Ice Warrior

Nichola meets the man behind Ice Warrior, which trains ordinary people to become modern-day explorers in the Arctic.

At any moment during our interview, I expect Jim McNeill to say ‘only joking’, as surely no-one can live a life as marvellous and full as his. In 2001 Jim established ‘Ice Warrior’; inspired by the great explorers of old, he wanted to emulate the golden era of adventure alongside purposeful and worthwhile scientific exploration. Ice Warrior has trained over 350 ordinary people from all walks of life to become competent, safe, modern-day explorers in the world’s extreme polar environments, whilst collecting ground-breaking data to help scientists gauge the pulse of the planet and foster a much better understanding of the world we live in. When you are dealing with Mother Nature, potentially at her worst, then preparation is everything and the expedition training is intensive and second to none, taking you from absolute novice through to accomplished explorer. Ice Warrior has undertaken seven flagship expeditions, so far. Volunteers can’t simply pay to train and take part in the expeditions, they have to raise the funds, which is all included in the Ice Warrior training, making the opportunity accessible to anyone.

So how did Jim become an ‘ice-warrior’? He discovered his outdoor mettle at an early age - having disgraced himself at school he was sent to an Outward Bound centre in Cumbria which was to become the making of him. At 16 years old, he already felt at home leading patrols, getting dirty, tired and being tested both mentally and physically. He moved on to volunteering as a mountaineering instructor for the Youth and Community Services, and his natural ability for leadership and empathy soon established him as an invaluable member of the team. However, Jim also had a keen interest in science and with A-levels under his belt, he wrote to 17 different scientific companies asking for employment. The Grasslands Research Institute in Hurley-upon-Thames was quick to respond and in 1980 Jim began working alongside the eminent Dr John Ryden, in pioneering research on the effects of agriculture on the ozone layer, developing a methodology for the measurement of gaseous emissions from grazed pastures. The obvious next step was joining the army! Jim found himself on a new army initiative in the Arctic, teaching survival skills for the extremes of sub-zero environments. Offered a long posting in the Falklands though, he decided to leave the forces and for 10 years he combined senior roles in marketing consultancy and advertising, with arctic travels. In the late 80s, he gave it all up to become a firefighter, quickly being promoted to crew manager at Ascot where his forte was road traffic accidents - although he was also a fire officer for the royal household and did get to meet the Queen. The result of this impressive CV is Ice Warrior.

#Lastpole will be the eighth, and according to Jim - the biggest, bravest, boldest and most important expedition of our time, trekking to the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility which is the last ‘world first’ to be claimed in the polar regions. In February 2019, 28 people in four teams will journey over 800 miles across treacherous sea ice in one of the most inhospitable environments on earth. In partnership with the Met Office, the National Snow and Ice Centre in Colorado and the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, this expedition as with all of the others, will collect vital and new data on global climate change. Ice Warrior provides safety consultancy, planning, logistics, kit and clothing not only for these expeditions but also for anyone requiring extreme weather equipment. It has provided and provisioned whole camps for scientists, and provides consultants and suppliers for major BBC and independent production companies. It is even involved with disaster relief and rescue agencies, mining and oil companies, construction engineers and pilots.

Jim also feels very privileged to work with some of the greatest natural history film-makers on some of the most iconic productions, such as Frozen Planet and Human Planet. It all started back in November 2006 with a phone call out of the blue asking about the whereabouts of arctic wolves. Ice Warrior ended up training the crew, specifying and supplying all the gear, creating the safety and logistical plans and guiding the whole team out on Ellesmere Island, Canada. Jim’s knowledge and experience are matchless and he has been regularly employed on television and film productions, such as the recent Captain America blockbuster, as an extreme climate safety expert and adviser. With his expertise and influence in the arena of exploration, Jim has been fortunate to work alongside and interview some of the world’s most inspiring and influential icons of our age. At intimate, limited audience events, he has met naturalist and broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough, mountaineer, Sir Chris Bonington, the world’s greatest living explorer and old friend Sir Ranulph Fiennes, as well as the great female polar explorer Felicity Aston MBE, amongst many others. 

Having created and run expeditions for some 35 years now, Jim is delighted that people put their entire trust in him and his highly skilled team. Ice Warrior prides itself on being able to source and provide anything, anywhere at any time, taking into account several contingency plans, and working at the cutting edge of extreme living. In March, Jim opened BASECAMP in Princetown, an innovative expedition training and education centre and outfitters, stocking the highest quality clothing and equipment for any outdoor adventure, including life on Dartmoor. Keen to be part of the local community, Jim now lives in Princetown as well as having bases in Canada and Norway. If you need quality moorland kit for living or working on Dartmoor, or are considering more expansive expedition training, then a visit to BASECAMP is recommended. You’ll be inspired and might even be lucky enough to meet a real-life warrior explorer.

Nichola Williams

For more information contact 01822 890338, or info@ice-warrior.com, or visit www.ice-warrior.com