The People
The South Pole is a place that demands the most of human nature, being the only continent on the planet that does not have humans as natural inhabitants. Not only does the environment require specialized skills for living and surviving but also a balanced and though mentally.
Few places in the world breed this kind of personality better than the country of Iceland, here people have lived and prospered on and above the Arctic Circle.
Icelanders has been brought up to enjoy the almost impossible to traverse topography their nation offers. This is done by modifying cars that don’t plough through the deep snow on the glaciers but “floats” on top of it on humongous wheels and tires. These cars are a reflection of the Icelandic nature, overcoming impossible challenges by thinking out of the box.
Gísli Jónsson
Gísli is born in Iceland on July 7th 1977. He has been working at Arctic Trucks Iceland modification shop since 1998 and he has worked on modifications of cars for expeditions to Antarctica, Greenland and the Magnetic Pole. The Antarctica Expedition 2008/2009 was the first time he went on an expedition himself.
Gísli has been a member of a Search and Rescue team in Iceland for over 12 years and has 15 years of off-road driving experience. He has taken part in countless rescue expeditions all over Iceland, often as a group leader, both in summer and wintertime. Those expeditions are often made under extreme pressure and in the worst weather imaginable. Gísli has always been fascinated by the Polar Regions and he has dreamed of joining an expedition of this kind. Gísli took part in the expedition to Antarctica in 2008/2009 and now he is in Antarctica for the second time.
Freyr Jónsson
Freyr is born in Iceland on October 18th 1965. He worked as a technical engineer for Arctic Trucks for many years but now he works for Össur. Freyr is extremely experienced off-road driver. He has travelled all over Iceland on cars he himself has built and furthermore he has participated in severeal expeditions; to Antarctica in 1998/1999, Greenland in 1999, and a desert drive in Dubai in 2000.
Freyr did not take part in the Antarctica expedition in 2008/2009 but now he is returning with his brother, Gísli Jónsson.
Gísli Karel Elísson
Gísli Karel is born in Iceland on January 21st 1977. Gísli Karel is an experienced mechanic and has worked for Arctic Trucks for numourus years. Gísli Karel is greatly interested in outdoor activities and has for example participated in many bycicle competitions with good results.
This is the first expedition Gísli Karel participates in and his first time to Antarctica.
Mike Herbert
Mike Herbert was born in England 17 March 1956, but has for the past 30 years lived in Norway. He has since 1995 been numerous times to Iceland with his modified Arctic trucks, where he has gained much experience in driving 4x4 trucks on glaziers and in the harsh terrain of Iceland.
Mikes loves the outdoors and especially if it is to anywhere where there is snow and ice. He enjoys skiing, walking, dog sledging and not to forget a great passion towards photography. He has done much travelling all over the world but Antarctica is something he has dreamt of doing for a long time! This is the first expedition Mike Herbert participates in and his first time to Antarctica.
Here you can read an article about Mike which was published in the local newspaper in his hometown in Norway.
Hjalti Vigfús Hjaltason
Hjalti is born in Iceland on September 24th 1969 and has been working for Arctic Trucks in Iceland as a foreman at the modification garage since 1997. He is a very experienced driver and has build used his 4X4 vehicles in the harsh Icelandic environment since he was a teenager.
In April 2007 Hjalti took part in a grueling and adventurous trip, over 1000 kilometers to the Magnetic North Pole. This expedition was organized by BBC’s television show “Top Gear”, associated by Toyota UK and Arctic Trucks. Hjalti’s role in this expedition was being a driver and a mechanic. This expedition was, in Hjalti‘s own words from the Top Gear show: „A great success“. Hjalti went on the expidition to Antarctica in 2008/2009 but this year he is focusing on new tasks for Arctic Trucks in other parts of the world.
The team building the cars
As important as driving and maintaining the cars in polar conditions are the skills and experience to build the machines that has to ensure the mobility and safety necessary for the people using them.
The team of mechanics are employees of Arctic Trucks Iceland, they all have many years of building highly specialized cars for Icelanders, rescue teams and not least themselves and their families.