Sun Valley on Ice: 2016 Antarctica Ski Cruise

Nov 252016

Stoke level was high after this glorious ski and zodiac tour of the bay

On the morning of November 9th, 2016 the election in the United States was decided and we boarded a boat heading South from Tierra del Fuego. The Beagle Channel led the way to the great Southern Ocean and the infamous Drake Passage, known for the roughest seas in the world. Our goal was the great white continent of Antarctica, the largest wilderness on the planet and the only landmass not governed by a single nation. We left as skiers embarking on an adventure and returned forever touched by a land of un-imagined beauty and wildness.

Below are selection of pictures from the lenses of Sun Valley Trekking guides: Joe St.Onge and Christopher Marshall. Please click on the upper left photo to click through the pictures in chronological order with captions or simply scroll down to enjoy the collage from this magnificent expedition.

The surreal coast of Antarctica

The character of the penguins never ceased to bring a smile

At the southern tip of South America, Ushuaia is the furthest south city in the world and a long way from anywhere else…

Ushuaia, Argentina is the southernmost port and the launching point for Antarctica.

High above Ushuaia are towering peaks and glaciers. here is the Marshal Galcier: our training ground before heading south.

Ellen and James about to sample some southern corn for the 1st turns of the new season.

On the approach to the Marshal Glacier, hiking through alpine tundra

Chris and Joe found some surprisingly good powder skiing in Ushuaia before the team arrived

Joe dropping into cold powder on the Marshal Glacier high above Ushuaia and the end of the earth.

Our trusty ship!

Setting our course South through the Beagle Channel

Fin whales escorting our boat along the Drake Passage

Our 1st landfall was on Half Moon Island in the South Shetlands where we were greeted by the local residents

Ski tour on Half Moon Island

Ellen on Half Moon

These Chinstrap Penguins make a home at this rookery here on the NE corner of Half Moon Island

Livingston Island and it’s spectacular glaciers

Cristina and Kate enjoying the sunny cruise

enjoying the views on deck

The 1st iceberg of the journey sighted off the South Shetlands

The rocks approaching Deception Island

The abandoned whaling station on Deception

The Oil tanks on Deception

Zodiacs being efficiently unloaded from the ship

The zodiacs provided our mobility to land on the ice

Ready for action

Our next landfall on the volcanic sand beach of Deception Island

Climbing the walls of this massive caldera on Deception Island

Chalky powder provided fun and fast carving conditions

Chris, laying into the chalk

This bay on Deception island served as a sheltered harbor and base for whaling operations

Bob, taking it all in

A surreal setting to finish a ski on black sand beach of Deception

Stoke level was high after this glorious ski and zodiac tour of the bay

Approaching the Antarctic Peninsula

The beauty of the bergs was sublime

Rough waters can make for chilly approaches on the zodiacs

A steep climb with crampons was required to get from the ocean to the glacier above on Nansen Island

Climbing from the shore

After navigating through pack ice in zodiacs and climbing a steep headwall above the water with axe and crampons, the stolke level was high when the skis went on