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Itinerary for Ellesmere Trekking Trip - June, 2007
Guests and guides arrive in Resolute Bay, Nunavut
(see below for suggested transport to Resolute Bay)
Overnight in Resolute Bay, then transport to Carl Ritter Bay on southeast side of Judge Daly Prometary, by charter twin otter aircraft, exact date and time depending on the weather (2 hour flight)
Trekking across Judge Daly Prometary, roughly following a wide valley, but detouring as determined on a daily basis according to curiosity and weather conditions. Group will be completely self sufficient, carrying all our food and camping gear ourselves. Where we cross ice, we will use sleds to carry gear. Otherwise we'll use back packs. Guests should be able to carry 50 pound backpacks for several days over mildly rolling terrain. Because the area is rolling sedimentary rock, there are no cliffs or technical climbing. Just extended walking.
Temperatures will range between 5 to 7 degrees celcius (40 to 45 degrees farenheit) with no low temperatures since there is no night in the arctic at this time of year! No technical gear is required, but good outdoor synthetic, layered clothing, walking poles and high quality rubber boots with thick insoles are required, as are neoprene scuba booties for crossing streams. We will be walking through considerable slushy areas, and rubber boots are the only effective footwear for this extended exposure to moisture.
We may see snow buntings, eiders, various shorebirds, rock ptarmigan, wolves, muskox, perry caribou, arctic hare, actic fox, ermin and lemmings. It will be fulll summer, so some of the arctic flowers will be in bloom. On the sea ice there is a small chance we'll see polar bears, and as a precaution we'll carry guns. Once inland there is little chance of polar bears, since they are largely marine mammals.
We'll likely get to our designated pick up spot on the northwest side of Judge Daly Prometary a few days early to make sure we have enough time to factor in changes to the weather. Then we'll continue to explore the area until the twin otter picks us up. We'll have satellite phones to be in touch with the pilot as necessary.
We'll likely return to Resolute Bay on withing a three day window
by twin otter plane. If time and weather permit, and if guests are so inclined, we will stop at an Inuit village to view some Inuit artists' workshops.
The whole itinerary is subject to Nature's blessing, and therefore is rather general. The terrain is also well suited for such a general itinerary, allowing more exploration and indulgence of the group's curiosity as we trek across the terrain.
Note: the following are not included in the trip- transport to Resolute Bay to start the trip; more than 2 days and nights lodging in Resolute Bay (if weather does not permit us to keep with the scheduled flight plan, there may be extra days or fewer days in Resolute Bay); personal clothing (we will provide a detailed packing list).
For transport to Resolute Bay we will be working with an experienced Arctic airline, one who specializes in Northern Travel. When the final dates have been determined in November 2006, we will post the travel professionals & agencies that we are working with.
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