Beyond the Ice

Lessons in Resilience from Greenland's Frozen Frontier

Extreme expeditions don’t just test the limits of human endurance—they offer powerful lessons in growth, perseverance, and what it means to truly face oneself. When explorers Sebastian Copeland and Eric McNair-Landry set out to kite-ski across Greenland’s massive ice sheet, they weren’t just chasing a world record. They were stepping into the unknown, where every challenge would become a chance for discovery. Their 2,300-kilometer, 42-day trek—captured in the documentary Across the Ice, available on CORE—became a living metaphor for resilience.

Traveling across an ice sheet that stretches endlessly in every direction, the duo endured punishing conditions: blizzards, bone-deep cold, shifting snow dunes, and deep crevasses hidden beneath the surface. Kite-skiing meant harnessing the wind to move forward, but it also meant adapting constantly to weather, terrain, and physical exhaustion. It was a journey few would attempt—and one that revealed what lies beneath the surface when all comforts are stripped away.

More Than a Journey: What the Ice Taught Them

The story of Copeland and McNair-Landry’s expedition mirrors many of our own personal struggles. Just like crossing a frozen desert, navigating life’s challenges can feel isolating, exhausting, and uncertain. Whether it’s a difficult decision, a health scare, or an unexpected change, we all face moments when we have to dig deep to keep going.

In those moments, we’re reminded that:

• Endurance grows with every step. No one crosses a vast ice sheet overnight. It’s the small, steady actions that build strength and push us forward.
• Challenges are opportunities in disguise. The most difficult moments often reveal the most about who we are and what we’re capable of.
• Flexibility matters. Plans change. Conditions shift. Staying adaptable isn’t just useful—it’s essential.
• Solitude can be powerful. In the quiet, without distractions, we often find clarity and discover inner reserves we didn’t know we had.

Beyond the Ice: How It Applies to Us

We may not all find ourselves kite-skiing across Greenland, but we each have our own “ice crossings.” These could be personal struggles, career pivots, family hardships, or moments of major life transition. When faced with these metaphorical frozen frontiers, the lessons from Copeland and McNair-Landry’s adventure can help guide us.

Just as they leaned on grit, planning, and trust in each other, we too can move forward through our own tough terrain—one step, one day at a time.

Their journey is a reminder that we are all capable of more than we think. That even in life’s coldest, harshest moments, growth is happening. Strength is being built. And transformation is underway.

Your Personal Expedition

As we explore the theme of wanderlust this June, let Across the Ice inspire you to see your own challenges differently. Adventure isn’t just about travel—it’s about the internal journey. The personal expedition. The courage to keep going, even when the path ahead looks cold and uncertain.

Let the frozen frontier be a symbol, not just of nature’s extremes, but of your own ability to rise, adapt, and evolve.

Adventure with CORE

The full expedition is documented in Across the Ice, available exclusively on CORE. The film not only showcases breathtaking landscapes but also captures the raw emotion, unfiltered challenges, and quiet victories that define real resilience. Watch it here.

Whether you’re looking for adventure, inspiration, or a deeper understanding of how humans grow through challenge, this is a story worth witnessing.

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