Photo Essay: Summer in the Arctic

When you think "summer vacation" the Arctic is probably not the first destination that comes to mind. But for San Francisco-based tech entrepreneur Om Malik that is just what the doctor ordered. "I am drawn to snowscapes," says Malik. "I have found communing with nature is the best antidote for a restless mind."

Last month, Malik took an opportunity to embark on a 10-day photography expedition to Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago halfway between continental Norway and the North Pole. The trip was organized around indigenous wildlife (think polar bears and seals), but Malik says he was mostly interested in photographing the landscapes at the top of the planet. The journey was not an easy one—it involved flying from San Francisco to Copenhagen, Denmark, to Oslo, Norway, and finally to Svalbard, Norway, then navigating between islands via boat. Given that the weather was in the 30s and 40s, Malik brought along some AETHER gear to keep warm. Check out photos from Malik's journey here, and see more snaps from the trip on his Instagram.