Extreme Arctic 2012

Key Information:

Your expedition will begin in early April where you will be faced with challenging lows of around -25°C. As spring turns to summer you will experience 24 hours of daylight with daily temperatures soaring to a balmy 0°C, forcing back the winter blanket of snow and ice to reveal the striking tundra beneath. Svalbard's summer visiting birds bring life back to the archipelago, a truly magical place.

Your expedition will be broadly split into two phases as you work out of two distinct base camps. The first weeks will focus on mountaineering and adventure until the climate eases and your skills improve to allow the scientific objectives to be completed from base camp two.

Following arrival at Longyearbyen, you be trained in polar bear defence, arctic living and safe travel whilst staying in the comfort of the Longyearbyen guesthouse. Having proven competent in the necessary skills, you will travel to the first expedition base camp using pulks (sledges) and skis to transport all of your equipment. Here you will undergo arctic survival and mountaineering training to prepare you for the challenging months ahead – from this point on you will be living out of tents and will be reliant on yourselves and your team to live comfortably in this harsh environment.

Living in tents in sub-zero temperatures will be an adventure in itself. However, you will also have plenty of opportunity to take part in a number of adventurous activities throughout the expedition, including winter mountaineering and cross-country skiing.

As winter recedes, life slowly returns to Svalbard and work on the research projects can begin. You may see the rivers emerge from the slush in a river melt water project and observe the birdlife begin to populate the cliffs for the spring season. The milder temperatures should also allow more comfortable glacial travel and accurate measurement to be made contributing to the BSES long term research that began over three years ago.