The Ice Queen Whose 1930s Arctic Expeditions Helped Climate Research

Louise Arner Boyd’s life stands as incontrovertible proof that being born into privilege doesn’t always guarantee a life of ease and comfort. Born in San Rafael in 1887, Louise enjoyed an idyllic childhood bouncing between San Rafael and a lavish family farm in Danville with her two brothers and well-to-do parents. That was until the age of 13 when her big brother Seth suddenly died. Just eight months later, her other brother Jack followed, both victims of heart conditions.

While Louise’s mother, Louise Cook Arner, held herself together with a stiff upper lip, Louise’s father, John Franklin Boyd, collapsed into grief at losing his heirs. Then in 1919, tragedy struck again. John died after a fall down the stairs just six months after Louise Sr. had died of an illness.

Louise, at the age of 32, was left entirely alone, an heiress to a fortune that she had no idea what to do with. It would take five years, a couple of cross-country outings, and two long trips to Europe for Louise to figure that out.

By 1924, Louise realized she was in possession of an unquenchable thirst for adventure that could only be satiated by the most inhospitable places on Earth. After two years of subsequent planning, she embarked on an expedition from Norway to Franz Josef Land, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean that Russia had recently seized. The islands were notoriously treacherous to reach but reach them Louise must — the adventure was the first of its kind ever planned, financed and attended by a woman.

The journey would take six weeks, with an onboard meteorologist collecting data while Louise acted as a photographer. By the end, she had captured 700 images and shot 25,000 feet of film, most of which she later donated to the American Geographical Society. It wasn’t all science, however. The outing was also unabashedly a hunting trip. A couple of unfortunate polar bears did not survive Louise’s exploration.

Her epic six weeks in the Arctic didn’t quell Louise’s love for adventure, even when other missions made it abundantly clear that these kinds of outings were extraordinarily risky. In 1928, an Italian aeronautical engineer by the name of Umberto Nobile went missing on his way back from the North Pole.

In response, a Norwegian explorer named Roald Amundsen went in search of Nobile — and also promptly went missing. Louise responded to this by running in the direction of the danger and searching 10,000 miles of Arctic Ocean for the men. Nobile eventually emerged of his own accord, while Amundsen perished. Regardless, Louise was awarded the prestigious Norwegian Chevalier Cross of the Order of Saint Olav for her fearless efforts. One rescue coordinator told Louise in writing that: “You volunteered for the hardest and most dangerous cruises, showing devotion and courage.”

Unperturbed by the loss of Amundsen’s entire crew, Louise continued to make regular expeditions to the most inhospitable places on Earth. In 1931, she went to Greenland and discovered a glacier and previously unknown land mass. She returned in ’33 with a geologist, botanist, surveyor and physiographer. She embarked on further explorations in 1937 and 1938.

Louise photographed his frigid environs thoroughly, documenting her work in several books including 1935’s The Fiord Region of East Greenland and 1937’s Polish Countrysides. One review of the latter stated: “Miss Boyd is not only to be congratulated on the work of her camera, but must be warmly thanked for compiling a permanent record of so many of the distinctive features of a country where changes are taking place rapidly from day to day.”

Louise’s work remains vitally important for this very reason. Her photos and records continue to provide a baseline for climate change investigations today.

In 1941, Louise faced one of her biggest challenges yet, studying the effects of polar magnetism on radio communications in Greenland, in association with the National Bureau of Standards (today’s National Institute of Standards and Technology). Her work there was so impressive, she was transferred to the War Department as an expert consultant. She worked for military intelligence between 1942 and 1944.

Louise still wasn’t done. A decade after the end of World War II, just when it seemed like she was settling into a more comfortable role as The Most Interesting Dinner Guest In San Francisco, Louise very casually decided to become the first woman to ever fly over the North Pole — at the age of 67, no less. She completed the 16-hour non-stop flight with aplomb. She later reminisced about her moment of glory:

“Directly below us, 9,000 feet down, lay the North Pole! No cloud in the brilliant blue sky hid our view of this glorious field of shining ice … In a moment of reverent awe the crew and I gave thanks for this priceless sight. We crossed the Pole, then circled it, flying ‘around the world’ in a matter of minutes. Then we departed. My Arctic dream had come true.”

All told, “the Ice Queen,” as she was dubbed, was so globally respected for her exploratory work, data gathering and analysis that Louise received a variety of honors and awards from Denmark, Sweden, France and Italy. She also had part of Greenland named after her. “Louise Boyd Land” sits at an elevation of 6,535 feet. In 1960, she was given the honor of becoming the first female councilor of the American Geographic Society.

Louise died in San Francisco two days before her 85th birthday. Rather than be buried with the rest of her family in their crypt at Mount Tamalpais Cemetery, she opted to have her ashes scattered into her beloved Arctic Ocean. Throughout her life, she was a special combination of smart, fearless and hardy, but no matter how long she spent out in freezing waters, she never lost her sense of self.

“I like the pleasant things most women enjoy,” she once noted, “even if I do wear breeches and boots on an expedition — even sleep in them at times. But I powder my nose before going on deck, no matter how rough the sea is.”

For stories on other Rebel Girls from Bay Area History, click here. 

A book celebrating women from the Rebel Girls series, ‘Unsung Heroines: 35 Women Who Changed the Bay Area,’ is available now from City Lights.