Nunavut Tourism - Adventure Planner - What to Expect

Coping with the weather and the wilderness

If you do choose to venture out on your own, weather and wildlife are two things that must be respected at all times. Both are unpredictable and dangerous and both can kill the unprepared. When planning your own expedition, remember that because of greatly reduced hours of daylight in all areas and extreme cold, it's very uncommon for visitors to travel on the land in winter in most of Nunavut. Only those with specialized skills and equipment should attempt such travel.

	What to wear
	Wilderness travel and camping do's and don'ts

	Bears and other wildlife
	Arctic insects
	Canoeing

• What to wear
Your choice of clothing and personal effects can make or break your Arctic holiday. If you're properly dressed and equipped, you'll find few obstacles to enjoying yourself. But if you're ill equipped, you may be miserable. Although the clothing and equipment you need when visiting the North depends on when you're coming, keep in mind that even in the summer, the weather – which is similar to spring and fall conditions in more temperate climates – can change rapidly, and freezing temperatures and snow are possible at any time of the year. Careful thought should especially be given to the type of clothing brought for trips "out on the land".

	Bring a warm parka. Down jackets will compact well and fit into a small day pack.
	Pack at least three pairs of shoes - running shoes for in the tent and around the campfire, hardy hiking boots for walking and climbing and neoprene booties if you plan travel on or near water.
	Even for a summer trip, windproof mitts or gloves, a warm hat and scarf, balaclava, or neck gaiter to protect your face should be standard gear.
	The varying temperature and vigorous outdoor activity will require layered dressing - start with long johns and sweaters.
	Cover up with water or wind proof jackets and pants, depending on the weather.
	For both under and outerwear, choose breathable fabric that let perspiration evaporate wool is the best for sweaters and sock and Gore-Tex is great for outerwear.
	When travelling by boat, pay special attention to footwear as your feet will be in contact with the hull, which is usually close to freezing. Recommended footwear: heavily insulated rubber boots or oversized regular rubber boots with duffel cloth socks and layer of wool or pile socks inside.
	Protect your eyes with sunglasses that have strong ultraviolet filters.
	Be sure to bring all the personal toiletries you'll need especially if you plan to travel beyond the larger communities of Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet or Cambridge Bay.

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• Wilderness travel and camping do's and don'ts
When planning a wilderness trip on your own:

	Do register your plans with the RCMP detachment closest to your departure point and do check in upon your return.
	Do carry adequate maps and, if possible, a GPS receiver.
	Do respect all camps, cabins and fuel caches ñ leave them as you found them.
	Do practice no-trace camping ñ whether in an established campground or the wilderness – place garbage in proper receptacles or pack it out with you.
	Do allow others a sense of discovery by leaving rocks, plants and other natural objects, such as muskox skulls and caribou antlers, as you found them. Not only does collecting spoil the experience for others, but you may be breaking laws protecting archeological artifacts.
	Do come well supplied with food, particularly specialized products like dehydrated camping food.
	Do carry plenty of water with you to avoid dehydration – especially problematic in cold conditions.
	Do adopt the Inuit tradition of frequent tea breaks, or drinking some other warm beverage.
	Do your cooking on a camping stove rather than by campfire.
	Do use firepits provided or build small fires on rock or sand – never moss or tundra.
	Do make sure your fire is out before you leave your campsite.
	Do return any rocks you use to secure your tent to their original locations before you leave.
	Do have one person in your party with training and experience in river and wilderness rescue.
	Don't depend on being able to find firewood – take fuel with you.
	Don't build a cairn (Inuksuk) or other marker or leave messages in the soil as these signs may confuse others.
	Don't disturb or destroy any cairns that you find as some are of great historical importance.
	Don't camp on any archeological site and don't remove rocks from any archeological feature – including cairns, tent rings, food caches, burial grounds or fox trips or from any source that looks like an archeological site.
	Don't approach, feed, disturb or harass wildlife.

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• Bears and other wildlife
Polar bears can be encountered throughout Nunavut. Although they spend most of the year roaming the sea ice near the floe edge, during the summer they occasionally venture great distances inland. Visitors cannot carry firearms even for personal protection within national parks.Several spray deterrents have been developed and should be carried. To avoid polar bears – and barren-ground grizzly bears on mainland Nunavut – choose routes that don't pass through their habitat and be scrupulous in your management of food and waste. Also inquire with local residents before you venture out. A few helpful tips:

	Keep campsites clean.
	Store food and cooking gear at least 200 metres from your sleeping tent, and do not keep any food of any kind in your tent.
	Wash dishes immediately after meals and do so away from the campsite.
	If using a campfire, burn as much packaging as you can, and wrap the rest of your garbage in airtight packages to be discarded in litter barrels, or carry it out with you.
	If you find a bear kill, leave the area immediately.

In addition to bears, other animals present their own special dangers. Muskoxen, particularly if they're lone bulls, have been known to charge and gore people when threatened. Rabies is present throughout Nunavut, especially in the fox population, and it has been found in Arctic wolves as well. Wolves and foxes are very curious and may come right up to you. As a general rule, avoid contact with all wildlife.

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• Arctic insects
Parts of Canada's North are infested with insects – particularly mosquitoes and blackflies – for several weeks in the summer somewhere between July and August. Although the problem varies from one area to another, it is best to come prepared. Here are a few tips on how to ward off the bugs.

	Wear light-colored clothing – insects are not as attracted to these as they are to dark clothing. Teal and green are the worst colors to wear.
	Use an insect repellent containing the chemical DEET, a deterrent to bugs.
	Try bug hats – they come in several styles, from the hoop kind to caps with netting inside.
	Check the netting and door zippers on your tent before bringing it north. Buy a tent first-aid kit with netting patches for repairs.
	If you are allergic to bees, bring appropriate medication with you. There are very few pharmacies in Nunavut.
	When bugs are bad, do as the caribou do and head for the high ridges where the wind will blow bugs away!
	When all else fails invest in an all-in-one bug jackets with hood and face mask.

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• Canoeing
In addition to hiking and camping, self-planned canoeing is popular with northern visitors. And although such trips can be very satisfying, they do present an element of danger for which one must be prepared. In addition to the do's and don'ts and tips outlined in the wilderness travel section, canoeing requires additional knowledge and preparation.

	Spray decks on canoes, wetsuits and whitewater experience are advisable.
	Obtain the correct maps and river reports.
	Annotate maps with hazards mentioned in the reports.
	Reports on ice conditions and water levels should be taken seriously as they can severely delay a trip.
	Travel in groups of three – which allows you to transport all your party to your destination should one canoe become damaged.
	Supplement your diet with fish, but don't completely depend on it.
	Consider a survival suit – a flotation device that covers you from head to toe – licensed outfitters and guides in Nunavut are required to provide them for their clients.