Arctic Ascent: Science, Adventure and the Changing Cryosphere

How a glaciologist engaged the world's best climbers in a research program

Article by:
Dr. Heïdi Sevestre, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme Secretariat

Heïdi Sevestre, an award-winning glaciologist and science communicator with the Secretariat of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), has dedicated her career to understanding the dynamics of the planet's frozen world. She has led and participated in numerous expeditions - but in summer 2023, she embarked on an adventure out of the ordinary. In this piece, she shares her experience from participating in the National Geographic and Disney+ production "Arctic Ascent", in which she teamed up with world famous climbers for an expedition to one of Greenland's most remote and unexplored corners.

Back in 2021, I received an email that felt like something out of a dream-an invitation to put together a scientific research program for an expedition unlike any other. I was being asked to join some of the world's most elite climbers on a mission to Greenland's Scoresby Sund, one of the most remote and unexplored corners of the Arctic. Alex Honnold, the legendary climber famous for his free solo ascent of El Capitan, was aiming to climb Ingmikortilaq, potentially the largest rock face found in the Arctic, towering 1,400 meters above the water (much taller than El Cap!). But this wasn't just about climbing-it was about science. To ensure the expedition followed rigorous scientific protocols and contributed valuable research, we partnered with 12 research institutions, including NASA, the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), and universities such as Liverpool and Buffalo. The goal: conduct 18 experiments along the way, merging glaciology with climbing.