Day: 55

Minor Frostbite

Temperature: -37F

Location: Dubawnt River

Latitude: 63deg 56 ’ 24’’ N

Longitude: 99deg 19’ 21’’ W

Distance Traveled: 18 Miles

A very cold day today. We had minus 37 degrees Fahrenheit when we got out of the tent, which isn’t all that cold, but it was very windy and clear. A new weather system had dropped in over the night. I had the coldest fingers of the trip, lashing the sled with Hugh this morning. Normally we lash the sleds and get our loads tied down and then have our team meeting and figure out who’s leading and the order of the day, etc. , and then we go back and hook up the dogs. Usually while hooking up the dogs I warm up quite a bit, and look forward to that chore. But even hooking up the dog’s this morning didn’t warm up my fingers. Only once we got going and got skiing did I begin to warm up.

It was nothing that critical, but showed me just what a cold area we are in. The temperature dropped during the day, and was just bitter cold. We had a really difficult lunch break in the wind, taking the mandatory half hour off to rest the dogs.

Hugh and I are in the tent right now, and inside it isn’t too bad. The walls are pretty well frosted up.