Thu Nov 20 2025OurDestinations
Svalbard Ski & Sail Guides and Expedition Leaders
Leadership in the High Arctic
When you venture into the remote fjords and mountains of Svalbard, experience matters. The Arctic is a place of staggering beauty, but also one that demands deep respect, technical competence, and leadership forged through decades on the ice, in the mountains, and at sea.
For over 15 years, our team has pioneered Ski & Sail expeditions in this region, blending the freedom of backcountry skiing with the mobility of classic expedition schooners like the s/v Noorderlicht.
At the heart of these expeditions is the guide team: seasoned expedition leaders and internationally certified mountain guides. Together, they form a crew uniquely qualified to deliver an unforgettable Arctic adventure—safe, educational, and filled with meaningful immersion in one of the wildest places on Earth.
Here's a brief introduction to a few members of our leadership team.
Expedition Leadership: Polar Knowledge and Seamanship
Phil Wickens
Phil Wickens brings a rare blend of natural science, mountaineering, and storytelling to Svalbard expeditions. He studied biology at Imperial College London and earned a PhD in plant pathology before embarking on a career that took him to the world’s most remote landscapes.
With multiple seasons guiding for the British Antarctic Survey, Phil has spent years immersed in polar environments, combining research with exploration. He has led climbing and skiing expeditions across Antarctica, Tibet, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Peru, East Greenland, the Caucasus, and the Canadian Rockies.
His work as a photographer and lecturer enriches every journey, with insights into polar geology, history, and ecology. Phil also served as Vice President of the Alpine Club in 2006–07, underlining his standing in the global mountaineering community. On a Ski & Sail voyage, he sets the tone—calm, informed, and deeply passionate about both the science and the spirit of polar travel.
Chris Gnieser
Chris Gnieser took a different route to the Arctic. After building a successful academic career, he left the comfort of university life to embrace the uncertainty—and reward—of guiding. Since 1985, he has been drawn annually to the Arctic and Antarctic, sometimes for research, other times for guiding or private expeditions.
Chris holds degrees in Geography, Geology, and Cultural Anthropology. His early research examined the impacts of industrial development on permafrost dynamics, while his doctoral and postdoctoral work focused on the recreation ecology of polar ecosystems—the environmental consequences of tourism and exploration at both ends of the planet.
His guiding credentials are rooted in decades of polar leadership, including long-standing collaborations with Oceanwide Expeditions beginning in 2003. On a Ski & Sail trip, Chris combines academic rigor with hands-on expedition experience, grounding every ski tour in a wider appreciation of polar landscapes and cultures.
Together, Phil and Chris provide Sawback’s Svalbard programs with more than 30 years of polar leadership, ensuring each expedition benefits from an unparalleled depth of experience.
Mountain Guides: IFMGA and ACMG Excellence
Complementing the expedition leaders are Sawback’s team of ACMG and IFMGA-certified mountain guides—the highest professional standard in the world for alpine, rock, and ski mountaineering. On Svalbard expeditions, this means technical leadership, avalanche safety, and route-finding are managed to the most rigorous level, giving guests the confidence to focus on the skiing and the scenery.
Tom Wolfe (IFMGA/ACMG)
Sawback’s founder, Tom Wolfe, is an ACMG and IFMGA mountain guide with decades of experience guiding ski expeditions across the Canadian Rockies, Coast Mountains, and remote wilderness areas worldwide.
Tom has been at the forefront of the Ski & Sail program in Svalbard since its inception, shaping its evolution from a niche adventure into a flagship Arctic experience. His blend of technical expertise, deep familiarity with Svalbard terrain, and a knack for building strong group dynamics make him a cornerstone of Sawback’s guiding team.
Emelie Stenberg (ACMG)
Originally from Sweden, Emelie has chased her passion for skiing across the globe—from the Canadian Rockies and British Columbia’s powder fields to the Alps, Caucasus, Pamirs, Iceland, and of course Svalbard.
An ACMG Ski and Hiking Guide, she brings a wealth of international experience and a warm, personal guiding style. Emelie first came to Canada in 2004 to ski BC powder, and quickly made the mountains her permanent home. On Svalbard expeditions she blends Scandinavian roots with Canadian guiding expertise, creating a bridge between cultures and styles that resonates with guests.
Konrad Scheiber (IFMGA/UIAGM)
Born and raised in Obergurgl, Austria, Konrad is the embodiment of a life spent in the mountains. An IFMGA/UIAGM Mountain Guide since 1996, he has balanced a career between the Alps and Canada, including extensive heli-skiing work with Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH), where he also managed lodges such as the Adamants and Selkirk Tangiers.
Summers see him guiding in the Alps, Nepal, Africa, and South America, while winters often bring him to Revelstoke, BC, where he lives with his wife and two children. Konrad’s breadth of guiding across continents and climates makes him ideally suited to the challenges of Arctic ski mountaineering.
Andre Ike (IFMGA/ACMG)
Andre has been guiding since the late 1990s, inspired by friends in Whistler who introduced him to the profession. Certified with both the IFMGA and ACMG, he has built a reputation as one of Last Frontier Heliskiing’s longest-serving guides, managing the Ripley Creek lodge operations since 2010.
His expertise spans small-group heli-skiing in the largest continuous tenure in the world, as well as summer guiding in Squamish, the Bugaboos, the Rockies, and Europe. Andre’s versatility and long experience with logistics in complex mountain environments make him a natural fit for Svalbard’s demanding conditions.
A Team Built for the Arctic
The strength of Sawback’s Svalbard Ski & Sail program lies in the complementary skills of its leadership. Expedition leaders like Phil Wickens and Chris Gnieser provide the polar knowledge, historical insight, and logistical mastery needed to thrive in Svalbard’s challenging maritime environment. Mountain guides like Tom Wolfe, Emelie Stenberg, Konrad Scheiber, and Andre Ike bring the technical precision and safety culture of ACMG and IFMGA guiding to the skiing itself.
Together, they form a team with the rare ability to weave safety, science, adventure, and culture into a seamless guest experience. Whether carving turns under the midnight sun, crossing glaciers above frozen fjords, or sharing stories in the warmth of the s/v Noorderlicht’s salon, guests are in the hands of professionals whose lives are dedicated to the mountains and the polar world.