The first expedition of La Grande Percée was originally scheduled to take place in April 2020. Just two weeks before our scheduled departure we were forced to cancel. The COVID-19 pandemic, which brought our world to a standstill and deferred so many people’s dreams and plans, also postponed mine.
But today the world is reawakening, and I am about to start a 2,400 km (1,500 miles) journey across Greenland. Wearing skis and using a kite as my primary means of propulsion, I will kite ski from the southwestern tip to the northeastern coast. I will pull a 200-pound sled that contains all of my food, in addition to the equipment and supplies needed for this 30-day expedition across the largest sheet of ice in the world outside Antarctica. I am mentally and physically ready to embark on this adventure.
This journey into the Arctic will begin to prepare me for the second phase of La Grande Percée, the Pole-2-Pole event:
– A ski expedition to the geographic North Pole located above the Arctic Ocean (April 2022)
– A ski expedition to the geographic South Pole located in the middle of Antarctica (November-December 2022)
– The ascent of Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica (January 2023)
La Grande Percée is not just a personal challenge. It is an opportunity to combine extreme achievement with extreme contribution. My goal is to raise awareness about the impact that climate change is having on impoverished communities right now. Global warming not a future reality, it is here now, and is bringing devastation to people all over the world. Through a partnership with the United Way, La Grande Percée will raise funds to help vulnerable families and communities.
Finally, for those who want to learn more about global warming and its impact, I invite you to read the articles on these subjects in the Blog section.