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.
Would you like to save this?
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 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.

Could you see yourself backpacking across the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island?
For more information on Auyuittuq National Park, visit the park website.
Further reading related to travel in the North
- The Ivvavik National Park Base Camp Experience
- 9 Things to Do in Inuvik, Northwest Territories
- Packing List for a Remote 2 Week backpacking Trip
- Visiting Iqaluit, Nunavut on an Airport Layover
- A Backpacking Trip in Auyuittuq National Park in Nunavut
Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.
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.
@Travel Bottles I couldn’t agree more!
I’m so glad you achieved your goal…I guess it wasn’t as cold as I think it could be?
@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.
Amazing pix Leigh. Hardcore trip. How cold was that water? Nice.
@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.
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?
@Steve I hope the trip is a great success. Just be really careful and vigilant on the river crossings.
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 🙁
@Erik Not many people make it up to the high Arctic but the desolate beauty it offers is like nowhere else on earth.
Incredible scenery (And photos!) I have to ask, what is that dessert?
Hi Jill – That dessert is some sort of chocolate graham wafer base with cheesecake and chocolate with dried blueberries.
the unknown wildflower looks like Pulsatilla alpina or Pulsatilla vernalis. Maybe is an arctic north american species of Pulsatilla. Beautiful photos. Hi from Italy
@Paolo Thanks so much for stopping by and given me your flower suggestions.
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.
The rabbit did a very good job of blending into its environment if you ask me. Thanks for stopping by.
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.
And thank you for stopping by. The desolate, rocky beauty was like nothing I’d quite experienced before.
Gorgeous photos, Leigh! And if that dessert is any indication, it looks like you ate well on your backpacking trip!
@Jennifer We ate well part of the time – but there were days when lunches especially – were not so great. Think broken Ryvita crackers with a piece of cheese.
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. 🙂
@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.
Wow! So very beautiful. Really amazing scenery – but it sounds really chilly!
@Cindy I was very surprised at just how cold it was especially early in the trip. There were some nights I wore 4 layers – in a down sleeping bag.
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.
@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.
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!
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.
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!
@Dennis Trust me it was the loads we were carrying that took our breath away.
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?
@Jackie I didn’t weigh myself before and after but judging by the fact that my clothes are baggier I lost some weight but I sure gained a ton of muscle too.
I would’ve been stopping every 5 minutes to take pictures of the gorgeous landscape! I’ve never been on a trek like this. I suppose I’d be open to the idea, but it looks like a lot of work! The scenery is worth it though!
@Dana Yes to work and yes to a fantastic landscape. I keep my camera out to make it easier to take photos all the time.
what an amazing and cool trip.
@Eileen It certainly was.
The scenery and landscape is absolutely beautiful. Looks like a great place to hikers and nature lovers. Great photos as always, Leigh!
@Salika On the nature front the flowers were great but really had hoped for more birds and wildlife.
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.
@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.