OUR COMPANY
Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions LLC (ALE) offers guided experiences, air transportation, and logistic support for those venturing to the interior of Antarctica. In 1985, our predecessor, Adventure Network International (ANI), pioneered private flights to Antarctica for an ascent of Mount Vinson. More than 30 years later, we remain the most experienced private operator on the continent with an impeccable safety record, a strong environmental ethic, and a desire to share the white continent with other passionate explorers.
CURRENT PARTNERS
ALE Partners have all been active in the Antarctic since the late 1970s. A few were involved with ANI in that company’s early days. In 2003, they came together with new partners to incorporate ALE and ultimately purchase ANI.
Nick is originally from Wales and another British Antarctic Survey alum. He has an extensive climbing background and oversees our mountain and guiding operations on Vinson and in the Ellsworth Mountains as well as coordinating seasonal staffing. His favorite ALE experiences include Climb and Ski Antarctica which offer guests an authentic exploration that is totally unique. An environmental scientist by background, he worked on numerous polar and desert projects while a partner at Poles Apart. He met his wife while working on the Emmy Award-Winning NOVA Shackleton documentary. They now live in New England with their young daughter where they enjoy living close to the beach and the mountains.
David visited Antarctica for the first time in 1976 with the British Antarctic Survey. After serving as Station Manager for BAS until 1984, he went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Polar Studies at Cambridge. Now he manages all of the environmental logistics and permitting for our operation as well as overseeing the Salt Lake City office, sales, and marketing. In addition to ALE, he runs Poles Apart Ltd where he and Nick Lewis worked together for several years, and which offers environmental and logistical support to many polar film projects including several Shackleton productions. David has been married for over 30 years and has two children; he resides outside of Cambridge and is an excellent photographer & bird enthusiast.
Mike was born & educated in Australia. His career began on MacQuarie Island as a geophysicist with an Australian expedition in 1971. He would go on to found Quark Expeditions and pioneer tourism transit to the polar regions with Russian icebreakers. In the late 1990s, he sold Quark in order to focus on new ventures in space travel and deep ocean exploration. He currently serves on the board of Space Adventures which offers space travel to the general public and operates Deep Ocean Expeditions which has coordinated dive expeditions to the Titanic, the Bismarck, and the Mariana Trench.
With offices spanning multiple continents and staff from around the world, our team is prepared to make your Antarctic experience unforgettable. From booking your trip, traveling to Chile, and finally setting foot on the white continent, our team will help you every step of the way.
Meet our Salt Lake Team
Why Choose ALE?
Experience of a Lifetime
Traveling deep into the interior of Antarctica is like visiting no other place on earth. Our unique infrastructure affords unparalleled access to the white continent’s best destinations:
- Only operator with access to Mount Vinson
- Only field camp near an emperor penguin colony
- Only private camp at the South Pole
- Shortest flight to the South Pole
Our History
ALE has operated continuously since 1987
- 1st land-based tour operator using wheeled aircraft on blue-ice runways
- Safely executed hundreds of roundtrip intercontinental flights from Chile to in the interior of Antarctica
- Supported virtually every private expedition that has skied, flown or driven across Antarctica
Our Commitment to Safety
Safety is our top priority and everything we do starts with creating a safe environment for our guests and our team.
- Comprehensive risk assessment and emergency planning
- 24-hour emergency response systems
- Satellite communication and weather information systems
Our Environmental Ethic
We care deeply about Antarctica and set the highest possible environmental standards in order to protect it.
- Exceed Antarctic Treaty System guidelines
- 1st private company in Antarctica to complete an environmental impact assessment
- Founding member of International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), a member organization that promotes sustainable Antarctic tourism
- Biosecurity
- Waste Management
