Dream Vacations: a Boat-Based Ski Tour of Antarctica

While down south, the trip should involve no less than three days of touring on the continent, roped up with a knowledgeable guide and expedition service like Ice Axe Expeditions or Aurora Expeditions. (One of Matador Network‘s former writers was actually on Aurora Expeditions’ maiden voyage to Antarctica.) I have the touring gear and the experience, and part of the appeal of this trip to me is that it would be a portfolio-leading story once I write about it. However, most ski tours of Antarctica aren’t exclusively for skiers. Instead, they offer skiing as a daily activity, allowing skiers like myself to make turns each day while non-skiers enjoy more mainstream activities like kayaking, wildlife watching, hiking, and more.

Of course, we’d take time to see penguins and hopefully whales and other wildlife; I wouldn’t want to miss out on the best of Antarctica in pursuit of the perfect turn. I expect the coffee to be strong, because you never know when something photo-worthy is going to jump out of the water, and I’d need to be ready to photograph it no matter the time of day. I also expect the beer to be plentiful for vibrant après-ski sessions, because I can’t think of a ski day more worthy of toasting to.

The itinerary each day is pretty fluid on most trips, though the goal is to find the best weather and the best lines each day. No matter what company you book with, the first day is always spent on safety and prep: meeting the specialist ski guides, going through safety briefings, setting up and adjusting your touring equipment, and doing a short test session to make sure your gear, skins, and boots are working properly before committing to longer outings.

Subsequent days run as shore-based ski touring missions from the ship whenever conditions allow. Each day includes roughly two-to-six hours of touring, sometimes as a single run and sometimes as hot laps or multiple ascents and descents on the way back to the Zodiac pickup point. Where exactly you go each day changes with the conditions, but there are some known peaks you’ll be able to shred if the weather allows. That includes Mount Tennant on Ronge Island, Mount Hoegh down to Andvord Bay, Mount Pond to Whalers Bay, and Doumer Peak down toward Port Lockroy.

My Dream Antarctica Ski Tour Itinerary

• Day 1: Fly to Ushuaia, Argentina
• Day 2: Free day in Ushuaia to acclimate or sightsee
• Day 3: Meet the ski group in Ushuaia — introductions, safety briefings, gear checks, etc
• Day 4: Backcountry ski day around Ushuaia
• Day 5: Backcountry ski day around Ushuaia
• Day 6: Board the ship
• Day 7: Drake Passage crossing
• Day 8: Drake Passage crossing
• Days 9-15: Skiing/exploring around Antarctica
• Day 16: Drake Passage crossing
• Day 17: Drake Passage crossing
• Day 18: Depart for home