For the third year in a row, the North Pole season at the Barneo ice camp has been canceled, according to polar guide Eric Philips.
Because of an outbreak of the new, more contagious form of the coronavirus, Norway closed its borders on Friday to all non-nationals for at least two weeks. Even before that, a 10-day quarantine was mandatory. Visitors fly to the ice camp through Longyearbyen, on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen.
The Russians set up the Barneo ice camp on stable sea ice near the North Pole every year. The base serves Last Degree skiers, champagne tourists, marathon runners, and anyone else who wants to get to the top of the world without skiing the whole distance.
COVID also aborted the 2020 season. In 2019, political tensions prevented the Ukrainian plane from flying to the Russian station. Despite much scrambling to find an alternative, the season was ultimately called off.
