Traversing one of the fingers on Pointe Percee, French Alps.

Traversing one of the fingers on Pointe Percee, French Alps.; http://flic.kr/p/umFw62

Traversing the Tete du Grasmusset, also known as Pointe Percee,...

Traversing the Tete du Grasmusset, also known as Pointe Percee, in the Aravis range of the French Alps. Easy but intimidating and occasionally steep climbing, with a lot of typical Alpine rubble, choss and unexpected abseils! Great views of Mont Blanc from the summit.

I’m in the French Alps, rock climbing, walking up a lot of...

I’m in the French Alps, rock climbing, walking up a lot of hills and training to be a better guide in the hills and mountains.

Alpine forest

Alpine forest; http://flic.kr/p/uTu25e

Our project to collect sea ice data in the Arctic Ocean this...

Our project to collect sea ice data in the Arctic Ocean this summer (http://ift.tt/1fhaoiZ) has been awarded the right to carry the Explorers Club flag.

Club flags have been carried to both poles, the summit of Everest and the bottom of the Marianas Trench. They’ve been carried into space, on the surface of the Moon and famously at the top of the mast on Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki.

The flag you are awarded may have been on many expeditions before, and so it is more than just an honour, it is a reminder that we are standing on the shoulders of giants, following in the Western traditions of scientific enquiry and building on the work of those that went before us.

Without traditions we are always starting from scratch and we can never aim nearly as high.

Our project (http://ift.tt/1fhaoiZ) to measure sea ice...

Our project (http://ift.tt/1fhaoiZ) to measure sea ice thickness in the Arctic Ocean this summer has been honoured by the award of an Explorers Club flag. Club flags have been carried to both poles, to the summit of Everest and to the bottom of the Marianas Trench. Thor Heyerdahl proudly flew one from the mast of Kon Tiki, having planned the trip at the club’s NYC headquarters and they’ve been carried into space and on the surface of the moon.

It’s a great honour for our project to be recognised in this way, and given the flag may have been on many expeditions in the past it is a reminder that the work we do builds on the work of those that have gone before, following in the western tradition of scientific enquiry and standing on the shoulders of giants. Without traditions we are always starting from scratch.

Sunset on the Homathko Icefield

Sunset on the Homathko Icefield; Melting snow as the sun goes down http://ift.tt/1KPnssN http://flic.kr/p/uhMhN7

Glacier Camp

Glacier Camp; Resting at the end of a hot day on the Homathko Icefield http://flic.kr/p/uznFN8

Expedition Journal Notes from the field, written by torchlight...

Expedition Journal

Notes from the field, written by torchlight in icy tents with a soundtrack of wind and spindrift against the nylon.

Glacier camp

Glacier camp; Melting water looking back towards Klattersine Glacier http://ift.tt/1KPnssN http://flic.kr/p/udAMZF

Homathko Icefield

Homathko Icefield; Drying our gear during a lunchtime pause overlooking the icefield http://ift.tt/1KPnssN http://flic.kr/p/txvFRB

Glacier Camp

Glacier Camp; Camped at the base of Klattersine Glacier, gaining the icefield tomorrow. http://ift.tt/1KPnssN http://flic.kr/p/upYdnN

Descending through crevasses

Descending through crevasses; Working our way down towards the icefield http://ift.tt/1KPnssN http://flic.kr/p/u9Z3pS

The official expedition patch for our summer sea ice data...

The official expedition patch for our summer sea ice data collection project at the North Pole has arrived!

If you want to be part of the team and wear one of these exclusive patches you can find out more here:
http://bit.ly/2015ArcticOcean

First View of the Icefield

First View of the Icefield; Paused on the col at the top of Klattersine Glacier http://ift.tt/1KPnssN http://flic.kr/p/umRcyW

Klattersine Glacier

Klattersine Glacier; Making great progress near the top of Klattersine Glacier. coldwilderness.tumblr.com http://flic.kr/p/uoBdHF

Camp on Klattersine Glacier

Camp on Klattersine Glacier; Enjoying the first blue sky of the trip from snow-covered tents. coldwilderness.tumblr.com http://flic.kr/p/uiuomC

Klattersine Avalanche

Klattersine Avalanche; As soon as the sun came out the south-facing slopes of Klattersine Ridge began to avalanche almost continuously. coldwilderness.tumblr.com http://flic.kr/p/u3pxnW

Camped on Klattersine Glacier

Camped on Klattersine Glacier; After the snow stops and the weather clears we get lovely views of the Waddington Range. coldwilderness.tumblr.com http://flic.kr/p/uhiYb8

Mt Waddington Range

Mt Waddington Range; After we give up trying to find a way through the crevasses in such bad light, the weather clears and we get a great sunset view of the Waddington Range. coldwilderness.tumblr.com http://flic.kr/p/tjCmYk

Klattersine Glacier

Klattersine Glacier; Still thick mist and lots of snow but we're on the ice at last. Navigation is tricky weaving through crevasses in a whiteout. http://ift.tt/1KPnssN http://flic.kr/p/tWvr4i

Top of Klattersine Creek

Top of Klattersine Creek; Approaching the snout of Klattersine Glacier in cloud and mist as snow falls heavily. http://ift.tt/1KPnssN http://flic.kr/p/ud8ZVS

Klattersine Creek Camp

Klattersine Creek Camp; Our first camp at the helicopter landing site, high on a moraine ridge in Klattersine Creek. http://ift.tt/1KPnssN http://flic.kr/p/tTzvHt

Helicopter Landing

Helicopter Landing; Getting dropped off in Klattersine Creek by Mike King's White Saddle Air. For the next two weeks we are on our own. http://ift.tt/1KPnssN http://flic.kr/p/u7QVNG

canadian-space-agency: The amazing CSA’s Canadarm2 in action in...

canadian-space-agency:

The amazing CSA’s Canadarm2 in action in this #spacevine!

May 26, 2015.

Credit: ESA Astronaut Sam Cristoforetti’s Vine Account

Packing the helicopter

Packing the helicopter; Hurriedly packing our gear before the flight into the Homathko Icefield, British Columbia. More on http://ift.tt/1KPnssN http://flic.kr/p/tRoRm9

Is this the coolest watch in the world?The Omega Speedmaster,...

Photo from http://ift.tt/10dDBfr

Is this the coolest watch in the world?

The Omega Speedmaster, first produced in 1957, is the only watch certified by NASA for Extra-Vehicular Activity and was the first watch worn on the Moon. It wasn’t just an ornament; for example, on Apollo 13 Jack Swigert’s Speedmaster was used to time the critical 14-second Mid-Course Correction that allowed for a safe return to Earth.

Not only was it worn on the Gemini and Apollo programs, but in 1968 Ralph Plaisted led the first team to make a surface traverse to the North Pole (unless you believe either Peary or Cook). And the timepiece they used for celestial navigation? The Omega Speedmaster.

If ever I have several grand to burn on a watch, this is it.