21-Jun-2017 -- In the spring of 2017 John Dunn and I set off from Taloyoak NU to ski to the north coast of Somerset Island via the Boothia Peninsula. On Day 27, 19 June, we ferried our loads up from the snow-free slopes of Creswell Bay to the interior plateau of Somerset Island, where skiing was still possible. By this point we had reversed our days and nights so as to take advantage of traveling on the colder firmer snow of the night.

We arose at 11:40 pm on 20 June and set off at 1:00 am on the 21^st. We were headed toward Batty Bay, which is associated with the explorations of Sir John Ross and his ship Victory on his 1829-33 expedition to find the Northwest Passage. After a few hours we reached the confluence 73ºN 92ºW and, as it was a clear sunny morning, we stopped to find the exact location and take some pictures. At the altitude of something over 260 m the gently undulating landscape was still mostly covered with snow, with only a few bare areas of rock showing. Such areas were largely free of vegetation, and apart from a few lemmings we saw no land-based animals on the high plateau.

On 22 June we reached Batty Bay, and after a rest day and crossing of the still-frozen river we regained the high plateau headed for Elwin Bay. On our Day 44, 6 July, we were picked up by a chartered Twin Otter from Resolute, having successfully completed our 700 km ski/sled trip from Taloyoak to Parry Channel.