Canadian Arctic: Trek Around the Ad Astra Ice Cap
Hiking at the Top of the World on Ellesmere Island
Trip Overview
- Expert-level trekking over rugged High Arctic terrain
- 12 nights wilderness camping in tents
Just 500 miles from the geographic North Pole, this trek at the top of Ellesmere Island circumnavigates the Ad Astra Ice Cap from Tanquary Fiord via the Mac Donald and Air Force River valleys. Our Arctic journey begins with a chartered Twin Otter flight north from Resolute Bay to Quttinirpaaq National Park. When the weather is clear, the flight is nothing short of breathtaking as we look down upon the expansive glacial systems of Axel Heiberg Island and the jagged spine of Ellesmere.
Ellesmere Island is spanned by lofty mountain ranges mantled in polar ice. This ice cover, at least 100,000 years old, crowns some of the most pristine wilderness on earth, a land visited by only a handful of scientists and peopled by a solitary Inuit village. Here, silence is broken by the roaring of glacial meltwater…by the low clucking of the oldsquaw…by the guttural call of the red-throated loon passing overhead, or the rasp of the Arctic tern.
Our aircraft’s destination is a remote tundra airstrip near Tanquary Fiord, where outstanding vistas of massive glaciers provide a backdrop for scattered herds of muskoxen. Other wildlife includes Arctic hare, who may stretch up on their hind legs for a better view as we pass by. Tundra-nesting shorebirds, jaegers and red-throated loons are some of the birdlife we are likely to encounter, and with luck we may glimpse one of the local wolf packs.
From Tanquary Fiord we strike out, hiking the Mac Donald Valley toward Lewis and Ekblaw Lakes before traversing Air Force Glacier where we return via the Air Force River to Tanquary Fiord. Glacial valleys and deep fiords carve the coastline of Quttinirpaaq National Park, while several nunataks (peaks protruding through the ice cap) stand over 2,500 meters (8, 250 ft). In the heart of the park, Mount Barbeau, at 2,616 m (8,250 ft), is the highest mountain in east. The panorama that unfolds along our trekking route is mind-blowing, with great glaciers pouring into the pass directly off the neighboring icecaps.
While on trek we may see signs of peoples who came before us, which are still clearly evident even though some are up to 4,000 years old. A stone fox trap, a tent ring, and scattered remains from earlier polar explorations all speak of the adventurous spirit of those who first reveled in this solitude at the top of the world.
The monochrome of the rock and ice landscape is accented by the rich colors exposed over the terrain, offering testimony to the powerful forces of millennia of glacial erosion. Meadows filled with Arctic poppies and purple broad-leafed willow herb contrast vividly against the barren ice, inspiring impromptu walks and outstanding photographic opportunities. We keep an eye out for Peary caribou that like to graze upon the verdant tundra, looking up frequently to spot a gyrfalcon flying over.
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15 Days
2012 Dates
Jul. 7-21
Trip Difficulty: Level 5
2012 Fees
Group Size 8-10: $12,990* from Resolute Bay
Small Group Surcharge for Groups of 6-8: $500
Single Supplement: none
Internal Flights to Resolute Bay
from Ottawa $3800
from Edmonton $2335
Park Fee
$150
*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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