1. Little Red – Canada Goose HyBridge Lite Jacket. 2. Asics Cumulus 14 runners. 3. Amy’s Rice Crust Spinach Pizza – Gluten, Wheat & Dairy Free (Its YUMMY!) 4.  Loverboy by Billy Ocean (My new favorite, yet old school, song to run to…I love it! Its a fun, catchy 80’s tune).  5. DDP Yoga. This ain’t your mama’s yoga! A non-traditional, hybrid yoga workout that incorporates dynamic resistance, breathing techniques and power movement. It will make you sweat! 

Each night brings many tasks aside from melting snow, cooking food, and drying gear. As we are also running an adventure learning program, the solar batteries, computers, and satellite technology are also brought into the tent. We keep the technology in Ziploc bags to collect the moisture from the condensation as they warm-up. Once they are ready to go, we work until our reports and videos are done and ready to be uploaded to the online environment. This means a crazy dance in the tent every night in tight quarters.

We anticipate the next day is going to be long and tough, and that it is. Crossing Glacier and Summit lakes entails a full day’s travel with a headwind that doesn’t stop. We put on our backcountry skis and battle hard drifts of snow and ice. Eight hours later we reach our goal. . . . the beginning of the Weasel River.

The Weasel River requires a full change of gear. Aaron asks everyone to switch to snowshoes along with rigid shafts for the pulks (in place of the rope system the team had been using prior). With the melting of the snow on the southern side of the lake and a river that is extremely steep, the snowshoes and the rigid shafts prevent the pulks from sliding past us and pulling us down the river with them. We whoop with joy numerous times traveling down the river as it is literally the first time in days that we are experiencing any kind of downhill.

Before we know it, one of the most notable physical structures of this region of the North stands before us – Mount Thor. We stop to make lunch in the great mountain’s presence and capture some video and photos, all while doing a dance to keep warm.

Although the day brings easier travel than past days, dehydration is a factor as we put on numerous miles weaving down the river battling the cold and, unexpectedly, some open water. Aaron leads, hitting the ice with his ski poles to test for thin ice. We throw a waterproof cover over our mukuluks in case a foot goes through the ice.

By the time we are ready to set up camp, there literally is no snow in the area. Aaron scours the landscape for a place to pitch the tents where we can also have access to fresh water, from either snow or ice. Fortunately, immediately before approaching an area of frozen rapids with boulders that tower over us, Aaron finds a sheet of ice on the side of the river that should be sufficient to set up camp. Aaron calls Chris forward to discuss the situation and they decide the team should make camp here. We collect rocks for the snow flaps on the tents, and begin chopping ice to melt for water.

The next day challenges us with a whole host of varied terrain not found in many regions of the Arctic, from wide stretches of sand to frozen falls and rock gardens. We cross boulders, dance over ice holes, and pull our pulks across the sand. We feel at times like we’re traveling through an obstacle course. At the bottom of one particularly treacherous stretch, we reach Windy Lake.

Windy Lake lives up to its name, though the winds are not as strong as those Aaron has experienced here in the past. The temps are bitter cold, dipping to -35F, but our Canada Goose gear is a champion and keeps the team warm as we ski into the wind. Amidst a mixture of ice, snow, and mud, we search again for an appropriate spot to make camp.

We ski to the edge of Pangnirtung Fiord, which is lined with heaving ice. Although the fjord is a mixture of salt water and fresh water, the old ice that has been pushed up above the surface typically has been leached of its salt content. Aaron is again happy to find a camping spot with fresh water access. He chops off chunks of the heaved ice with a hatchet . . . mixed with a lot of sand. There’s nothing like a few “floaties” and a little sand in the bottom of your Nalgene bottle .

Once camp is set up and dinner is done, the team enjoys their final night camping on ice, and reflects on their journey. It is bittersweet after months of preparation and weeks of travel to think that this is our final night on the land.

We share our favorite as well as most challenging times from the expedition as we laugh and drink hot cocoa and eat mashed potatoes and meat sticks. Aaron notes that of all the teams he has traveled with during his many experiences in the Arctic, this team has had the most consistently positive attitude. The team has communicated well and taken care of each other – monitoring everything from overall morale to any signs of frostbite or dehydration. It takes a team that works together well to make an expedition successful and, just as important, fun.

As we arrive in the small Inuit hamlet of Pangnirtung the next day, it is a bit like completing a marathon . . . though much colder J. We fight tears upon reaching our final destination and goal. Pack ice and colorful homes on pilings dot the landscape as local residents greet us and ask about our travels through the “Pass.”

A big thank you to Canada Goose for the amazing gear – from the Expedition parkas to the Freestyle vests to the gloves and beanies, the team was well prepared with the best extreme weather gear. With more than ten years of traveling in the Arctic using a wide variety of gear, Aaron wants everyone to know, “This gear stands above the rest – it is simply stellar.”

From the North of Sixty° Expedition team – Aaron, Jeni, Chris, Brad, and Matthew, thank you to Canada Goose and everyone who has followed along with our journey for your support. You can continue following along with the team and a growing tapestry of voices from around the circumpolar Arctic at www.n60.co and www.chasingseals.com and on Twitter @chasingseals.

1. Why did you want to take part in the climb?
I’m always for supporting a cause that I believe in and the WWF is one of them. They are a great advocate for the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. I also happen to be a big fan of pandas…  

2. What have you been doing to prepare yourself?
I’ve increased my amount of leg workouts, using light weights and doing more sets. Also, I’ve tried to be up early every morning to jog and climb stairs.

3. What has been your training song go to mix for motivation?
Puff Daddy and the Family – No way Out.

5. What is your goal time?
Anywhere between 15 and 18 minutes.

6. What are you most worried about?
I’m worried about taking an awkward step, resulting in discomfort or even injury… and completing the climb outside of my goal time.

7. How will you celebrate post climb?
I’m going to celebrate the climb by having a big meal, ideally something greasy, drinking a whole lot of water and soaking in Epsom salts.

8. What will be your go-to climbing outfit?
My climbing outfit will consist of a comfortable pair of running shoes, shorts and my “Property of Canada Goose” shirt.

Nunavut is the newest territory in Canada, established in 2009, and a region sparsely populated and little explored even by many Canadians. Baffin Island is the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world.

After two days of travel north, we finally arrive in Qikiqtarjuaq, a small, largely Inuit community of about 500 people that sits on a tiny island just off Baffin Island. We experienced great hospitality while there and had the opportunity to interview several Inuit elders about changes they have observed in the land and the culture during their lifetime. On Friday night (the day before we headed into the wild), we were blessed with a beautiful expedition sendoff as the sky danced with northern lights.

An exhilarating three-hour snow machine ride on Saturday brought us away from the coastal areas and ice floe near the island that held the greatest risk of encountering polar bears. As our Inuit hosts dropped us, our pulks, and our gear off at the edge of Auyuittuq National Park along the North Pangnirtung Fiord, the team was ready to begin the expedition.

Of the five members of our team, two have traveled within this region before. Expedition leader Aaron Doering and high school teacher Chris Ripken dogsledded through the region in 2009, and Aaron also pulked through Akshayuk Pass in Auyuittuq in 2010. For the other three team members (Brad Hosack, Matthew Whalen, and Jeni Henrickson), this region of the North and its ice and snow are all a new experience.

Day one within Auyuittuq, we headed out across the fjord into a rocky snow- and ice-filled valley between spires of granite mountains. Our travel across this land is on skis and snowshoes, pulling pulks filled not only with our food, tents, and necessary gear for survival in such an extreme cold climate and remote landscape as exists here, but also the technology to be able to capture our journey on video and through photos. We will use this content to share this land and  adventure with schools and media outlets worldwide. This means the pulks are heavy . . . very heavy. On average, each pulk weighs 250 pounds (113 kg).

Each day yields a new adventure, a new challenge. The first days of travel from the North Pangnirtung Fiord to the Owl River and into June Valley, we hauled our pulks uphill through deep snow. As we hit June Valley, a ground blizzard erupted and we found ourselves pushing into 35 mph (56 kph) winds, gusting to 50 mph (80 kph). Aaron let out a whoop and pumped a ski pole into the air. Welcome to the Arctic!

We made camp as the snow and winds swirled about us. The team worked quickly and is thankful for the Canada Goose Expedition parkas that keeps us warm despite the strong wind and plummeting wind chills. All of our Canada Goose gear,  has been more than critical for our survival here.

By morning, the winds have died back to manageable level and we begin steadily climbing toward Summit Lake, the highest point on Akshayuk Pass. We are silent and focused as we prepared to face our biggest challenge yet: ascending over 700 feet up the side of Mount Battle to reach Glacier Lake ,pulling our pulks behind us.

As we reached the base of Mount Battle, we scoured the area for the best route up. Chris scrambled the top of a nearby ridge to scout the situation from above. Aaron strapped on his skis and headed up what seemed to be the most viable route, to ensure it is passable with the pulks before the team begins their ascent. He then enjoyed a quick freestyle ski back down the mountain to where the team was waiting.

The heaviest pulks take a two-person team to be pulled up to the Mount Battle ridge. This means the team had to make several trips up and down the mountain. It is a challenge, but everyone stepped up to the plate with good humor and awesome teamwork. We are tired but elated when we eventually reach Glacier Lake with all the pulks and gearthree hours later. We made camp and spent the night in the shadow of Mount Asgard, a mountain made famous in a James Bond film.

Though the team has trained well for this expedition, our muscles are feeling the workout we are putting them through . . . and we are loving it. Survival here is a constant balancing act. We continually monitor our body temperature, food and water intake, and the wind, staving off frostbite or dehydration. One’s body heats up quickly as you pull a heavy pulk up a mountainside, and just as quickly can cool down when the wind kicks up and you stop to take a drink, eat lunch, or set up camp for the night.

The team is in high spirits and absolutely in awe of the land here. We are savoring every moment spent in this remote region of the world. The Arctic is without question a special place, from the natural environment to the people and communities that have thrived here for thousands of years. We look forward to continuing to share our experiences with you as we journey through this region known as the “land never melts.”

For more updates, head to n60.co

Our team has been pulking across Baffin Island between the remote communities of Qikiqtarjuaq and Pangnirtung. We are traveling through a stunning but unforgiving Arctic landscape comprised of 85 percent rock and ice, dominated by glaciers, polar sea ice, polar bears, and sheer granite mountains.

North of Sixty isn’t an ordinary Arctic expedition. We’ve collaborated with schools from around the circumpolar Arctic to create a tapestry of video stories that capture the ecological and cultural history of communities north of sixty degrees latitude. Participating schools are located in Canada, Finland, Russia, Norway, and the USA.

Our goal is to combine an inspirational physical adventure with a shared educational one. We are travelling via traditional methods, but carrying modern technologies that have allowed us to capture the journey, the people, the culture, and the landscape of the region through multiple media. We are sharing the adventure online at http://n60.co/updates.html in real time with a worldwide audience of students, teachers, fellow adventurers, and environmentalists.

The expedition is led by Dr. Aaron Doering, explorer and professor of Learning Technologies from the Learning Technologies Media Lab (LTML) at the University of Minnesota. Aaron has more than a decade of experience working and traveling within the Arctic. He’s completed adventure learning expeditions throughout the region at least annually since 2004, tied to such issues as climate change, sustainability, and Arctic culture. These expeditions have taken him through many regions of the circumpolar Arctic, including the Northwest Territories and Nunavut in Canada; Fennoscandia; Greenland; Chukotka in Russia; and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.  This all took place while sharing these experiences and a comprehensive multidisciplinary curriculum synched to the expeditions online with millions of students worldwide. Doering’s team includes Brad Hosack, lead designer at LTML; Jeni Henrickson, PhD candidate and adventure learning researcher at LTML; and Chris Ripken, a high school geography teacher in Minnesota.

What will it take to complete this new expedition while capturing and sharing the vibrant culture and landscapes north of sixty degrees? Physical and mental stamina, to be sure, along with some high-quality gear and technology. We’re fortunate to have Canada Goose outerwear to protect our bodies from the extreme weather conditions, along with rugged pulks, tents, backcountry skis, mukluks, and satellite technologies that allow us to both survive in and communicate from some very challenging environments.

Stayed tuned for more updates!

If you could get $86,400 each day for the rest of your life, what would you do with the money? Before you shake your head in derision at this post and hover your mouse over the “back” button, humour me for a moment. Perhaps you would instantly buy some Canada Goose gear. Maybe you’d travel the world.   Sure, my prudent economist friends would suggest you to save the money, but what if you couldn’t save up any of the money? I figure that most of you would make the most of so much money! the situation without hesitation.

Alright, that’s enough of the hypothetical talk. Here’s the reality: most of us will not gain $86,400 per day; however, every single one of us receives 86,400 seconds each day to use or to lose.  At times, I like to keep this mind-set when I approach life; consequently, as I finish up my studies in biochemistry at The University of Ottawa, I will also be going on a week-long initiative to help motivate the Aboriginal students’ passion for science in Iqaluit, Nunavut and in Resolute Bay, Nunavut as part of the “Science Travels” program at The University of Ottawa.  Why bother, you ask? If upon devoting one short week in April I am able to befriend and encourage only one Aboriginal student to persevere and pursue his/her dreams, then I fervently believe that the entire trip has been worthwhile.  Given the Aboriginals’ geographic location, these children don’t get nearly the same amount of resources that a typical urban Canadian child would receive. Such limitations aren’t transpiring in a developing country, but in our own proverbial backyard, up North.  Consider the big picture: these students are part of our society now and they are part of our future, too.   It is because of these reasons why I am extremely excited to execute science experiments and give interactive presentations on fundamental scientific concepts to the Aboriginal students in Nunavut as part of “Science Travels.”

In the next following weeks, I will be sharing my trip to Nunavut on this CG blog and I would equally love to hear your own thoughts!  As I am in the midst of preparations for the trip, here is what I will be bringing:

Canada Goose has been the leader of extreme weather outerwear and has graciously supported my role in this initiative with the CG Expedition Parka, CG Aviator Hat, and CG down gloves. I am immensely grateful for their support to help the Northern Aboriginal communities in Nunavut.

Canada Goose and “Science Travels” made their move. What’s yours?

Warmest regards,

Tiffany

Tip #1
Out come the wellies and sneakers, while the parkas and snow boots are put away.  Your parka should be stored in a cool, dry place; either hanging or laying down flat.  Feel free to add a fabric sheet to the pockets to ensure a fresh smelling parka.

Tip #2

Did your parka get a lot of traction this past winter? If your parka needs cleaning, take it to a reputable dry cleaner who has experience working with fur trims. If the fur is removable, then go ahead and remove it prior to dropping it off for cleaning. When your coat is returned to you, follow Tip #1.

Tip #3

We get it, accidents happen. Especially when you’re enjoying a nice hot cup of jo’ after a skating session. But never fear! Spot wash stains with a bleach-free detergent & a clean, non-coloured cloth. Once that is finished, follow Tip #1 (and/or #2) and your parka will be as good as new!

Tip #4

Your fur ruff is there for a reason: to protect your face from the elements and harsh weather conditions. Take care of your ruff, and it will take care of you. If you are following Tip #2 and you can remove your fur ruff, remove it.  If it is not removable ask your dry cleaner to not treat it during the cleaning process.

Tip #5

As much as you love your parka, the time has come for it to be stored during the warmer months. This is the perfect time to switch it out for a lightweight piece. If your parka requires some maintenance, check out our warranty policy. Now would be the best time to have it serviced, as you won’t be needing it as much.

Following tips one thorough five will have your CG in tip-top shape for the next season.  And don’t worry, only 283 more days until next winter

Some of my favourite memories of the trip have been meeting Jamaican musher, Newton Marshall! What a great guy! It was so exciting to be there to celebrate his 30^th while he rocked his Aurora Green Expedition parka.

Of course one for the books was hanging with Lance himself. It’s no wonder that he’s the subject of a documentary; this guy has accomplished so much!  As I write this, he’s still racing in the Iditarod and of course I’m cheering for him – go Lance, go!

Finally, meeting the faces behind the race. Wes from the ComebackChronicles.com,  and Lance Mackey team supporter, Theresa Daily. They’re such nice people and Wes snapped some keepers of me.

That’s all for now. Wish me a safe flight back home and of course keep checking CG’s Facebook page and blog to find out what my next adventure could be!

Till next time,

Just a quick update. We’re currently in Nikolai, Alaska where in 2000 the population was a mere 100 residents. Pretty small, but a great change from the bustling city of Toronto. If I move here, does that make 100.5?

Things have been so busy! Yesterday, we were in McGrath, Alaska which is slightly more populated (346 people to be exact) but as equally breath taking. We then jumped on a small plane and came here to Nikolai.

The best news of today is that our man Lance came in strong, taking second place at the Nikolai checkpoint. Right now his dogs are getting some much needed rest and Lance is in great spirits.

That’s all for today, but make sure you keep checking back for more updates!

Catch ya’ on the mushin’ side,

Last blog post I promised some photos from yesterday’s ceremonial start and here they are. It was so much fun! Lined all along the downtown strip of Anchorage, we saw mushing fans from across the globe.

By far the highlight of the day was hanging with Lance before the start of the race.

Aside from the ceremonial start, it was also Jamaican musher, Newton Marshall’s 30th birthday! CG surprised Newton with an Aurora Green Expedition Parka and some other key warm essentials that he’ll need during the race.

It was so great to see the support for the mushers and the passion that the fans have for the sport. I can’t wait for the next couple days. Keep your eyes peeled to CG’s Facebook and Blog for more of my updates.

To borrow a line from Newton,

One mush and one love,