Above The Snow has partnered with legendary Polish explorer Marek Kamiński, and we're thrilled to finally share it. Marek joins a growing family of extraordinary collaborators helping bring our alpine world to life, and this is one we've been especially eager to talk about.
If you haven't come across Marek before, here's a quick introduction.Marek Kamiński is a Polish extreme explorer, polar expedition leader, and philosopher, widely regarded as one of the most accomplished explorers of his generation. His journey began in 1990 with a 350 km ski expedition across Spitsbergen, and from there he never really stopped. He co-led the first Polish crossing of Greenland, covering over 600 km in 35 days, later returning to cross it a second time and summit its highest peak, Mount Gunbjørn.
In 1995, Marek achieved what many consider his most iconic feat. He reached the North Pole after a 770 km expedition from Ward Hunt Island, and later that same year completed a solo 1,400 km journey to the South Pole from Berkner Island. Both without external assistance, and both in the same calendar year, making him the first person in the world to reach both poles in a single year without outside support, an achievement recognised by the Guinness World Records.
His expeditions extend far beyond the poles. Marek has climbed Mount Vinson in Antarctica, summited Mont Blanc and Kilimanjaro, crossed Australia's Gibson Desert, kayaked the entire Vistula River in winter, and crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice. In 2004 he led one of his most meaningful team expeditions, guiding Jan Mela, a teenage amputee, to both poles and making Jan the youngest person in the world to achieve this. In 2015 he completed a 4,000 km solo walk across Europe along the Camino de Santiago, describing it as one of the most mentally demanding journeys of his life. And in 2018 his No Trace Expedition saw him complete a low-emission journey from Poland to Japan in an electric vehicle, crossing Siberia and the Gobi Desert.
What stands out across all of it is not just the distance covered or the records set, but the way Marek has always treated the physical journey and the inner one as equally important. The endurance, the isolation, the slow and deliberate progress through harsh and beautiful places, these are not just athletic achievements to him but acts of reflection. It is a philosophy that feels quietly at home in the world of Above The Snow.
What drew us to Marek goes beyond the records. It's the way he approaches the unknown, with patience, curiosity, and a deep respect for the environments he moves through. Those qualities translate naturally into the kind of experience we want Above The Snow to be, one where the mountains feel alive and worth listening to.That spirit carries into the game itself. Marek has a role in Above The Snow that we think suits him perfectly, and rather than give too much away, we'll leave the rest for you to discover.
We have a few things with Marek in the works, and we can't wait to share it. Marek has recently returned from a remarkable expedition, so when we do sit down with him there will certainly be stories to tell. Keep an eye out, we'll have more to share soon.
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-The Above The Desk Team