SnowSTAR-2007

Alaska-Canada Barrenlands Traverse

Winter-Spring, 2007

Five Americans and three Canadians will travel on snowmobiles from Circle, Alaska to Baker Lake, Canada in March and April, 2007, following the Arctic Circle for much of the route. This 3000 km trip will take us through dozens of historic arctic locations, two remote diamond mines, and 11 villages. Along the way we will have the opportunity to talk to residents and make scientific measurements .

The goal of the trip is to "find" the Arctic: to understand what makes up the modern Arctic, to explore what is changing in both the natural and human systems of this critical region. Along the way, we will have the opportunity to make the first set of comprehensive snow measurements across the Barrenlands. These will be used to investigate how best to use satellites to monitor the snow cover of the region.

A key part of the trip is sharing our experiences and encouraging school kids across the North to share as well. We will carry with us posters, photos, and greetings from classrooms in U.S. classrooms and share these with classes in Canada. We will also will share our travel experiences more widely via this website and a book to be published after the trip.

We will also share our passion for arctic history. Our route has been designed to pass through as many historic locations as possible. We will have with us enlargements of historic photographs which we will share with villagers and place on the web site. From the trail, we will post dispatches, pictures and audio clips related to the history and natural systems.

Using the interactive map, you can track our trip, read about and hear what we are experiencing, and learn as we do how the Arctic stays the same yet changes was well. Join us!.