#baffinisland #manandhisdogaloneinthearctic #trekking
Alone in the Arctic Wilderness I was happy I set up my canvas tent very securely. Camping in heavy winds can be dangerous and on Day-12 I awoke to the sound of my tent violently shaking in a ripping wind. I was unable to travel that day because of them and my dog Buck and I just stayed in the tent. Akshayuk Pass can act as a wind tunnel and I was camped in an exposed spot, with crosswinds barreling down through the adjacent moraines gusting frigid air from the Penny Ice Cap. Needless to say, it was a boring day lying in my tent all day with the only excitement being the fear of the winds blowing my tent down.
On Day-13 I decided to go for it. The winds weren't so bad in the morning but as I packed up, they got worse and they really started gusting after I took my tent down. Early on we started a steep climb towards the height-of-land, the high point of Akshayuk Pass that separates the waters of the Owl and Weisel Rivers. To reach it I had to ascend a steep hill that was about 600 feet high. Buck was getting a little spooked every time he'd take a break because his sledge would start sliding back down the hill and he'd start walking in reverse, causing the rope to get slack and it wrapped around his leg causing him to trip up. So, I leap-frogged up the hill, going back to help Buck and he did a great job when I was spotting him.
A little way into the hill climb, the winds died as I passed through the lee of a mountain. Foolishly, now that the cold wind wasn't an immediate threat I worked hard to haul the sledges up the hill and I worked up a sweat, a dangerous thing in the Arctic, especially when the weather is bad. Minutes after reaching the height-of -land the winds got extreme - the worst I've ever experienced and I really had to lean into them to walk at a normal pace. Crossing a lake I started getting hit by and icy crosswind coming off of a glacier and the winds were over 100 kmph. I was starting to feel a chill coming on, even with my big down parka on. It was getting scary and quickly turned into a survival situation. Scouring the landscape for shelter, I saw a 12' high sand dune - a testament to how strong the winds are here in and of itself. Nestling behind the dune, I was able to block the strong headwind but an icy crosswind barreling off of an alpine glacier was cutting right through my Arctic clothing. The snowdrift in the lee of the dune was hard-packed which meant I could cut snow blocs to build a snow block wall to block the wind. Without a wall, there was no way I would be able to set up my tent in the strong winds and I wouldn't have survived the night without shelter. I got to work and dug out the dune with my shovel. I then started cutting snow blocks and made a sturdy wall. Buck hid in the protection of the dune where he curled up and slowly started getting drifted over. When the wall started taking shape, it began blocking the wind which made it easier for me to stay warm, as did the physical work I was doing to build it. It wasn't long before I had the tent up and was safely inside, patting Buck and sipping hot chocolate, it was my last hot chocolate and I don't think I could have saved it for a more appropriate time.
Get caught up on past episodes of this Arctic adventure series in the playlist here, and check out my Facebook and Instagram accounts in the links below too.
Arctic Adventure Playlist: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPx9w...
Please subscribe to my channel to catch the full adventure! Here's a link to my KZfaq channel's home page:
/ jimbairdthe. .
Gear List:
Canada: www.amazon.ca/shop/jimbaird-a...
Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
/ jbadventurer
/ jbadventurer
/ jbadventurer
Check out my website: www.theadventurer.com
Browse some of the gear items I used on this trip through the links below.
Gear: Camping, Survival, Clothing and Camera Equipment
Clothes:
Arcteryx Beta SV Jacket - amzn.to/2tUYFmD
Arcteryx Beta Pants - amzn.to/2soxqk4
Baffin Endurance - amzn.to/2QUw22k
Baffin Polar Mitt - amzn.to/2TogUf9
Julbo Goggles - amzn.to/2RhK4d7
Western Mountaineering Expedition GWS Bootie - amzn.to/2srwXOf
Thanks for watching!
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Agawa Gear:
agawagear.com/discount/JBADVEN...