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Auyuittuq National Park in Canada’s eastern Arctic has some of the most beautiful alpine scenery on earth. This ski touring expedition crosses the entire Akshayuk Pass, including the rarely-seen northern section in the Owl River Valley.
We meet in Qikiqtarjuaq – a remote Inuit hamlet on an small island off the north coast of Baffin Island. Local Inuit will take us by snowmobiles across the frozen sea ice to the end of North Pangnirtung Fiord. From here we’ll load our pulks (personal sleds) for the first strides south on our 97-km journey. We begin with the ascent of the Owl River Valley to the top of the pass – 500 metres above the sea. As we penetrate the mountains, we’ll pass massive glaciers extending from the enormous Penny Ice Cap. Between Glacier and Summit Lakes, the magical cylindrical tower of Mount Asgard draws us to the top of the pass. Then we begin the descent of the frozen Weasel River. Mount Thor, 1500 metres above us, is said to have the longest, uninterrupted cliff face in the world. We’ll then pass Windy Lake before crossing the Arctic Circle. Next, it is on past Crater Lake toward our final destination at Overlord – a majestic peak overlooking the trailhead on the shore of Cumberland Sound.
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