If You Were Going to the Arctic Circle, What Would You Pack?
 

What would you pack if you were going up North, way North like 200 klicks passed Yellowknife North. Like so far North only chartered planes will get you there. Warm socks and long undies is a given, anything else?

ever seen those battery-powered long underwear? might be the place for them. very good boots. i like good ear muffs..sucks for your ears to get cold. oh..and whiskey.. :)
ryan

I'd pack a tribe of Inuit.

Take at least one of the items in this picture alonghttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1148192363.jpg
I''ve had good luck in MIchigan winters with polypro undies, like Patagonia stuff.

uhh..yeah..i'd 'pack' her..uh huh huh huh huh... :D

A ticket home...

Check the Weather. It's nearing full time sun.

a very big anti-polar bear belted magnum .375 H&H or bigger caliber! with one bwana behind you to back you up and a .454 casull or bigger handgun! no different from sharks.............can smell minute amount of blood or food in air. ask any caribou hunter. last thing you want to do is be out at night with downed animal trying to recover. always have bwana with rifle, one in pipe safety on, AT ALL TIMES! have had many friends w/float planes do this and there is no room for error should mr bear make his appearance.

the biggest electric banket I could find....

Looks like 20+ hours of sun, about 20F.

Knife, way to make a fire, one of those "help me I'm dying" GPS devices;)

yeah..leave your 'bear call' at home.. ;)

Don't forget a copy of Insomnia!

Whisky and flip-flops.

help me im dying device.............EPIRP 406MHZ emergency positioning indicating response.

last will and testament...

oh..no..leave that at home.. ;)

silk underwear long johns, top, and socks. A couple of pocket warmers. Chap stick and oil-free body cream.

The most important thing this time of year is bug spray and mosquito repellant. These are vicious up there. Go to your local travel shop and get the stuff that is formulated for not only mosquitos - but black flies, horse flies etc etc. And get lots of it.

Trust me on this one.

The scouts have a "ten essentials" list for outdoor activities. I've read that other organizations (e.g., Backpacker magazine)endorse the list too for short-term wilderness survival. Here's the list:


Pocket knife
First Aid kit
Extra clothing
Rain gear
Canteen or water bottle
Flashlight
Trail food
Matches and fire starter
Sun protection
Map and compass


Besides this stuff, you might want to get a radio capable of communicating on 5167.5 kHz, the State of Alaska emergency HF channel. Canadians might monitor that frequency too.

+1 on the tribe of Inuit and the really big gun.

Related and sort of interesting -

My physicist friend spent 3 weeks at the US research station at the South Pole, last year. He brought essentially nothing besides toiletries, camera, and regular city clothes. On the way to the station, you go through a depot where you are issued Arctic clothing. Special boots, parkas, gloves, etc. They will not allow you to use your own outerwear.

My friend spent his time there working on the physical install and software for his scientific experiment, a huge neutrino detector buried a mile deep in the ice. It was way below zero - I want to say -50F but I don't recall if that's the exact temp he mentioned. He said the Arctic clothing was incredibly effective. His biggest concern was his little digital camera. Often the LCDs freeze and crack, but his did fine.

Bug dope and a shot gun.

An autograph book for Santa's autograph. A satellite cell phone, lots of things to keep warm and maybe have a two-story igloo with plasma screen tv, surround sound and some DVD movies delivered before I get there. And a Porsche C4S with snow chains.

better yet ..............959 paris - dakar-artic option! for PCA ICE RACES!

I have a friend who flies up in that part of the world. If you are serious let me know and can get you two in touch, otherwise you really do not want to go there. Have been in that area but not out in the bush in years and its really desolate out there.

Also, just watched a Discovery Channel program here in London about diamond mining. Part of its done way up North, in the boonies past Yellowknife. If you are really looking at it might be a good idea to get a copy of this program as it tells a lot about the area up there. Its not for the faint of heart.

As a pilot if I fly up there I am required to carry a survival kit and weapon. As Charles mentioned, it would not be a .22 rifle. A .44 S&W pistol backing up a rifle at least .375 or larger would be my minimum.

Have fun...

Merino wool clothing. Its top dollar stuff, but it can't be beat.

www.icebreaker.com

the standard comment/joke made about .44 magnums by anyone who has encountered bears is.........."what kind of front sight do you have on that .44? the owner states an iron sight,why? well you should file it off! owner asks why? SO IT WONT HURT SO BAD WHEN THE BEAR SHOVES IT UP YOUR ARSE! seriously ask anyone who deals w/these monsters! one thread mentioned shotgun. excellent choice! as per park service. 1st round #6shot to blind them, next 2 rounds triple odd buck, next rounds 3"magnum SABOTS! personnal favorite HK BENELLI 12 gauge. worlds fastest semi-auto shotgun. lightweight effective close in work. but ill be damned if i want close up play time ever w/shotgun or pistol. anything above .375 H&H. will hurt like hell shooting on bench(practice alot-1x-6 power scope w/iron sites-NO BIGGER), but when the s&*# goes down you will not feel a thing except your heart ready to jump out of your chest from fright! bear attacks are like train wrecks............they aint good! and an added tip..........DO NOT SHOOT THEM IN THE HEAD! extremely thick skulls that can and have deflected large caliber guns with drastic results(very pissed off bear) chest area first, legs second,chest again! you want the bear down, NOT STILL RUNNING!

I would pack tickets to someplace else, prefereably a place that has palm trees.

+1

>>If You Were Going to the Arctic Circle, What Would You Pack?<<

Enough gas to get back home.

these bears sound like real sons a *****es..

These folks have probably been doing it longer...and better?
http://www.filson.com/sm-mackinaw-cruiser--pi-2092310.html

A credit card with a really huge limit on it.

pat...bears don't accept any major credit card - only accept fish, small mammals and human limbs..:p

I think it was Nova/tv that said they can smell blood 50mi away.

A video Ipod loaded with movies.

Joe,
Thats where I am going! I fly into Yellowknife then I take a charter about 200 klicks north. I will be at the Diamond mines for a few days. I will be sleeping in the bunk house with the other miners. Thank God I only require 3 hours sleep a night - and for those 3 hours I will sleep with one eye open!

Mike,

Let me contact Louis and see where he is working this month. When are you going? You will probably be taking a helo but it could be a bushplane depending on how rugged it is. Season up there is just about 3-4 months long due to the permafrost. It gets really frigging cold and there is nothing to stop the wind.

Take mosquito repellant with DEET in it. They are not too big just yet but well worth having. Long sleeve shirts, sweaters, warm boots a very good Gore Tex jacket will be your friend.

Here is the program I watched last night. Its from Discovery in England but if you have a week or two you might try to get a copy. It was a very good watch and had quite a bit about the area, people and operations where you are going.

http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/machines_and_engineering/building_the_biggest/diamond_hunters/index.shtml

Take lots of pictures!

Joe A

they're commonly known as the "8000-meter suit"... several different brands make them

http://www.foundmark.com/pers/gallery/parkas/onepiece/source/1.htm

http://www.mtntools.com/cat/techwear/Down/marmot8000Msuit.htm


breitling "emergency"
http://www.luxist.com/2005/08/09/breitling-emergency-43mm-chronograph-with-distress-transmitter/
http://img.timezone.com/img/articles/news631795494389687500/BreitlingEmergencyAid02.jpg
http://www.planet4watches.com/ebayimages/bre10226.jpg

My handsome husband.

Been keeping me warm (and a few other things!) for almost two decades. ;)

angela

batteries don't like the cold. so you'de need a generator if you want to power yer undies there