Salomon Freeski Chases the Solar Eclipse to Svalbard

A crew of guides, photographers and Salomon freeskiers head out on snowmobiles across the sea ice in search of a solar eclipse. An astronomic rarity, chasing a solar eclipse – especially with the mission of locking down a dubious skiing shot – was, in the eyes of some, an errand of fools. Not only would the moon and sun have to align, but the stars as well. 

“You are lucky to see the sun.” says the fur-wearing, rifle-toting Sasha, in reference to the freezing fog that often blankets this realm of ice. Sasha is the only guide in the abandoned outpost of Pyramiden, and tromps around the empty streets opening old buildings for the occasional group of tourists. This adventure is full of quirky characters like Sasha, from the Oxford-trained arctic guide to the broish freeskier Brody Leven and the broody savant photographer Reuben Krabbe.

Though extreme weather pounded camp with high winds and snow, the Salomon crew got lucky and scored the skiing that they’d been dreaming about. The question remained: would they get the shot they’d spent thousands of dollars and months dreaming about? 

Watch this Salomon Freeski TV episode and follow the crew’s (mis)adventures to Svalbard: a land of snow and polar bears, incredible skiing and solar irregularities.