Traveling to the Arctic to Discover Effects of Global Warming

March 3, 2007— -- Educators and explorers Will Steger, John Stetson, Elizabeth Andre and Abby Fenton joined four Inuit hunters on a 1,200-mile, four-month-long dogsled expedition across the Canadian Arctic's Baffin Island.

The expedition is traveling with four Inuit dog teams over traditional hunting paths, up frozen rivers, through steep-sided fjords, over glaciers and ice caps, and across the sea ice to reach some of the most remote Inuit villages of the world.

The travelers wake up early around 6 a.m. During the course of the day they are able to travel about 17 miles. They eventually hope to be able to travel 25 miles 30 miles per day. They manage their body temperature by adding and taking off layers depending on their level of activity.

Team member Elizabeth Andre had to leave the expedition because of frostbite. She was disappointed to miss part of the expedition, but leaving the field was the right decision to protect her fingers from any more damage. She will rejoin the expedition in Pangnirtung, the next village. Elizabeth feels that her experience with frostbite gave her new insight into just how harsh the weather conditions can be in the Arctic. She is beginning to appreciate how much skill and knowledge of the environment the Inuit people possess.

The expedition team plans to eat a combination of country foods from Iglulik, fresh meat hunted on the trail, and dried food packed out from Steger's homestead in Minnesota.

The expedition members have already begun to notice the effects of global warming. Theo, a native Inuit traveling with the team, points out that "looking at what we saw today -- we saw that there haven't been caribou tracks for a long time. Usually, you look out your window in Iqaluit and you see them. Now numbers are down." Theo was born in an igloo and has lived in Innuit territories for most of his life.

ABC News will follow the team and their discoveries during their journey.

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