Hiking, Climbing, Arctic Circle

Hello again. Sorry I have been slack on the updates. I'm trying to busy myself and trying to keep sitting in front of the computer to a minimum.

This week saw us do several cross country ski trips. First we went across the fiord (about 2.5 hrs there and back), and another time to the North end of the fiord. On Wednesday we went for another ski across the fiord, but this time we climbed/hiked the mountain on the other side. It was hard work, probably 60 degree incline at points, but amazing scenery once we got up.

Yesterday 4 of us went to Auyuittuk National Park. We had a guide take us on snowmobile just past the park entrance, but extreme winds and lack of snow forced us to continue on foot on our way to the Arctic Circle marker! (the guide just stayed at the snowmobile and waited, crazy guy). There was amazing scenery on the 3 hour hike through unbelievable winds, steep inclines, and at times if we were lucky hard packed snow to walk on. Besides countless mountains we saw as we walked through the valley, we saw a glacier which we hiked up to. It was a dazzling bright blue colour, a cool contrast to the white snow. The glacier formed a cave-like shelter which we sat in and got a break from the wind and had a snack. We also chipped off some ice from the glacier and melted it to make soup and hot chocolate.

After the glacier we continued to the Arctic Circle Marker. It was tough going, at times we would be walking across a frozen lake and the wind would blow us more than 30 feet back... no traction on the slick ice. Eventually, after 3 hours of this we made it and it was well worth the journey. The marker is just an inukshuk in the middle of a wide open area (maybe a lake, hard to tell because everything is wind-swept and frozen). We got a few pictures and then headed back.

The komatik ride back was rough. The high wind and icy conditions caused the komatik I was in (with John's dog) to flip... twice. I don't really want to talk about that part of the trip anymore, it was not enjoyable haha.

All in all it was a 9 hour adventure that left us tired and sore, but well worth it. That night we relaxed and played some poker with a fellow teacher and some other people who work in Pang.

Just a week left here, can't wait to get some of that nice weather Halifax has been getting.