We are setting up our last campsite before Baker Lake with plummeting temperatures in the minus 50s.

We are in Baker Lake and it has been an incredible week! The last days, before we finally found ourselves dog sledding across the bay approaching Baker Lake, were intense. As conditions swung from incredibly warm, awesome, spring-like weather to a bitter cold, -100 degree wind-chill, our minds were really set on only one thing - getting here.

Our last geological obstacle, about 35 miles west of Baker Lake, was a very large esker. Here Paul and Mille are standing at the top, looking down while figuring out the best way to descend. Watch the panorama of the esker.

Before taking off on Monday morning, as we huddled for our daily morning meeting at the first sled, neither the -42 degree temperature nor the chilly northwestern winds entered our conversation. Instead we were talking about salad, burgers, coffee, and hot showers. With 37 kilometers (23 miles) as the crow flies remaining to reach Baker Lake, we knew we had a full day ahead of us. A good sign was Aksel, in a great mood from the get-go as he and Paul switched off leading, heading us in as-straight-a-line-as-possible toward the goal for the day. Even at lunch it was clear only one thing was on our minds - nobody seemed inclined to take the usual thirty minute break. Based on the mileage left at that point we estimated it would be necessary to run later and longer hours than usual, so to "save" Aksel and Disko for the last push, we took them out of the lead team, which Mille and Paul were running, and put them in lead of the second team with Aaron and Eric. Instead, Paul headed out in front on skies followed by Freja as lead for Mille's team. Shortly thereafter, large dark outlines could be seen in the horizon against the white. It did not look like rocks. Was it rocks - or was it Baker Lake?

Will, Hugh, and their team with Nuka in lead.

It actually was Baker Lake far in the distance, but with more than 15 miles to go, as the sleds plowed through willows and punchy snow, it was still at least 5 hours away, unless we found a trail. This was unlikely as we had been hoping and looking for a trail for days! Eric recalled, "I was on the sled with Aaron and shouted to him, 'Look straight ahead - about 1 o'clock. Is that Baker?' I thought I saw some small buildings ahead and we both yelled, 'Yes! Baker here we come!' We soon realized that we had definitely jumped the gun with our excitement as there was a long way to travel to reach the shore of Baker Lake, at which point we would still have 6 or 7 miles to go." We reached the shore and then the peninsula still separated us from the bay which harbors Baker Lake. Aaron continued, "We traveled over a small hill that seemed to be the longest incline since Pike's Portage on the Great Slave Lake. I kept watching Paul ski ahead of us hoping for him to disappear in the horizon indicating that we were descending on to Baker Lake." Paul finally made it over the hill where he found -- a snowmobile trail! Although it was less than 20 minutes to the time of the day when we normally set-up camp, and probably 4 or 5 more miles to go, there was no hesitation in our team decision. We were heading to Baker Lake tonight! We switched the teams, putting Aksel back in lead with Mille who bellowed, "On trail Aksel..town..town…" Aksel turned the corner on a small island, put his nose in the air, took a whiff, pointed his ears, straightened his tail and started to boogie. He was going to town at top speed.

Paul standing with Aksel and Disko in the lead team looking at the map for the straightest route to Baker Lake.

Aaron recollected, "It was about 6 PM when Mille asked if I could see the snowmobile coming at us. I looked up and a light was jumping up and down as it approached us. The snowmobile stopped, Mille halted the team, and we waved to each other. Ivan, a native of Baker Lake, said with a smile, 'Welcome to Baker Lake.' We removed our mittens and extended our hands to each other, exchanging names. Ivan commented, 'I recognize your voice from the Internet. I've been following along. You have been gone for a long time - 62 days.' We smiled and laughed and said a few more words before Ivan went to greet the two other sleds. Mille and I took-off again, continuing along the trail. When she asked me how I was doing, I had tears rolling down my face. It was definitely overwhelming for me to be welcomed into a community after so many days without seeing anyone."

Lifting our spirits as we arrived here in Baker Lake we have received treat upon treat from friends and loved ones. Here Aaron is reading a note from his Mom after opening one of his MANY boxes holding all kinds of loving goodies from home.

By the time we actually reached the edge of Baker Lake, the sun had long set and we were running in the dark. Prior to our arrival we had been talking with our good friend in Baker Lake, Orin Durey, who Will, Paul, and Mille all know from earlier expeditions that have taken them through this community. Orin, a teacher at the local high school, has been extremely helpful in all aspects of our preparation, not the least being the recipient of all our re-supplies and many loving care packages from family and friends. He had recommended to Paul that we pull up with the dogs on the west-end of town instead of putting them on the lake, which is the water supply for the town. Mille was heading in the right direction but as it was pitch dark, a truck luckily pulled up on the ice and out jumped Orin with a hug and a handshake. He then led the way to the final stop. It was almost 8 PM by the time we had the dogs staked out, fed them for the night, and unlashed our sleds. With lots of help we made it inside where we were greeted with the delightful smell of turkey dinner and freshly brewed coffee, followed by an outright heavenly shower and soft pillows in our warm beds. It was everything we had dreamt about and we felt like we had arrived at the center of the world!

Surrounded by hundreds of kilometers of tundra, Baker Lake is a unique spot. Standing in the middle of town, you are actually (supposedly) at the very geographical center of Canada!

Gone shopping! The local Northern Store has it all. Is a seal skin something you can find in your local grocery store? Check out Baker Lake and visit the Northern Store in this QTVR. When outside on the street, click on the doors of the Northern Store to enter; once inside, click on the swinging doors to leave the store

With 1,600 people living in Baker Lake, it is a small town from a "southern perspective" - but with about 28,000 people in all of Nunavut, it is one of the largest communities. After forty days on the trail, without much sign of civilization, we can hardly describe the excitement we all felt arriving in Baker Lake - this place we had worked so hard to reach. Will, Paul, and Mille have each been here on earlier expeditions but it was all new to Hugh, Eric, and Aaron. As we got closer to Baker Lake, Aaron and Mille discussed about how excited they were to finally see what we had been talking and thinking about for so long. Aaron shared, "I was very surprised by how modern the homes, the local stores, and modes of transportation are here in Baker Lake. It is a very quaint community in such a remote setting, but much more advanced than I had expected. In the sense of satellite communication: Internet access, telephone and television - to be able to watch CMT (Country Music Television) in our room was a dichotomy (very, very different and odd) from what I had envisioned." The greatest surprise to all of us was probably how fancy the Northern Store is here in Baker Lake. As Eric put it, "They have pecan pies, fresh oranges, chocolate milk, and kiwis!!!" Will added, "And a Quick Stop with fresh pizza from Pizza Hut for lunch."

With no underground plumbing the sewage is gathered once or twice a week by truck that comes to your house to pump out the system! Where does your sewage go?

Though the presence of Pizza Hut and CMT are examples of popular culture that have entered the North - reminding us of being in our own hometowns down south - we can assure you that Baker Lake is still very different. Due to the permafrost all houses sit on posts. There is no underground plumbing for the same reason and the town is powered by four diesel generators (big diesel engines that turn a generator which creates electricity) with the diesel fuel coming in once a year by barge. Paul met with the Director of Nunavut Power on Saturday night and among the things they discussed was the effort throughout Nunavut to look at alternative power generation. One concept would be to utilize the strong winds. Even though this seems like an obvious idea, relying on wind power in the Arctic poses some significant problems. The efficiency and cost of wind generators along with the difficulties of operating in the extreme Arctic does not make this a cost efficient method. Another option that has been considered is to dam one of the many rivers feeding into Baker Lake.

Kids of Baker Lake!

The Inuktitut name for Baker Lake is Qamani'tuaq, meaning a huge wide opening of a river. As most often is the case, this is a pretty descriptive name. Baker Lake is characterized by the many rivers cutting through the landscape, the largest ones being the two Canadian Heritage rivers which we crossed: the Kazan River and Thelon River. Today, an abundant number of archeological sites along the river tell us about the Inuit who have lived here for centuries. As they depend on the river and the caribou, they are called the Inland Inuit or the Caribou Inuit. Only one other group of Inland Inuit exists - living in the interior of Alaska. The Caribou Inuit's skills and knowledge were quite different from the majority of Inuit living on the sea who were dependent upon seals, walruses, and polar bears for survival!

Michael and Mille at the local radio station during our talk show.

If we could describe the Inuit in three words they would be: generous, kind, and warm. Our welcome and stay here in Baker Lake has simply been fantastic. Wednesday night we were invited to come to the local radio station for a talk show. We had a blast! After each of us gave a short introduction, people started calling in with questions. The plan was for it to go on for about an hour - at 9:40 PM, almost three hours later, the phones were still ringing! We would like to send a special thank you, "Ma'tna," to our translators who not only translated the questions people called in with into English from Inuktituk, but they also translated our, at times long and complicated, answers. We had so many terrific questions on everything from the way we travel to global warming issues.

At the end of the feast we were treated to a drum dance and yaya singing performance. Watch graceful drum dancing. Watch Paul bravely trying out his drum dancing talents!

On that note we were honored to meet the much respected elder, Norman, one of the members of the "Elder's Conference on Global Climate Change" held in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut in 2001 to collect "Inuit Qaujmajatuqangit" (Traditional Knowledge) and experiences concerning climate change in Nunavut. This conference is really what inspired Arctic Transect 2004. Norman was also our host at the incredible feast and drum dance the community held for us on Thursday night.

It was truly a feast of food with caribou stews, bannocks, caribou fat, lake trout, angle cake, and caribou jerky. Listen as we get introduced by Norman.

The feast was held at the local town hall next to the ice hockey arena. Long tables were set in the middle of the floor and one delicious delicacy after another was brought in as people arrived. On the floor, at the end of the table, six or seven large lake trout that had been caught in Baker Lake were laid out. Tradition is that after a short welcome and introduction by the host - as well as a prayer of thank you - the honored guests open the feast by going to the table to serve their food while an Elder sits on the floor, axing out the great trout in tribute to the guests.

Will has been wearing his gift from the community ever since he received it. Watch as Will receives his gift from Baker Lake.

We ate and ate. It was incredible. With rounded bellies we enjoyed as people gathered around to eat with their families. After one dessert upon another Will was again called to the stage by Norman who handed him a gift of a traditional crocheted hat. Mille was then called up to receive a very special gift of a pair of caribou skin mittens from the women of Baker Lake. Finally, the entire team received a generous donation for the education program.

Norman, Paul, Eric, Will, Mille, and Aaron playing ayagaq - Aaron nails it! Watch the game.

Although we were feeling a bit overwhelmed, it turned out the night had just begun. The feast was followed by a number of games. We all think our favorite one was the first game we played, which is called "ayagaq." You sit in a circle with two dice and a special tool: a six inch long pek with a string attached and a short hollow pek attached in the other end. The long pek fits within the hole of the short pek. The game is to see who, with one hand, can get "the long pek in hole" by throwing it into the air. Whoever throws a five can keep trying until the next person gets a five and on its goes. Aaron was the proud winner being the first to master the difficult skill.

We have to say that Paul mastered the following charades game. Everybody gathered in a large circle in the center of the hall, with the "game keeper" standing in the middle holding a pile of notes, each with an Inuktitut word or phrase. Three dice would move around the circle; when you threw a four you would run into the middle of the circle with your partner who would stand on the opposite side of the circle, grab either the note the couple already up there was trying to act out or you would get a new note from the game keeper. You then had to act out the word or phrase for your partner and have them guess it, with out any words spoken. If you and your partner figured it out in time you would get to keep the note. At the end of the game, you collected a prize depending on how many notes you had. Paul made $5 on that game!

Besides playing the guitar, Philip actually wrote our team an email giving us great advice on the route into town. Ma'tna (Thank you) Phillip! Watch the party.

While all this was taking place, the local country music band was playing in the background and kids were flying around playing all over the hall. Pretty soon we were treated to a surprise that few of you (and us) would think about up here: square dancing!

Mille with the makers of her beautiful caribou mittens. Watch Mille receive her special gift from the women of Baker Lake.

An accordionist, a guitarist, a drummer, and a bass player -- the band was terrific, playing a style of country music with a heavy Scottish influence. This is because most of what they play was actually introduced by Scottish whalers in the 19th century - along with the Scottish country dances. We would definitely conclude that Inuit dances are a matter of endurance and we have to admit that it did not take many minutes for us all to be bathed in sweat. Let's just say we did not exactly master the footwork, jiggling, and twirling. As a matter of fact, Paul and Mille started out dancing together, as a couple, but their square dancing group pretty quickly changed that around so we each danced with somebody who knew what they were doing. There was no "caller" telling you what to do next. Instead our dance partners would either try to tell us what to do as we moved along or simply push us in the right direction. They were very patient and laughed a lot. It was absolutely hilarious. We definitely made a spectacle of ourselves spinning the wrong way and grabbing someone's left arm when we were suppose to grab their right. Oh, we have not laughed that hard for a long time.

Our talk at the Rachel Arngnammaktiq Elementary School. Watch Eric and Paul showcase our sleeping bag system to the High School students.

After dancing and laughing into the wee hours of the morning we jumped out of bed Friday morning to enjoy our next treat here in Baker Lake. Orin had arranged for us to visit with the students at the Elementary and High schools. Then, in the afternoon, we were invited to a birthday party for a teacher. Early that evening Paul and Eric had, what seemed like, most of the kids in town, not only helping to feed the mighty Polar Huskies, but also chasing down Nazca and Buttra who had both slipped their collars and were touring town! Yes, you are probably getting the picture, so far we have been very busy while here in Baker Lake.

Charlene Mannik. Watch how Charlene got to experience the life of a geologist and what she finds exciting about it. Watch Part 2.

Another real treat for us has been meeting one of Baker Lake's talented students, Charlene Mannik. While we were having a team meeting, going over our supplies, she came in to ask if we wanted to buy a t-shirt to support a trip she is planning to Africa this summer. Think about that: going from the high Arctic polar desert to the hot, hot desert of Botswana. Talk about extremes and about being adventurous! Talking to Charlene we have no doubt that she is a very brave and resilient young woman. Aside from traveling to Africa, she will be graduating from high school this summer. Upon her return she plans to study to become a geologist.

The geology around the Baker Lake area.

That is without doubt a great choice of occupation for the future when living here in Baker Lake. Gold was first found in the nearby Meadowbank Lake area in 1985. Since 1993 the mining company, Cumberland Resources Ltd., has been exploring to develop one of the largest gold mines in Canada, about 70 kilometers (44 miles) north of Baker Lake. "The Meadowbank Gold Mine" is expected to open for mining in 2006-07 with a projected ten year mine-life and a production of three million ounces of gold! Each little ounce of gold is currently worth about US$325, an estimated value of $900 million US dollars! Since the mine is actually located on Crown Land, meaning it is land owned by the government which has then leased the land rights to the Cumberland Mining Company. In other words, this land was not part of the Nunavut treaty. Though the people of Baker Lake will not be the ones to profit $700-$800 million dollars from the project and the gold resources derived from the land, the project, without doubt, still is a valuable job opportunity - at least for the ten years it is expected to last. When asking around, most people seem enthused by the development of the mine, though environmental consideration and the effects it may have on the wildlife in the area are definitely of great importance to them as well.

Do you have any "resource development" taking place in your area - or any thoughts on mining in general? To share your thoughts on "World Resources," visit this week's discussion board in Collaboration Zone 06. Then, participate in the weekly chat on Tuesday, March 9th (10am CST) with Dr. Thomas Hickson from the Geology Department at the University of St. Thomas.

The Baker Lake hamlet helped us out by driving our dog food re-supply from the airport to our sleds on their wheel-loader. Ma'tna (Thank you)!

We will actually be having a team chat with you prior to that, on Monday morning at 10 AM. Our plan is to stay in Baker Lake until Wednesday morning when we hitch up the dogs and head out on the trail heading for Pelly Bay on the Arctic Ocean. The next couple of days we will continue to enjoy the heartfelt hospitality here in Baker Lake, visiting some more with Orin and his students while we await Hugh's return on Tuesday night. Hugh had to fly out on Thursday for an important visit with his family. Well rested and in high spirits, we have to admit we are getting excited to continue our journey.

Polar Husky Superstar Aksel is the main lead dog of Arctic Transect 2004.

…and so are the dogs. This week's Polar Husky Superstars are without any doubt Aksel and Domino.

Aksel has simply been the main lead dog getting us across the barrens from Yellowknife to Baker Lake. He did an incredible job pulling us into Baker Lake late Monday night, keeping us on trail and away from the numerous distractions while boogying at high speed. With plenty of attitude, Aksel always lets it be known exactly how he feels about the situation, but gets the job done - and Monday night he shined. Mille was very proud of “my ol’ partner” and Eric confessed, "We did consider asking for a seventh plate at the table for Aksel to join the celebration!"

This week's other Polar Husky Superstar, Domino, is only two years old, but already a strong puller in Paul's team.

Still learning the ropes of long dogsled expeditions, Domino has really been going at it this last week. Running with the veteran, Peto, and the youngster, Beacon, he is growing into a very steady and spirited puller. Now constantly barking, launching, and jerking to start the sled when it stops, he is developing all the traits of a really good wheel dog which is terrific considering his large size and stout build.