Great view of Mt. Thor from a distance

Across the Arctic Circle on Foot on Baffin Island

My introduction to Baffin Island wasn’t a warm one – as far as the temperature was concerned. And it didn’t really get much better for several days. Fortunately though the scenery did. Our plan was to hike along the Weasel River to the high point at Akshayuk Pass by Summit Lake, crossing the Arctic Circle in Auyuittuq National Park on Baffin Island in the process.

Although distances were short, the hiking was slow because of the 50 – 60 pound loads we were carrying. Most days we hiked only 10 or 11 kilometres of hiking – a far cry from what I normally hike In the mountains – but with a heavy load it was slow going.

Heading out - on the beach for starters
Heading out – on the beach for starters

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What it’s like to backpack in Auyuittuq National Park

From the Weasel River to the high point at Akshayuk Pass by Summit Lake it would take us about a week. Our days fell into a rhythm pretty quickly. Coffee at 7:45 AM, breakfast at 8 AM and hiking between 9 and 9:30 AM. We’d stop for lunch around noonish with lots of boulder breaks to rest our bodies along the way.

Most days we’d finish hiking on foot across the Arctic Circle between 4 PM and 5 PM. Then we’d set up the tents. We all had that down to a fine art in a hurry. Inside the roomy tent everything had its place too – or you’d be hunting for stuff all the time.

Photos of hiking above the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island in Auyuittuq National Park

Crossing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island offers a view up the Weasel River towards Mount Overlord
A view up the Weasel River towards Mount Overlord
Dinner the first night - notice how many clothes Natalie our guide is wearing
Dinner the first night – notice how many clothes Natalie our guide is wearing
Juxtaposition of sand on the moraines and ice
Juxtaposition of sand on the moraines and ice
Crossing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island you pass ice covered Crater Lake
An ice covered Crater Lake on Baffin Island above the Arctic Circle
Hikers looking for a way across the river
Hikers looking for a way across the river above the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island
Crossing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island doesn't have much elevation change but heavy loads
Not much elevation change but heavy loads
Crossing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island requires fording icy streams
Fording an icy stream in Auyuittuq National Park above the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island
A small tarn above Windy Lake is bathed in sunshine on Day 3
A small tarn above Windy Lake is bathed in sunshine on Day 3 of hiking above the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island
You're more likely to drown in the park's rivers than kill yourself on Mt Thor - or any other mountain in the park
You’re more likely to drown in the park’s rivers than kill yourself on Mt Thor – or any other mountain in the park
Tents are dwarfed by the mountains in this landscape
Tents are dwarfed by the mountains in this landscape

Crossing the Arctic Circle on foot on Baffin Island

Somewhere around here – we will have crossed the Arctic Circle at a latitude of 66 degrees and 33½ minutes. That means that on June 21st  any point above it has 24 hours of sunlight and on December 21st and point above it has 24 hours of darkness.

Hardy wildflowers and one of the 97 types of lichen
Hardy wildflowers and one of the 97 types of lichen
Mount Thor sits in the background
Mount Thor sits in the background in Auyuittuq National Park
My share of the food to carry
My share of the food to carry
Michele doing dishes; it was a good way to warm up your hands
Michele doing dishes; it was a good way to warm up your hands
Me - probably looking for a rock to rest my load
Me – probably looking for a rock to rest my load
Guys being guys on big rocks
Guys being guys on big rocks
Another stream that's a snap to cross - especially when you're wearing neoprene booties
Another stream that’s a snap to cross – especially when you’re wearing neoprene booties
Matthew climbing a sandy moraine & probably cursing as his boots are glued together now and sand is his enemy
Matthew climbing a sandy moraine & probably cursing as his boots are glued together now and sand is his enemy
My husband John testing his balance
My husband John testing his balance
Dessert one night
Dessert one night
We had to cache the food far from camp every night
We had to cache the food far from camp every night – we’d cover it with rocks
Heading for the Mt. Thor basecamp. Mt Thor has the highest vertical face of any mountain in the world - 1675 metres
Heading for the Mt. Thor basecamp. Mt Thor has the highest vertical face of any mountain in the world – 1,675 metres
The Mt. Thor emergency shelter
The Mt. Thor emergency shelter
Beautiful evening light on the mountains
Beautiful evening light on the mountains
he Arctic hare is one of the few living things we saw regularly
The Arctic hare is one of the few living things we saw regularly
Crossing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island doesn't see much elevation change but loads are heavy
Not much elevation change but heavy loads
Crosssing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island means quite backdrop for a campsites
Quite a backdrop for a campsite
Always dwarfed by the landscape when crossing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island
Always dwarfed by the landscape
Crossing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island in view of Mt Thor
In awe of Mt. Thor on Baffin Island – above the Arctic Circle
Crossing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island offers yet another scene with the dominant Mt. Thor in it
And yet another scene with the dominant Mt. Thor in it
Crossing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island where there's still ice in the Weasel River near Summit Lake
There’s still ice in the Weasel River near Summit Lake on Baffin Island above the Arctic Circle
Hikers making their way to Summit Lake
Hikers making their way to Summit Lake
Great view of Mt. Thor from a distance on Baffin Island - above the Arctic Circle
Great view of Mt. Thor from a distance on Baffin Island – above the Arctic Circle
Crossing the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island you see wild willow
Some sort of wild willow
Pretty wildflowers high above the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island
Pretty wildflowers high above the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island
Wild looking clouds around the mountains
Wild looking clouds around the mountains
Our campsite at Summit Lake
Summit Lake marks the high point in Akshayuk Pass – above the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island

Could you see yourself backpacking across the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island?

For more information on Auyuittuq National Park, visit the park website.

Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.

Across the Arctic Circle on foot on Baffin Island in Nunavut

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84 Comments

  1. Island Backpacking is one of the most challenging yet fulfilling outdoor adventure as it opens you to how beautiful the nature is. It also unleashes the adventure spirit in you.

    1. @Charu for much of the trip the temperature hovered at about 5C (40F). We did have some short-sleeves days and some really cold nights. It was a truly awesome place to visit but it’s not an easy place.

    1. @Glenn Hardcore it was with 60 pound packs. The ice had just left or was still around so bloody cold. Fortunately stream crossings were easy in 2013 and we didn’t have to deal with waist high, hypothermia inducing water.

  2. Wow. We leave on Sunday. .. Everything has been strategically and ruthlessly added or deleted from the gear and food to make for light packs. Weather looks perfect! Any last words of advice before we plunge into this adventure?

  3. I’m not a prolific hiker, but this would certainly be something I would do. The mountains are beautiful, and I think there is a sort-of desolate beauty in tundra.

    Great pics as always! Can’t wait to hear more about this as it’s probably something I’m unlikely to get to do 🙁

  4. the unknown wildflower looks like Pulsatilla alpina or Pulsatilla vernalis. Maybe is an arctic north american species of Pulsatilla. Beautiful photos. Hi from Italy

  5. The landscapes sounds so much beautiful and colorful in the scenario. the Rabbit looking also pretty.
    I got nice information when i found your blog. such you have a great account.

  6. Wow, what the Polychrome natural beauty! looking amazing in pictures, you got here. You surely did a marvelous job of capturing the beauty of Baffin island through your camera.
    thanks for sharing your experience.

  7. Gorgeous photos, Leigh! And if that dessert is any indication, it looks like you ate well on your backpacking trip!

  8. What stunning scenery! Quite an adventure you’re having. This doesn’t look like a backpacking trip for everyone. You’re in such great condition and I’m sure the others in your group had to be, too. I could almost feel the cold looking at a few of those pics. That dessert looks awesome and well worth a hard day’s work. 🙂

    1. @Cathy This is definitely not a trip for the general population. I thought I was in reasonable shape before I went but over 2 weeks I certainly got stronger. Backpacking is a hard adventure to train for too as who carries heavy loads around in the city? All food – not just dessert was certainly eaten with relish.

  9. That is quite a lot of food to carry. I could see why the hiking would be slow going with all that weight. Good thing about it is the pack gets lighter throughout the trip. I will be hiking 7 days in Isle Royale in Lake Superior at the end of the month. It will be one heavy pack the first couple of days. I might even have to leave my whiskey at home. Oh wait, scratch that.

    1. @Ted I’d say it took 5 days before we noticed any lightening of the packs – partly because all uneaten food also had to be packed out and there was considerable weight attached to that too.Take your whiskey – you’ll be glad you did. I have another hard 5 day trip of backpacking on the north shore of Lake Superior – and I’m taking wine for that one – no matter what the weight is!!
      I’d like to visit Isle Royale – but think of it more in terms of kayaking than hiking. Obviously I don’t know enough.

  10. Lovely, lovely views! I wouldn’t mind trekking there for days. I especially love that 6th photo. So stunning! And I can’t believe you made such a wonderful dessert, even in the middle of nowhere. That would taste really really delicious after hours of walking!

    1. Hi Aleah – I take no credit for the dessert; the guides whipped those up. And the desserts were especially good after a long day of hiking. Maybe one day you will get up to the Arctic.

  11. Wow! If it was me over there, I wouldn’t know if it’s the stupendous views that are taking my breath away or the 50-60 lbs of load on my back. So envious!

  12. What an adventure! I am still thinking I like this armchair hike I am taking with you. . .especially the food and the scenery. I am curious, did you lose weight on this workout of an outing?

  13. The scenery and landscape is absolutely beautiful. Looks like a great place to hikers and nature lovers. Great photos as always, Leigh!

  14. Gosh it looks so very cold, not sure that I could trek so very far and carry so much!
    How do you keep your feet warm after walking through the creeks? And how do you manage to carry everything?
    The Plants are incredible, guess they are not affected by the cold climate.

    1. @Lisa We wore neoprene booties with scandals so feet were actually toasty. If the river levels had been higher that might have been an entirely different thing. It’s amazing what can go in a backpack when it has to. We saw one group who had so much hanging on the outside of their backpack that it looked like the proverbial kitchen sink.

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