Trip of a lifetime

If you like what you've seen and are interested in your own expedition, visit Joe's website:

www.alaskanarcticexpedition.com

Blizzard dogs at -20c

Malamutes just love to pull...

Camping at -35c

Lots of people have asked what's it like to camp in the Arctic winter. Well not bad if you've got the kit - so here's a shot of the Thermalodge tents (canvas off) that Joe designs. With the stove running at full inferno rate, while I was cooking crispy bacon, the temperature reached a shocking +40c whilst it was -25c outside, now that's toasty! By morning time once the stove had gone out it would be anything from -10c to -20c inside, so I got into the habit of lighting the stove from inside my sleeping bags before emerging for coffee and porridge.

If you want to see the annotations you can click the image to enlarge.

First photos from 2009 trip to Alaska...

Joe leading his team of 21 malamutes and 3 heavily loaded sleds. This is pristine territory and mushing is one of the very few ways to reach it in winter, you will not see anybody else up here.



The Brooks Range in the distance




Beautiful spot full of ptarmigan and our gateway to the mountains.




You have just got to photograph this, the northern lights, aurora borealis, over our camp!




Northern twilight in April and not long until 24 hour daylight, it's 1am and the sun is just skirting below the horizon




Stunning wind sculpted hole; best to watch out for these when you are haring along in a white out...




Perfect day - we had 2 weeks of sunshine in 3 weeks of travelling




Heading back downstream to the Arctic ocean




Joe doing a great job of modelling one of his blizzard coats. He makes them from the hides of the caribou he hunts and if you see him wearing one you are in for some rough weather!




A rare snowy day and very beautiful for it




Our camp for the night, a tent each with stove, cosy bed and lots of food. The dogs are attached to picket lines which gives them their own space and keeps the peace - those pups can be feisty!




Feeding time, a very noising, exciting time! In the foreground from left to right we have Tikka, Howdy, Sally and Nico. Spending so much time with these dogs you rapidly realise they are all unique and have completely individual characters



A cosy bed malamute style. These dogs are amazing they just curl up and weather anything, literally, they can handle -40c and a gale force wind and sleep right through it




Up here being covered in snow acts as insulation





The frozen Canning river and near journey's end as we head for the sea and Kaktovik, an Inupiat eskimo village.

Daffy

It's Daffy Duck trying to get in front of the camera before the self timer runs out, no easy feat with snowshoes on!