Sarah McNair-Landry

Sarah McNair-Landry

I would like to introduce to you one of our most experienced expedition leaders, Sarah McNair-Landry. Sarah will be a vital team member and based on her experience, will give everyone lots of advice especially to the young adventurers.

Before I dribble on explaining the success of Sarah and her experiences, you will find below some Sarah’s achievements. I would like to mention that Sarah was the expedition leader on the walk to the North Pole with Linda and Rob which started in February 2010 and finished in April 2010. This was an outstanding effort by all of them and not many expeditioners have ever achieved this.

Sarah McNair-Landry comes from a family of Arctic enthusiasts, born and raised on Canada's Baffin Island. At age 18, she became the youngest person ever to ski to the South Pole (with her brother, Eric, then 20). She and her mother, Matty, are the first Canadian women to reach the South Pole by ski. Since then, she's trekked across the Arctic Ocean and 1,430 miles of the Greenland Ice Cap (equivalent to the distance from Boston to Miami), among other expeditions. Now 22 and a National Geographic Young Explorers grantee, McNair-Landry spoke as part of Will Steger's Ellesmere Island team's presentation during National Geographic Live's "Heirs to the Arctic" event last month.

Extract from the National Geographic’s website:
http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2008/12/qa-sarah-mcnairlandry-tk.html

As the children of Paul Landry and Matty McNair  (who herself was an Adventurer of the Year in 2006), Sarah and Eric were practically raised on expeditions. By the time they set out for the Ice Sheet this summer, Sarah had already been to two poles, Eric to one, and both were veterans of two previous trips to Greenland. But this time, says Eric, "We wanted to do something that was long and challenging and would really push the limits." Try hiking four days from the ocean up mountains and across crevasses, dragging 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of equipment apiece. And that's just to where the team could start kiting. Then it was six weeks of whipping across the ice at speeds of up to 20 mph (32 kmh). In one amazing run they covered 256 miles (412 kilometers) in 24 continuous hours. "Our stomachs hurt from the vibrations," says Eric.

To most, such a remarkable journey would be a means to equally remarkable ends, a "first" of sorts. But Sarah and Eric claim not to be motivated by records (though, incidentally, they did grab two: They're the first brother-sister team to cross the Ice Sheet, and Sarah is the youngest to do a south-to-north traverse). Instead, Sarah insists, the goal was to inspire the next generation of explorers. "You get youth outside and get them active and they start to appreciate the environment and care for it," she says. There is no record more worthy than that.

Extract from National Geographic’s website:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/best-of-adventure-2008/achievements/adventurers-of-year.html#sarah


Expeditions

2010 North Pole expedition: The expedition started in the last week of February 2010 after the team completed several weeks of training together in northern Canada with Sarah McNair-Landry. They flew to the Northern tip of Canada as soon as the arctic winter lifted and the plane could land. Temperatures between -30 and -50 degrees Celsius were experienced while hauling sleds for 60 days over approximately 870 kilometres of sea ice. The days lengthened and the temperatures rose slowly and they had to get to the North Pole before the ice became too thin. It was a race against time as they negotiated ice ridges, leads of water and challenging weather and snow conditions to reach the North Pole before the season finished. But they succeeded and the Antarctic Challenge team is extremely proud of Sarah & Lind.

2009 Pittarak, Gobi expedition: The Pittarak team (Eric McNair-Landry, Sarah McNair-Landry and Curtis Jones) headed to Mongolia, their goal to cross the Gobi desert by kite buggy. Starting at the base of the Altai Mountains, the team headed east into the desert. They travelled carrying their water and food on the buggies. After 35 days of kiting (and hauling when there was no wind), the team completed the crossing.

2008 Global Warming 101, Ellesmere Expedition: A team of 6 including Will Steger, Sam Branson, Toby Thorleifsson, Sigird Ekran and Eric and Sarah McNair-Landry headed to the Canadian high arctic islands with three teams of 10 dogs. They left Resolute and headed along the West side of Axel Heiberg towards Ellesmere Island, traveling through rough ice for 62 day. The goal was to raise awareness of Climate change, highlighting the ice shelves and glaciers in the arctic. Website: www.globalwarming101.com

2007 Pittarak Greenland Expedition: A team of three, Curtis Jones, Eric and Sarah McNair-Landry, headed to Greenland to complete a 2,300 km crossing of the ice cap, leaving from the southern tip near the village of Narsarsuaq and ending in Qaanaaq, one of the most northerly communities. They spent 45 days travelling by kite-skiing, cross-country skiing, and hiking. The team managed to cover an amazing 412 km by kit-ski in 24 hours. Website: www.pittarak.com  

2006 Top of the World North Pole Expedition: Sarah McNair-Landry, Paul Landry, David de Rothschild and Martin Hartley departed from Northern Russia, skiing and dog sledding towards the North Pole. Once they reached the pole, they continued on, hoping to complete a full crossing of the Arctic Ocean. Unfortunately, after 100 days on the polar ice, due to warm conditions and the ice breaking up they were forced to abandon their goal of finishing in Northern Canada. Website: www.adventureecology.com  

2005 Green Speed double-crossing of the Greenland Icecap: In May/June, Eric and Sarah McNair-Landry headed back to Greenland with Paul Landry and David de Rothschild. Setting a new speed record for the fastest crossing ever (7days), kite skiing and skiing. They also did a double-crossing of the ice cap. Website: www.greenspeed.tv

2004/5 Kites on Ice Expedition, to the South Pole and back: A 1,100km unsupported ski expedition to the South Pole from Hercules Inlet. hauling pulks weighting over 230lbs each, to reach the Pole in 52 days. When they arrived, Eric (20) and Sarah (18) became the youngest ever to reach the pole. Matty and Sarah also became the first Canadian women. The team of five (Hilary and Conrad Dickenson, Matty McNair, and Sarah and Eric McNair-Landry) picked up kite-skiing gear and kited back to the coast in 17 days. Website: www.kitesonice.ca

2003 Kids and Kites on Ice Greenland Icecap crossing: A crossing of the Greenland Ice cap, from East to West. This was Eric and Sarah McNair-Landry's first expedition with parents Matty McNair and Paul Landry. They traversed the ice cap in 23 days, skiing, kite-skiing and dog sledding. Website: www.kidsonice.ca
Extract from the Icecap Journeys website:
http://www.icecapjourneys.com.au/info/team-members/sarah-mcnair-landry