Special Guest Speaker

Eric Larsen

Polar adventurer, expedition guide, and educator, Eric Larsen has spent the past 20 years traveling in some of the most remote and extreme environments on the planet. To date,  Eric has completed more polar expeditions than any other American in history. Included in that list are the first ever summer expedition to the North Pole as well as a world record expedition to the South Pole, North Pole and top of Mt. Everest all within a 365-day period.

In March and April of 2014, Eric and teammate Ryan Waters set the American unsupported North Pole expedition 'speed' record traveling from northern Ellesmere Island to the Geographic North Pole in 53 days. Called Last North, this expedition may quite possibly be the last of its kind in history to reach the North Pole and will be featured in a documentary on Animal Planet in early 2015.

Eric's other expeditions include bicycling in Antarctica, dog sledding in the Canadian Arctic and climbing Mt. McKinley.  He has ridden his bike across the United States, been a backcountry ranger in Alaska and a whitewater canoe guide in Colorado. Eric has dedicated his adult life to sharing his love for the outdoor world with others. As an educator, Eric strives to connect people to places and issues and his adventures have been featured on CNN, The New York Times, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, National Public Radio and MSNBC.

Eric lives Boulder, Colorado with his wife Maria Hennessey and their son, Merritt.