Biography

I am a polar adventurer dedicated to exploring the vast and varied icescapes that typify our polar regions. My outdoor career spans more than 40 years during which time I've worked professionally as an outdoor educator, sponsored polar adventurer and IPGA Polar Expedition Guide. As an adventurer I’ve visited every continent on Earth, often leading lightweight and self-supported expeditions to remote areas. I've pioneered four new routes/variations to the South Pole and was the first Australian, together with companion Jon Muir, to ski to both the North and South Poles, locations that I've since visited dozens of times as a polar adventurer and guide.

Through my experiences I've developed alternative and highly efficient methods of travel in the polar regions. In 1995 I completed a sea-to-sea crossing of Greenland and one of the first polar expeditions to use steerable kites, and have embraced the use of specialised plastics in the construction of polar-specific equipment. I'm the inventor of Flexi Ski Bindings as well as a range of other niche extreme-cold adventure products, sold through my company's online store.

In 1991 I wrote the book, Icetrek. The Bitter Journey to the South Pole and my expeditions have produced four internationally-screened documentary films, most notably, the Emmy Award-winning Greenland production, Chasing the Midnight Sun.

In December 2023 I was invited to join FRAM2, the first human mission to orbit over the Earth's North and South Poles. At an altitude of approximately 440km, the Dragon vehicle and FRAM2 crew, will complete approximately 55 orbits at a 90º inclination during their 3.6 day mission. Joining me on the mission is Mission Commander Chun Wang, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen and Pilot and Research Coordinator Rabea Rogge. I will be Mission Specialist and Medic. Launch scheduled for no earlier than March 31, 2025.

I live in Victoria, Australia with my wife Susy. Our son Kip is a musician and linguist and my daughter works as an outdoor educator and polar guide. I'm the founder and director of Icetrek Expeditions and Equipment, co-founder and former president of the International Polar Guides Association (IPGA) and co-creator of the Polar Expeditions Classification Scheme (PECS).