Polar Adventurer Eric Larsen Announces Return of Full North Pole Expedition, Opens Applications for One of the World’s Rarest Adventures

July 15, 2026

First successful full North Pole expedition in more than a decade could mark the return of one of adventure's greatest challenges.

CRESTED BUTTE, Colo., July 15, 2026 /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – Polar adventurer and expedition guide Eric Larsen today announced that he is accepting applications for his guided Full North Pole Expedition in 2027, an ambitious attempt to traverse roughly 600 miles of the Arctic Ocean from land to the Geographic North Pole—an adventure that has not been successfully accomplished since 2014.

The expedition to the North Pole is easily one of the most difficult adventures on the planet. Traveling by skis, snowshoes, and sometimes swimming, the expedition team will navigate a constantly shifting pack ice of pressure ridges and open leads of water for nearly two months. With no landmarks or established routes, the surface conditions form a maze of broken and fractured sea ice. This is a self-supported, human-powered expedition, and the team will carry everything they need to live and survive in lightweight sleds.

While there have been nearly 14,000 summits of Everest, fewer than 250 people have completed the full crossing of the Arctic Ocean from land to the Geographic North Pole. As a professional adventurer, Larsen is the only person in history to ski to the South Pole and the North Pole and climb Mt. Everest within a 365-day period. He has completed three North Pole expeditions spanning the last 20 years. As an expedition guide, Larsen regularly leads a variety of training courses and expeditions in the world’s coldest environments, including guiding three partial North Pole expeditions.

“I’ve spent the last three decades refining the gear, equipment, and travel techniques needed to be successful on a North Pole expedition,” Larsen said. “There are only a handful of people on the entire planet with similar Arctic Ocean experience, and I know exactly what it takes to reach the Pole safely.”

Creating the comprehensive safety and resupply network also represents one of the most complex logistical challenges facing any guided expedition operating today. The remote route requires extensive aviation support, including three helicopter resupply missions deep into the Arctic Ocean to deliver food and fuel. As a result of these extraordinary logistics, the cost of participating in the expedition will exceed $250,000 per person, making it one of the most ambitious privately organized expeditions available anywhere in the world. Being resupplied means that the team will need to carry only two weeks of supplies at a time over the course of the 50-day expedition.

This trip is especially meaningful to Larsen, as it marks his return to the North Pole after being diagnosed with late-stage colorectal cancer in January 2021. After spending nearly two years undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, he is officially cancer-free and ready to pay the hard-won lessons of his diagnosis and treatment forward.

“I’m at a point in my career where I’m more focused on lifting others up than achieving my own personal goals,” added Larsen. “I want to use my knowledge to help others solve difficult expedition problems in challenging situations. The North Pole represents the ultimate challenge and our goal is to finish as a cohesive team.”

North Pole expeditions have become increasingly rare as rapidly changing Arctic sea ice, soaring logistical costs, geopolitical uncertainty, and shrinking seasonal weather windows have made long-distance travel across the frozen Arctic Ocean dramatically more difficult. Participants will complete a comprehensive preparation program covering physical training, expedition skills, equipment systems, and team development before departing for the Arctic. Previous polar experience is helpful but not required. Applicants should possess exceptional physical fitness, mental resilience, and a commitment to long-term preparation.

Applications are now open. Because of the extensive planning required and the limited number of expedition positions available (five total), prospective participants are encouraged to begin the application process early.

For more information about the expedition and the application process, visit https://www.ericlarsenexplore.com/northpole27/ or contact ericlarsenexplore@gmail.com.

About Eric Larsen

Eric Larsen is a polar explorer, expedition guide, educator, and speaker who has spent more than 25 years leading expeditions in the Arctic, Antarctica, and other remote regions. He has completed some of the world’s most demanding human-powered expeditions and is dedicated to helping others achieve ambitious goals through preparation, resilience, and exploration.

For more information, please visit https://www.ericlarsenexplore.com/