NorthWinds is based in Iqaluit on Baffin Island in Arctic Canada, a 3 hour jet journey north of Ottawa . Specializing in Polar adventures since 1990, NorthWinds has an impressive record.
The company is owned and operated by Matty McNair and Eric and Sarah McNair-Landry. Together they bring a wealth of experience. In 1997 Matty led the first women's expedition to the Geographic North Pole. She then returned to the North Pole by dog team in 2005 to break the world record set by Robert Peary in 1909. The same year she did an un-resupplied ski expedition to the South Pole and kite-skied back, with her kids. Sarah and Eric hold the speed record crossing of the Greenland Ice Cap, led a south to north expediton on the Greenland Ice Cap and have just completed a crossing of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia with kite buggies.
NorthWinds staff are world class polar guides, having pushed the frontiers for extreme adventure on the ice caps of Greenland , Antarctica , Ellesmere Island and across the pack-ice to the North Pole. Meet the Staff.
NorthWinds has led and supported the following expeditions:
Baffin Dog Sledding Expedition, 2009, a 2,000 km journey up the East coast of Baffin Island.
Shakelton Centenary Expedition, 2009, Matty trained and led the "97 Group"' to the South Pole www.shackletoncentenary.org
Auyuittuq Dog Sledding Adventure, 2009, Matty & Eric took Paul Hubner, his 13 year old son Ryan, and George Kourounis with the TV protram Angry Planet through Auyuittuq National Park, from Pangnirtung to Qikqtarjuaq.
Top Dogs, 2009, BBC with Ran Fiennes supported by Eric.
NorthWinds & ALE South Pole Expedition, 2008-9, ski-all-the-way expedition from Hercules Inlet, led by Sarah. All 4 participants reached the South Pole in 52 days. Sarah kite-skied back with Tom Davenport in 12 days.
Global Green Matty took a group of "Young Ambassadors", ages 9 to 17 to experience and report on changes in the Arctic on a 3 week jouney to Baffin Island and northern Ellesemere. www.globalgreen.org
North Pole, 2008, last degree, led by Matty.
Will Steger's Global Warming 101 Dog Sledding Expedition 2008, with Sarah, Eric and NorthWinds dog teams, www.globalwarming101.com
NorthWinds South Pole Expedition, 2007-8, ski-all-the-way expedition from HerculesInlet, led by John Huston
Top Gear, BBC, race to the Magnetic North Pole; NorthWinds dog team with Richard Hammondagainst Toyota 4X4 with
Barclay's(sp?)Ultimate North Pole Expedition, 2005, Matty guided Tom Avery's British team, with 2 teams of dogs, following Peary’s 1909 route from Cape Columbia to the North Pole, setting a world record of 36 days and 22 hours, proving that it was possible for Robert Peary to have also done so in 1909.
Kites On Ice, 2004-5 Matty was the leader of this un-supported, un-resupplied, 52 day, expedition to the South Pole with her kids, Sarah & Eric, and friends Conrad & Hilary Dickinson.. The team kite-skied back in a world record breaking 17 days. In one day they covered 107 nautical miles.
South Pole, 2002-3 & 2003-4, Matty led 2 ski-all-the-way expeditions from the edge of the Antarctic continent to the South Pole, with 1 re-supply.
Mt. Barbeau 2002,Matty & Paul Crowley guided a ski mountaineering expedition to climb Mt. Barbeau. At 8,900 feet, it is the highest mountain east of the Rockies.
Ellesmere Island Traverse, 2000, Matty and Denise Martin guided a ski and dog sled expedition across Ellesmere Island through the historic Sverdrup Pass.
McVitie's PenguinNorth Pole, 1997, Matty guided the first all women's expedition to reach the North Pole, an 82 day journey across the shifting polar ice pack. www.stuff.co.uk/media/polar-relay