Eric Philips | Eric Philips - Explorer & Polar Guide

Astronaut

I was Mission Specialist and Medical Officer on board the historic Fram2 polar orbital mission.

Launching on March 31, 2025 from Cape Canaveral, the Fram2 crew spent almost 4 days in space, completing 55 orbits over the North and South Poles. Although we see curated photos of these regions on Google Earth and other platforms, there is something quintessentially human about seeing things with our own eyes and yes, they look different.

On April 4 we completed the first human splashdown off the west coast of the USA.

+ More

Polar Explorer

Since 1992 I've been exploring the Earth's high latitudes.

Exploration has been at the core of my instinct. From my inaugural 1992 expedition to Canada's Ellesmere Island, to pioneering new routes through the Transantarctic Mountains to the South Pole, skiing from Russia to North Pole and North Pole to Canada, to snowkiting solo to the iconic peak of Ulvetanna, I've followed the urge to go where others haven't. To explore the path less travelled.

It's what drives me every day of my life.

+ More + Biography

IPGA Polar Expedition Guide

Since 2004 I've been guiding ski expeditions and training in the Arctic, Antarctica and Australia. Any opportunity to introduce people to our wonderful ice environments is a privilege that I will forever appreciate.

In 2011, together with a team of guides spanning 6 nations, I launched the International Polar Guides Association, steering the organisation as President until 2024. Polar guiding is an awesome profession, one that combines my loves of adventure and education.

Contact me if you want to join a trip, need help with your own or are interested in becoming an IPGA guide.

+ More + Chronology

Polar Equipment Designer

Like many of the polar enthusiasts who use my products, I place absolute trust in the ability of my designs to do what's required of them.

Whether I'm guiding a short trip or on a long demanding expedition, I don't want the anxiety of worrying about gear failure or poor performance so I base my design work on a simple credo: Design and build things to perform dependably in the harshest conditions on the planet.

+ More + Buy

Polar Expedition Consultant

In the harsh reality of a polar environment there's often only one chance at success. Don't squander that opportunity with guesswork, assumptions or bad advice.

I offer 4 levels of consultation, giving you the opportunity to balance your growing knowledge with my professional advice to create your optimum polar journey.

+ Show me

Photographs

Most of the images on my website were taken by professional photographers. Martin Hartley, Petter Nyquist, Christian Åslund and Nick Cobbing are widely known for their work in the fields of polar adventure, conservation and science and I've enjoyed working with them immensely.

They all possess the rare ability to render an ordinary moment as an extraordinary event, an ephemeral blur as static motion, a fleeting nuance as an indelible memory.

My sincere thanks to these superlative artists.

+ Photographers

Just wanted to say thanks again so much for an awesome week, I learned an absolute heap and had a great time as well.

Scott Sears. UK (Australian Alps Advanced - Polar Training)

Many thanks for your help on the expedition. We finally made it and we really do appreciate the effort you put in to make it happen for us.

Paul Stewart. Australia (South Pole Emperor Odyssey 2014)

Thanks again for a great trip. Very much enjoyed it – l learnt a lot from you and Ya, you looked after us incredibly well, and were fun and professional.

Thank you for providing the opportunity to an everyday person like me to get a taste of the alpine environment and its “asks” of human beings traveling through on snowshoes and skis. The week in the Snowy Mountains in such a prodigiously good snow season was fabulous, complete with emergency hut “lock-in” due to gale force winds & white-out, some good expedition tenting, clear blue skies and pristine, fresh snow.

Claire Murray. Australia (Australian Alps Winter Advanced 2022)

I learnt a lot about myself and my limitations and how far I can push myself, which is further than I had imagined. I really enjoyed the friendships and the team aspects, it was a trip of a lifetime and I feel I would like to visit the 'backyard of ice' again sometime in the future.

Paul Bonney. Australia (North Pole Extreme 2007)

I am preparing for a big solo expedition in the future and couldn't do it without Eric in my corner. On our expedition in Svalbard, they always had the most positive attitude, they kept things fun, and they looked out for the safety and well being of everyone on the team constantly.

Akshay Nanavati. USA (Svalbard Polar Expedition 2023)

Eric and Mardi were exceptional guides on the adventure of a lifetime. I wrote an article about my Icetrek experience: https://www.washingtonpost.com...

Ed Kressie. USA (Svalbard Polar Expedition 2023)