Canadian Arctic: Ellesmere Island Traverse
Trek an Ancient Overland Corridor Walled by Glaciers
Trip Overview
- Challenging, expert-level trekking over a rugged, ice-free route
- Guided by Arctic biologists and seasoned naturalist guides
- Two nights hotel; 12 nights wilderness camping in tents
Located less than 700 miles from the North Pole, this remarkable route was discovered some 4,000 years ago by ancient ancestors of the Inuit who migrated from the Bering Sea to Greenland. The passage is literally straddled by glaciers; it forms the only break in an expanse of polar ice caps stretching over hundreds of miles.
Our expedition follows old musk ox and caribou trails from tidewater on the western slope up over the height of land to the stunning fjordland of the east coast. An arresting vista unfolds en route, with great glaciers pouring into the pass directly off neighboring icecaps. Where the ice meets jutting headlands and deep fjords, we may see glaciers calve into the sea, birthing rafts of floating icebergs.
Scattered herds of musk oxen roam and graze on tundra grasslands at the foot of the glaciers, while Arctic hare stretch up on their hind legs for a better view as we pass by. Tundra-nesting shorebirds, jaegers and red-throated loons are just some of the bird life we encounter, and with luck we may glimpse an Arctic wolf or stumble across an endangered Peary caribou feeding on carpets of purple saxifrage. Here in this unusual polar desert that enjoys dry, mild summers, the tundra bursts into life for a few short months each year, gracing the glacial valleys verdant with sedges, willows and bright Arctic poppies.
An added bonus on this trip is that we have a re-supply at our midway point, greatly reducing the amount of weight in provisions that we must carry with us.
The drama of this rugged High Arctic landscape leaves its rare visitors awestruck. Inspired to photograph, observe and explore "the land that never melts," we return home with indelible memories of an unparalleled wilderness immersion.
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15 Days
2012 Dates
Jul. 7-21
Trip Difficulty: Level 5
2012 Fees
Group Size 8-10: $10,590* from Resolute Bay Small Group Surcharge for Groups of 6-8: $1000
Single Supplement: none
Internal Flights to Resolute Bay
from Ottawa $3800
from Edmonton $2335 *Price does not include international airfare or mandatory trip insurance. A 5% "Goods and Service Tax" (GST) will also be applied to Canadian residents; 2.5% GST to non Canadians. Prices are given in US Dollars.
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