Our Team Got Trapped on a Glacier for the December Cover
With this month's photo shoot, the Year of Adventure ended on a high note—literally.
![crew beside helicopter crew beside helicopter](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-helicopter-wide-shot-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Blades of Glory
O's intrepid team flew to the upper reaches of Mendenhall Glacier in glorious Alaska to prep for a photo shoot that had been months in the making. And then things got epic.
![crew in helicopter crew in helicopter](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-crew-in-helicopter-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
As the choppers took off, skies were blue, smiles were wide and long johns and boots were on.
![adam glassman helicopter adam glassman helicopter](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-dude-in-helicopter-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
O creative director Adam Glassman peers out the helicopter window.
![the sled without oprah the sled without oprah](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-sled-without-oprah-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
The Prep
Adam, photographer Ruven Afanador and their crew lost no time scouting angles, setting up lighting and preparing the set for Oprah to take her place behind the sled.
![photo team and adam glassman photo team and adam glassman](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-crew-on-ladder-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Photo assistant Sebastian Beckmann, Ruven (on ladder) and Adam work on getting the perfect shot.
![team managing presents team managing presents](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-placing-presents-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Set designer Stephen Brown handles some of the 50 handmade packages he brought all the way from Tennessee (each one used up to ten yards of ribbon!).
![tailor holding oprah's dress tailor holding oprah's dress](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-tailor-holding-dress-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Tailor Wendi Williams-Stern wrangles the wardrobe.
![the outhouse the outhouse](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-outhouse-949x1356.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
No Porta-Potties here—the makeshift outhouse was a simple tent.
![the crew posing with huskies the crew posing with huskies](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-everyone-posing-949x1356.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
The team poses with Alaskan Huskies from the dog camp operated by Alaska Icefield Expeditions.
![mushers' camp, exterior mushers' camp, exterior](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-mushers-camp-exterior-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sebastian Beckmann
200-Dog Night
Things were going great—until once-in-a-blue-moon weather conditions intervened. Oprah wasn't able to get to the set, and the crew couldn't get out, so they turned to their friendly neighborhood mushers. The dogs leading Oprah's sled lived in a camp about a mile from the set, and their handlers were kind enough to take in our castaways for the next two days.
![mushers' camp interior mushers' camp interior](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-mushers-camp-interior-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
The Alaskan team generously shared their tents, space heaters, pasta and puppies for warmth!
![adam sleeping in musher tent adam sleeping in musher tent](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-sleeping-adam-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Stephen Brown
Adam enjoys a quick nap in a hammock.
![oprah meme oprah meme](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-oprah-meme-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Coincidentally, this hilarious Oprah meme was discovered inside one of the tents.
![crew playing kickball crew playing kickball](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-crew-playing-kickball-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
The crew plays kickball to pass the time as they wait for rescue.
![dog camp manager matthew failor with dog dog camp manager matthew failor with dog](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-guy-with-dog-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Dog camp manager Matthew Failor gets a hug.
![adam glassman and jenny capitain adam glassman and jenny capitain](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-adam-and-jenny-capitain-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Adam and fashion editor Jenny Capitain pose between takes.
![crew escapes to helicopter crew escapes to helicopter](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-helicopter-in-snow-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
The helicopter finally arrives to bring the O team home.
![the great escape the great escape](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-helicopter-in-air-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Sioux Nesi
They make their great escape, leaving the snow-covered glacier behind.
![oprah's cover shoot oprah's cover shoot](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-oprah-cover-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Harpo, Inc./George Burns
Shooting at Sea
Thanks to the weather, for the first time in O magazine's 17-year history, Oprah' s image had to be added to the cover digitally. "I so wanted to be with those dogs!" she says. Luckily, Holland America Line's MS Eurodam, host of the O, The Oprah Magazine Share the Adventure cruise, was available as a stand-in set. And Oprah looked ravishing as Mrs. Claus.
![oprah's jewelry oprah's jewelry](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/2017/10/201712-omag-bts-earrings-949x534.jpg)
Photo: Gregor Halenda
From the November 2017 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine