Steger, Emerging Leaders Head to Arctic

If you’re looking to learn more about global warming, keep your eyes peeled this spring for the Ellesmere Island Expedition, led by Minnesota’s own National Geographic Explorer Will Steger and a team of young adventurers. Stay in touch at Global Warming 101 as they and their dog teams brave sub-zero temperatures, blizzards, and polar bear encounters to visit the front lines of climate change in the High Arctic. The team will retrace historical expedition routes on Ellesmere Island, encounter endangered wildlife, photograph disintegrating ice sheets that are collapsing into the ocean, mush across frozen sea ice, and visit an area on the frontlines of climate change. Using satellite phones and solar panels the team will send multimedia updates from their tents to keep us informed.

This impressive team includes 21-year-old Sarah and 23-year-old Eric McNair-Landry, a Canadian brother-sister team holding the speed record for crossing Antarctica and the youngest people to reach both poles; 27-year old Iditarod rookie of the year, Norwegian Sigrid Ekran; Sir Richard Branson’s 22-year old son Sam, an author, musician and explorer; American Ben Horton, a National Geographic Young Explorer, photographer, and Imax film-man; and 28-year-old Norwegian explorer and polar historian Tobias Thorleifsson.

In addition to the adventure of the dogsled expedition, Global Warming 101 is a great resource to educate yourself and others about issues surrounding global warming, including free and easily-downloadable curriculum for educators. Order free educational maps of the expedition route at Global Warming 101.  And keep updated on Will and his team’s progress!