has severe impacts on ecosystems and people living in the Arctic, and for future generations, the pristine and frozen side of the region will become increasingly rare. The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) has been monitoring these changes taking place for more than 30 years, bringing Arctic data into international policymaking.
That is why we would like to bring you into the frozen Arctic, to profoundly understand what is happening and why this matters. Join us for an exclusive expedition from January 18th to 22nd, led by adventurer and mountaineer Kristin Harila—the fastest person, alongside Sherpa Lama, to True summit all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters in just 3 months and 1 day. Together with the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, we will ski across Finnmark/Finnmárku, immersing ourselves in the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of the Arctic to fully appreciate its value and witness the dramatic changes it is undergoing.
18-22 January 2025 (more details will come)
Application will be open for participants at the Arctic Youth Conference 2025. The applicants will be selected based on diversity in background and gender. Basic experience in outdoor activities and skiing will be required.
As an expedition member you will experience four days of the most beautiful skiing across Arctic wilderness. You will be pulling your own equipment, pitching up your tent to sleep in and you will be responsible for your wellbeing, just like Arctic explorers before you. It will be about 70 kilometers of skiing, mostly in the Arctic darkness, in crisp, cold winter. You will learn how to take care of yourself and your team, but also about climate change, how it impacts ecosystem and Indigenous Peoples’ livelihoods, and how we try to bring this knowledge into policy making. It will require effort, but it will also be a one-of-a-kind experience you'll remember for a lifetime.
Most importantly we expect you to be motivated for the experience, both for its purpose as well as for putting your efforts into it when it is cold and there is no bed made for you. The physical challenge is a bit more than an average walk in the park, some days will have about 20 km of skiing, temperatures may drop lower than 20 degrees Celsius below, and it will be hours where the light only light is from our head lamps. You do not need to be a fit cross-country athlete, but having some experience with skiing and hiking in wintertime is helpful.
We do expect you to bring personal equipment like clothing and, if needed, we will assist in providing gear to borrow and special discounts if essential gear needs to be bought. We will provide equipment for the team like tents, sleeping bags etc.
The expedition will take place in Finnmark/Finnmárku, the northernmost part of mainland Europe, crossing the highlands over four days, from Alta/ Áltá to Suossjavre. We will sleep in tents, make our own food and ski our way across the highlands. The expedition will include learning about snow, safety, climate change, pollution and how it is dealt with under the Arctic Council. The route and duration may change due to snow and weather conditions.
Contact:
Rolf Rødven Executive Secretary Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)
Email: rolf.rodven@amap.no