4. Eric Larsen – Polar Explorer

Throughout the last two decades, Eric Larsen has single-handedly redefined the term ‘bold’. His natural inclinations and desire to publicize the effects of global warming have repeatedly led him into the world’s coldest places, where he has explored the most extreme environments with dog teams, on snowshoes, on skis, on foot, and even with an icy swim or two here and there.

Larsen’s most outrageous and ambitious feat to date came with his ‘Save the Poles’ project – a year-long expedition in which he reached the North and South Poles and the summit of Mount Everest in an unprecedented assault on what he termed the “Polar Trifecta.” During the expedition, Larson braved 50 degrees below temperatures while snow-shoeing, skiing and swimming (yep, swimming!), across the Arctic. He then survived blizzards and further frigid temperatures in Antarctica before rounding things off with a three-month expedition on Mount Everest.