NorthWinds

STAFF

Matty McNair

Sarah McNair-Landry

Eric McNair-Landry

Paul Crowley

Polar Expeditions Polar Training Kiting Expeditions Multi-Media
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Matty McNair

Adventures are Matty's way of life. Growing up in a family of outdoor enthusiasts, Matty's outdoor life started with a canoe trip when she was 2 weeks old. Her love for adventure and challenge is still much a part of Matty's life.

After a 22-year involvement with the Outward Bound Schools across North America, Matty's focus shifted to placing NorthWinds on the 'map' as a leader in Arctic adventure travel and Polar expeditions. When not leading expeditions Matty is off on her own personal journeys down rivers, up mountains and over ice caps.

EXPEDITIONS - LIFE EXPERIENCE

Ultimate North 2005 North Pole Expedition
Matty guided a British team, with 2 teams of dogs, following Peary’s 1909 route from Cape Columbia to the North Pole.

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. 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 lead 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 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 guided a ski and dog sled expedition across Ellesmere Island through the historic Sverdrup Pass.

North Pole 1997
Matty guided the first women's expedition to the North Pole, an 82 day journey across the shifting polar ice pack.

Baffin Island Expedition 1990.
Paul & Matty completed the first circumnavigation of Baffin Island traveling 4,000 kilometers with Canadian Inuit Dogs.

Mountaineering Expeditions to South America
1981 Peru, climbed six peaks including Huascaran 22,180 ft.
1983 Peru & Bolivia, climbed 4 peaks including Illimani 21,280 ft.

Whitewater Expeditions:
1979 & 1981 Grand Canyon, private trips
Wilderness whitewater rivers: Moisie, Missinaibie, and Coppermine
1980 Whitewater kayaking trip to New Zealand

Author:
On Thin Ice A Women's Journey To The North Pole. An honest and engaging story of the first women's expedition to the North Pole.

Co-authored Basic River Canoeing and Outward Bound's Wilderness Canoeing Handbook.

Leadership:
Outward Bound During her twenty two year involvement with Outward Bound, (1974 to 1996) Matty worked with four Outward Bound Schools across North America. Her responsibilities included: Whitewater Co-coordinator, Instructor & Course Director, Staff Training, Program Development, Program Manager, Equipment Manager & Logistics Manager.