Return to Ellesmere Island with Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely

"It was brutal again. There was a very good chance we wouldn't succeed. And if it's a foregone conclusion that you're going to be successful, is it really an adventure?" - Kevin Vallely

RCGS Explorer-in-Residence Ray Zahab and his exploring partner and RCGS Fellow Kevin Vallely have just completed an extraordinary expedition – skiing 500 kilometres across Ellesmere Island, one of the most remote and unforgiving regions in the Canadian High Arctic. This journey, completed in March and April 2025, marks a triumphant return after their 2022 attempt was cut short by extreme weather and treacherous snow conditions (listen to that adventure here). 

Armed with experience and revised plans, the duo set out from the Eureka weather station and traversed to Grise Fiord, enduring relentless sub-30 degrees Celsius temperatures (not including wind chill), whiteouts and punishing terrain. Along the way, they were rewarded with moments of awe: encounters with 31 Arctic wolves, Muskox, Arctic hares and fresh polar bear tracks – reminders of the raw and untamed wilderness they were navigating.

Join us as Zahab and Vallely share stories from the trail, reflect on what they learned between expeditions and offer a rare glimpse into a part of Canada few will ever see. Tune in to discover what it takes to journey through the Canadian High Arctic in deep winter.

We are also thrilled to share that two of Explore's Passing the Mic sessions are linked to recent Canadian Geographic story nominations for the National Magazine and Digital Publishing Awards. 

Our podcast training sessions for Inuit youth in Cambridge Bay inspired an article in the special Nunavut Anniversary issue of Canadian Geographic, which has been nominated for the Digital Publishing Award’s Best Large Digital Editorial Package for the magazine’s coverage of the 25th anniversary of Nunavut’s establishment as an independent Canadian territory. Canadian Geographic’s associate editor, Tom Lundy, is nominated for a National Magazine Award for his article, Protectors of Aqviqtuuq, which looks at the attempts to create the first Inuit conservation zone. This story was inspired by Explore’s Passing the Mic session in Taloyoak, NU. 

Congrats to everyone involved!