Expedition Prep Reflection

by Shira Biner

After so many months of planning, we leave in just over a week. It loosely began when I was climbing in the High Sierra with Natalie and Heather last August. I mentioned to them how a trip to Greenland with male friends for that summer got cancelled, but I really wanted to return to the Arctic. This time, though, I was imagining an all-female trip. They were immediately intrigued. 

I had been to Baffin Island once before and knew that I had to go back. I was captivated by the Arctic, and by Baffin in particular. Slowly, this dream of mine of all female first ascents in the Arctic evolved into a truly wild vision for my biggest adventure yet: a human-powered fully female+ expedition across the sea ice, tundra, water and rock, with the goal to establishing the first all-female+ big wall first ascent on Baffin Island. 

Most people have no idea what it is actually like to prepare for a six week expedition–let alone one that encompasses skiing 150 km on the sea ice, hopefully putting up a big wall FA then paddling and hiking 100km back. I am the only one of the team that has been to Baffin Island before, and since the vision for the expedition was mine, I have become the logistical mastermind. It is exhausting–but also so…. invigorating. Few people get the chance to turn their wildest adventure dreams into reality. 

Where do you even begin when you have to make sure you have everything for a six-week multi-sport Arctic expedition?! The harnesses we got sponsored only have four gear loops and I want five on a big wall. Heather’s bindings aren’t attached to their skis and none of the shops in town are able to help me mount these strange bindings. We’re already packing both approach shoes and ice boots–we’ll alternate between which pair we wear during the day and which we use as camp shoes depending on the activity. So packing down booties as well just seems too luxurious–and too much weight and bulk. Our packrafts are huge and take up too much space. 

Is 12 kg of cheese going to be enough for four people? Kelly is celiac so I’m packing all my food as gluten free as well so if something happens to hers then she can eat mine. If she can’t eat then she can’t do big days or stay warm in the Arctic. Natalie wants lots of meat and protein, is 7 kg of salami and 3 kg of beef jerky for snacks enough? Heather wants some coffee creamer I haven’t been able to get in Canada. The four of us are spread out in different locations across North America and the remainder of our food needs to be in Vancouver in 9 days. We have 50 Ægir Organics bars in two different flavours so people can pick which they prefer, they’re gluten free, high calorie and high in protein and can be 12.5 days of lunch on the go when we’re doing really big days. Simple. Easy decisions are so important on a big multi-sport expedition, because the logistics are endless. You tick off one thing, but there is still so much more. 

We’re split on which tents we should take. I still have to finish making three more pulks. We have way too much stuff. 

My head hurts. There’s just too many thoughts in there. 

I know the endless chatter in my head–all the things that still need to be done–will soon be replaced with the silence and stillness of the vast Arctic landscape. 

On top of being logistically prepared, you also have to be physically ready. I have spent a ton of time training for this expedition; running, hiking, climbing and more. My body feels strong. I’ve also been meditating–a lot. This will likely be the most challenging adventure of my life, and I need to be mentally, emotionally and spiritually ready too. 

I recently came across the Inuktitut word katjarnaaq. It means: “I am content in this beautiful and special place, I have found peace, I am home.” 

I don’t just want to put up the first female+ big wall FA on Baffin Island–which would be an impressive feat–I want to feel alive in the Arctic and connected to that wild landscape. 

My goals for this expedition are  

1. Everyone comes back safely. 
2. Everyone comes back as friends, having had a positive experience. 
3. Put up the first female+ big wall FA on Baffin Island.
4. Embody katjarnaaq.
5. Dance every day! 

Expeditions like this one require all of you. It’s been a whirlwind being so immersed in trip logistics and prep for the past nine months. And in nine days, the next phase begins! 

I feel ready.

This expedition is fueled by Ægir Organics.

A note on language: While our entire team is female by sex, not everyone identifies as a woman. In order to respect the complex workings of gender identity while also highlighting the importance of female+ achievements in a way that the general public understands, we have settled on describing our team as female+.