Ellesmere Island - Flight from Resolute to Lake Hazen

August 1, 2004

Quttinirpaaq National Park is a Canadian national park. Located on the northeastern corner of Ellesmere Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, the most northerly extent of Canada, it is the second most northerly park on Earth after Northeast Greenland National Park. In Inuktitut, Quttinirpaaq means "top of the world".

In order to get there, one must fly to Resolute and from there, one must take a Twin Otter plane on a four hour flight further north. The flight requires a refueling stop at the Eureka Military Base half way up the Ellesmere Island. The flight path crosses over spectacular northern landscapes of the Axel Heiberg Island. These are some of the most inaccessible parts of the planet requiring large amounts of logistical planning to get there. The plane is equipped with large balloon tyres to enable it to land on a grassy tundra. During the summer, there is 24 hour daylight.