Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.

Taking it to Extremes—3 Ways to Escape From or Indulge in What’s Left of Winter’s Chill

Viewed from the desperate chill of winter, there are really only two ways to look at a potential vacation destination: more or less. 

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

CEO-Life-1
Arctic Adventures: Hot air balloon rides above Baffin Island take travelers through giant columns of an iceberg on an Arctic Kingdom safari

By more, we mean double-down and give in to the allure of the cold—definitely an acquired taste. Whereas, by less, we mean escape to a place where warm sand, turquoise water and delicious ocean breezes wash away all memories of ice, snow and work.

Realizing that no single choice is necessarily best for everyone (and that going to extremes isn’t always the goal), we’ve decided to present three very different vacation destinations. One will literally take you to the frozen edge of the Arctic Circle to interact with the kind of nature that thrives amid ice; another brings you to a restored Colorado ghost-town-turned-luxury-spa, where hot springs and Rocky Mountain heli-skiing will vie for your attention; and the last nestles you in the lap of Caribbean-style luxury, where fun and sun can cure all of your winter doldrums.
If you are looking to stay warm and toasty this winter, then you might want to check out the North Face winter jackets at Altitude Sports.

Arctic Kingdom’s Icy Adventures
The word “safari” tends to conjure up gorgeous images of wildlife in a natural habitat that involves the rolling grasslands, marshes and jungles of Africa. This is exactly the concept the pioneering folks at Arctic Kingdom want you to experience—albeit with a tundra twist—when you travel with them for a custom-tailored trip to the Arctic regions. As go-to logistical providers of equipment and outfitting services for filmmakers and scientists in the Northwest, Arctic Kingdom is an Iqaluit, Canada-based firm that excels at shepherding small groups of hardy adventurers on weekend or extended trips to camps on land and ice in the Northwest Territories and Greenland. They offer a variety of season-specific excursions with personalized itineraries, such as going to see polar bears and migratory birds, taking hot air balloon rides above Baffin Island, scuba diving under (yes, under) glaciers or taking in the Northern Lights, among others. Not your typical walk-in-the-park stuff.

Depending on the trip, guests may stay in timber lodges with full amenities (including on-site chefs), remote log cabins 100 miles from the nearest town, temporary tents or structures for extreme adventures or partner hotels for shorter, weekend trips. Their Taste of Arctic Spring (offered rom February through May) pairs you with local Inuit guides. You’ll travel on a sled pulled by a team of dogs across the frozen wilderness, ice fish for Arctic char and even, if you’re up for it, help build the igloo you’ll bed down in after viewing the Northern Lights. Similarly, their Taste of Arctic Summer (July through September) plants you on a sea-ice camp near Baffin Island where you’ll witness the soul-shifting migration of thousands of hungry whales that congregate at the icy edge of the bay.

BEST ROOMS Depending on the trip you take, you will stay in a local partner hotel, a timber lodge, a remote log cabin, a tent, or a yurt. The truly intrepid or authentic traveler, however, may prefer to build his or her own lodgings out of the copious amount of ice at hand—you guessed it, an igloo. With help from the pros, you cut blocks of ice and assemble your very own igloo, throw down a few caribou skins, light some candles and slide into the provided sleeping bag. You’ll be about as in-touch with the Arctic as it gets. 888-737-6818, www.arctickingdom.com


MORE LIKE THIS

  • Get the CEO Briefing

    Sign up today to get weekly access to the latest issues affecting CEOs in every industry
  • upcoming events

    Roundtable

    Strategic Planning Workshop

    1:00 - 5:00 pm

    Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

    Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

    1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
    2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
    3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

     

    Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

    Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

    2:00 - 5:00 pm

    Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

    Limited space available.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

    Golf Outing

    10:30 - 5:00 pm
    General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
    Sponsored by UBS

    General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

    The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.