On Saturday, April 16, 2011, Eric Larsen (Polar Explorer) will be coming to campus for our Spring Visit Day. He will be giving a free public presentation about his 2010 South Pole Expedition in the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute's Sentry Room at 2:30 p.m.

If you would like to schedule a campus visit and take part in our Spring Visit Day activities, please click here to register.

In November 2009 Polar explorer Eric Larsen began the Save the Poles Expedition a first-ever journey to the South Pole, North Pole and summit of Mt. Everest in a continuous 365-day period. His purpose? To travel to the "front lines" of global warming to document the changes occurring in these last great frozen places.

"This expedition will tell the story of these remote places so we can better understand how our actions affect the poles and ultimately the planet," Larsen says. "We all need to be reminded that we must act now to stop global warming."

About Eric Larsen

Modern-day explorer and expedition guide Eric Larsen's life epitomizes adventure. A polar adventurer, dog musher and educator, he has spent the past 15 years of his life traveling in some of the most remote and wild places left on earth.

In 2006, Eric and Lonnie Dupre completed the first ever summer expedition to the North Pole. During this journey, the duo pulled and paddled specially modified canoes across 550 miles of shifting sea ice and open ocean. Eric successfully led his first expedition to the South Pole in 2008, covering nearly 600 miles in 41 days. Eric is now one of only a few Americans in to have skied to both the North and South Poles.

In November 2009, Eric returned to Antarctica for the first leg of his world record Save the Poles expedition. This time he completed a 750-mile ski traverse to the geographic South arriving on January 2, 2010. Two short months later he was dropped off at northern Ellesmere Island for a winter-style North Pole Journey. The international team reached the North Pole 51 days later on Earth Day - April 22, 2010. He is currently embarked on the final leg of the Save the Pole expedition - climbing to the summit of Mt. Everest.

Eric's other expeditions include dog sledding in the Canadian Arctic, training trips to Hudson Bay and countless dog sled races (including the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon). He has summited Mt. McKinley, ridden his bike across the United States, been a backcountry ranger in Alaska and a white water canoe guide in Colorado. Eric has dedicated his adult life to sharing his love for the outdoor world with others. As an educator, Eric strives to connect people to places and issues. In recognition of those efforts, Eric was elected as one of Outside Magazine's Eco All Stars in 2008. He was also inducted as a member of the Explorer's Club based in New York City.

Eric travels extensively giving motivational and educational lectures to schools, universities, non profit organizations and corporate groups. He is currently planning a book and documentary about the Save the Poles expedition.

Eric splits his time between Boulder, Colorado and Grand Marais, Minnesota.

Expedition List

Mt. McKinley

In June 2009, Eric and a small team climbed the tallest peak in North America. The team, including American Ryan Waters and Australian Mark Sheen summited in an unusually fast six days. While conditions were fairly severe during the hike up the Kahiltna Glacier, the team took advantage of ideal conditions and attained the summit after leaving from 14,000' camp earlier in the morning.

South Pole

In 2008, Eric successfully led a 41-day expedition to the Geographic South Pole. Traveling from the edge of the Ronne Ice Shelf along the 'Messner Route'. Eric and the team skied nearly 700 miles to reach the Pole.

North Pole

On May 10, 2005 polar explorers Lonnie Dupre and Eric Larsen embarked on a history-making expedition to become the first ever to cross the Arctic Ocean in summer. Their nearly four-month journey ended abruptly when unusual ice conditions and backwards drift forced an early evacuation. The team is currently planning a 2006 attempt for more information, please visit www.projectthinice.org.

Pimagihowin

While Education Director at NOMADS, (Polar Husky program) Eric was a team member for the Pimagihowin 2002 Expedition. Eric and NOMADS co-founder, Paul Pregont traveled nearly 700 miles across northern Ontario by dog team. The expedition emphasized the culture and land of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation territory, the traditional home of the Northern Ojibway and Cree. To read trail reports from this expedition, please visit the Polar Husky Online Classroom.

Great Slave Lake

After a successful season guiding dog sled trips during the winter of '94/'95, Eric headed to the Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. There he guided a month of expeditions into the barrenlands of the Canadian Arctic. With summer approaching, Eric and a team of three others raced the break up of Great Slave Lake, covering 200 plus miles in four days. The group mushed four teams of Huskies onto the shores of Fort Resolution on May 3rd.

Dog Sled Racing

While technically not expeditions, Eric has trained and raced sled dogs for many years. Traveling throughout the Midwest and West, Eric has consistently proven himself an adept dog musher completing some of the toughest races in the region. A definite highlight of his career is the 12th place finish in the John Beargrease Sled dog Marathon, the longest continuous race in the lower 48.

Seeney Iditarod Qualifier - 12 dog - 200 miles
Empire Sled Dog Race - 8 dog - 60 miles
John Beargrease Half Marathon - 8 dog - 150 miles
John Beargrease Marathon - - 12 dog - 390 miles
Tequamenon - 6 dog Pro - 42 Miles

Hudson Bay

Eric and Lonnie traveled to Hudson Bay on two separate occasions. In May 2004, the team traveled to Coral Harbor on South Hampton Island to train and film in Arctic-like conditions. In March 2005, the team completed a final seven-day shakedown trip on the Hudson Bay sea ice just outside of Churchill, Manitoba. Temperatures there hovered around minus 20 F. Eric and Lonnie were able to effectively test their modified canoes for the first time in an around the pressured sea ice.

If you would like to schedule a campus visit and take part in our Spring Visit Day activities, please click here to register.

Learn more about Eric Larsen at www.ericlarsenexplore.com

Find Eric Larsen on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/EricLarsenExplore

All photos are courtesy of Eric Larsen - Click here to view more.