Citizen hosts Eric Larsen, who may be the last man to journey to the North Pole on foot

Last week at its flagship store in Times Square, Citizen hosted a presentation by explorer Eric Larsen in celebration of his new book, On Thin Ice: An Epic Final Quest Into the Melting Arctic.

Larsen opened his talk by thanking Citizen and praising its Eco-Drive watch, which he wore on his expedition to the North Pole. He quipped that it sounded like a commercial, but wasn’t—he just really believed in the watches. “Having a watch where you don’t have to worry about the batter is such an integral part of the trip,” he said.

In 2014, Larsen and his expedition partner Ryan Waters completed a 53-day, 500-mile journey from the northernmost point in North American to the North Pole. Larsen recounts the tale in his book, and he gave attendees an overview of the harrowing quest during his presentation. 

It is likely to be the last expedition of its kind, as climate change melts the ice caps, rendering them uncrossable on foot.  

That fragility was the reason Larsen and Waters undertook the journey. George Mallory, one of the first British men to climb Mount Everest, responded to the question of why, with, “Because it’s there.” Larsen said that “because it’s there” is the mantra of explorers, but with this trip, the goal was amended: “Because it’s there—and soon it won’t be.”

(Photo courtesy of Citizen)

JCK