Questions & Answers

Here is what you do: Send an email to questions@polarhusky.com, the following Friday, questions received prior to Wednesday will be answered - right here on the Q & A pages!

**At Thursday's chats we had more than 300 questions!! Needless to say unfortunately not all got answered. But you will find the answer to several of them below.
Friday, April 5
Why do you use dogs rather than vehicles? -Fifth Graders Visitation School Mendota Heights, MN We use dogs for many different reasons. Some of them are... First of all you get much closer to the land when you travel by dog team, You see things - like wildlife - you will never see from a snow machine.  You also get closer to the people. The areas where we travel traditionally used dog teams as their primary mode of transportation. When we pull into communities with the dog teams we are always welcomed, because we come by dog team. The Elders love to see the big dogs again, and so do the students!  We also travel in places - wilderness - where it is not possible, way more difficult or dangerous to travel by vehicles.   The good thing about dogs is they never break down! We travel in very remote areas, often where you can not get a lot of help, there are no "gas station" around the corner to fuel up or get a new engine. As long as you love your dogs and make sure they are well feed, they just keep trucking.  The areas in which we travel - like the tundra - also tends to be very fragile. We leave less impact by traveling by dog teams.  Finally we find that the Polar Huskies are very important for our education programs. We all seem to learn better when guided by the dogs!
Do the dogs always stay tethered (staked)? What about when they are in the kennels? Is there ever a time when they would be "on their own"? C.A , Stone Middle School, Paris, Texas No. The dogs get to play and socialize with each other both our on the expedition and in the kennel. Unlike most other huskies, our dogs are very good at "sticking around". So, they get to run loose.  Before the dogs get harnessed in the morning, and after the day of work when they get un-harnessed, the dogs get to run around and play for a bit - as long as it is a nice day (good weather).  When the dogs are in the kennel they also get to run around (inside a huge fence that surrounds the dog yard) for an hour or so everyday. This way they can "hang out" with each other and play. While in the Kennel the are also next to good friends, so that they can play during the day.
When do you feed the dogs, do you feed them at the same time every day?  HR The Point Academy, MN On the expedition the dogs are fed at the end of the day, as we set up camp. It would not be good to feed them in the morning just before they go to work. In the kennel they are fed in the late afternoon, usually around 4 or 5 PM.
How is Spank and what has he been doing?  I named my soft fluffy stuffed dog Spank and celebrated his 12th birthday today with balloons, and "cake". HR The Point Academy, MN Spank is doing great. Lately it has been to warm for him to work with his huge coat - so he is hanging out, making sure every one knows he is still the boss ;) We love the birthday party! - What an honor for Spank...
Have you ever gotten lost on an expedition? KA The Point Academy No, we have never been lost so we were not able to find our way. But we have been in situation, where we have decided to make camp to analyze if we were where we thought, and which way to continue.  While we are traveling we make very sure we constantly know where we are on the map, using our compass and vision; as well as if necessary our GPS (global positioning system). We have tried that the GPS told us wrong information, that we miscalculated our compass and that we had to back track. Check out the Compass page in the Polar Husky A to Z section, for more on navigation.
When a volcano is in a cold climate, does that effect how hot the lava is? Grant, WI No. The lava, or magma is from inside the Earth and is not affected by the surface temperature.
Friday, March 22
Has anybody's toes or fingers ever frozen? (literaly) K. A.	Unfortunately the answer is yes. Paul and Mille have both had small 1st degree frost bites on a finger and a toe, as well as in their faces.  As you can read on the "Windchill & Frostbites" page in the Polar Husky A to Z section there are 4 degrees of frost bites, the mildest being a "frost nip".  On a 3 month expedition Paul and Mille did in 1992 they had a British team member "Martin Hignell". On the expedition one day Martin froze the tip of every finger on his right hand severely. He had a 3rd degree frostbite. But he was very lucky - he still has all his fingers today. If you get severely frost bitten it means you can't work as hard as part of the team because you have an "injury". So, we are embarrassed when we get frost bites. It is a pride to be so good at taking care of yourself while out on the expedition that you avoid frost bites!
Do you ever get scared?  What kinds of things frighten you while on an expedition? -Fifth Graders, Visitation School Mendota Heights, MN	Yes we do get scared. Some of the things that frighten us are: Bad ice. Polar bears. White out storms (it is called white out, because the storm kicks so muck snow around that you can't see anything but white). Big steep cliffs. Leads of open water. Moving ice. A dog or person potentially getting hurt and not being able to get help. Big trucks flying by on ice roads. Getting stuck underneath the sled and breaking bones. Potentially burning down our tent. Getting dehydrated. And more...But, actually we rarely find ourselves thinking about being frightened while it is all going on. We find ourselves focusing on solving the situation right there and then. Afterwards when it is all over, is when you realize that it was actually dangerous and you were scared. When we get scared we try to talk a lot about it, so we can support each other. We also try to figure out if we can avoid the situation in the future.
Is the weather really cold? H.R.A.	Yes at times.  Last night (Wednesday 3/20) it was minus 35 F. But the temperatures on most of this expedition have not been to cold ;) You can check out the weather observations from the trail in the Phenology database.
What's the coldest weather you've ever experienced?  K.A.	Actual temperature the coldest has been -63 F. The coldest windchill we have ever experienced was on last years expedition. We were in a storm with 65-75 miles an hour winds and minus 40 F. That is actually off the windchill chart...but it is something like - 90 to -100 F ...REALLY COLD is all we can say! To check out more about windchill and actual temperatures click here.
Is there anyway to bring back anything that has become extinct. Guest 14, 10 PM chat 3/20	No. "Once extinct it will take another universe to give birth to a species" said famous William Beebe in the 1800th century. And he is still correct. Of course he was not up on cloning. The day will probably come when we can clone an animal from frozen tissue or similar. But as of today no one has done this. So, we should not consider it a solution. That is why we should take it VERY serious that more than 24,000 species (kinds) of animals are considered endangered animals. That means they are going down the path of becoming extinct! Gone.
Hi. We have been studying a lot about global warming.  We are wondering if you think global warming is caused by humans or part of a natural phase the earth is going through (like the Little Ice Age)? -Fifth Graders, Visitation School Mendota Heights, MN	It is known that human activities are altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the rapid buildup of greenhouse gases – primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. These are the gases that break down the ozone layer. The heat-trapping property of these gases is undisputed. But, what is uncertain and can be discussed is exactly how earth’s climate responds to these gases.  What scientist do know is that at the same time global temperatures are rising. We all believe the current change in the overall global weather patterns, more extreme weather and altered ocean currents is caused by the thinning of the ozone layer and rapid build-up of Greenhouse gases. This we believe is due to CFC gases released by human activity and production.  What do you think? Send us an email and tell us.
Why isn't Spank on the expedition, he's my favorite?   H.A.	Spank is the Boss dog and our strongest puller. He is such an incredible puller that the other dogs on his team actually sometimes get a little spoiled. Whenever we ask the dogs to go, if Spank is on the team, he will start the sled all by himself. That's how it is with a lot of the veterans. They do such a good job, that it can be hard for the young dogs to really get to learn how to do it when it is tough. Because it never seems tough as long as the veterans are around! On this years expedition we decided  it was an excellent opportunity to leave most of our Superstar veterans at home, like Spank, Spook, Polar, Peto, Charlie...and instead let the young guys go out and put themselves to the test a little bit. - And now see how GREAT they are doing.
On 3/6 we talked about global warming in the Chat.  And my questions is..Why are the holes in the ozone layer above the poles when not many people live there?? Sincerly,KY	Even though there are very few if any factories and not many people living in the areas around the poles, there is a large concentration of pollution in these areas. This is due to what we call "Transboundary Pollution". Air, river and ocean currents all move in major patterns from the midlatitudes (Equator) of our planet to the poles - The Antarctic and Arctic region and back "down" to the middle. Scientists have found, that  pollutants like CFC gasses and pesticides from cities, farms and factories are found in these circulation pathways. So, in the process called "Transboundary Pollution", these contaminants enter the atmosphere or river system for example here in Minnesota, and are carried to the poles. Once in the Arctic or Antarctic the pollutants are not easily burned off by the sun nor do they evaporate as they do in warmer climates. At the poles it is as though they are being preserved in a large freezer. One example is a particular contaminant - in warmer climates it lasts 8 months, but when it gets to the Arctic it lasts for 40 years! This build-up along with the climate of the polar regions is what scientist believes is causing the ozone to thin faster making holes above the poles! Sorry, this was such a complicated answer - but it was a GREAT question...
Don't you get kind of lonely or bored sometimes? What do you do to entertain yourselves when you get bored? Guest 13, 10 PM chat 3/20	Sometimes we do get lonely, missing our friends and family. Especially when it is hard, or on the really long expeditions where we don't visit a lot of communities.  On this years expedition Paul and Eric are really enjoying to visit a lot of communities and having the opportunity to meet lots of great people. To entertain ourselves when out in the tent, we talk a lot, we read, we fix equipment, we film,we write, we play cards, we study maps, we read stuff from students, we count tent stiches ;) We all really enjoy the peace of being on the trail - just us and the dogs. Besides, you are often so tired you just want to sleep!
If you're not riding on the sled, what are you doing?  K.A.	We are very rarely riding on the sled.  Most of the time you will find us on skis next to the sled. We have what is called a "tow-rope" on each side of the sled. Each rope is attached to the front end of the sled, and is the full length of the sled going back to the handlebar of the sled. We hang on to this rope with one hand, and onto the handlebar with the other hand, while we are skiing in between. Now, it is called a "tow-rope", but we are not suppose to be towing. We ski to keep the pace. This keeps us warm, we are helping by "moving" our own weight,  at the same time we can steer the sled. If not skiing, you can find us running or walking next to the sled. Or pushing on the sled if we are in difficult conditions. Or out in front of the dogs on snow-shoes if we are traveling in deep snow.
What do the dogs do at base camp?  KH	Except for Chicago who has retired this year and is now "Uncle Chicago" to the puppies - and keeping Cassie company while her boyfriend Aksel is gone - the dogs at Base Camp are working on many different jobs. They have been working for the US Forest Service pulling freight loads into areas that can not be accessed with motorized vehicles. We have been doing day trips around here and they have also gone out on some trips in the Boundary Water Canoe Area Park here in Minnesota with customers. Tomorrow they are finishing a job for Grand Portage National Monument pulling more freight stuff. When they are not out working the trails, they relax or  have fun in the kennel playing around. Lately chasing ravens have become a real sport. Cola has also been busy being a Grand Mother guarding the puppy pen. And Nazca is of course very busy being a Mom. But, Sarah is also spending time with her and Fuji teaching them the arts of being a good lead or point dog.   The Pups. Well they are just busy being pups. To visit the Base Camp dogs click here.
Friday, March 15
Is it hard training the dogs? Guest 12, 10 PM chat 3/12	Yes, it is hard work to train the dogs. Especially the lead dogs. But it is also A LOT of fun.  The training of the dogs basically begin the day they are born. The first year is spent "socializing" them. That means we train them in being good at being with other dogs and people! We also teach them lots of other stuff that will help them once they become "sled dogs". Like sitting on command, coming when we call them, riding in a dog box and so on. When they turn one year old, they get a harness put on, and  are hitched up in a team with the "big dogs'! It usually takes 3-4 years before they really know what it is to be a mighty Polar Husky sled dog. An excellent lead dog like Aksel can easily take 5-6 years to train. Learn more about the life of a Polar Husky in "Polar Husky World" or click here.
Is your Mom an influence to you? Guest 9, 10 PM chat 3/12	Paul: Yes. Mille: Yes. I think who ever you grow up with, is going to have a very large influence on your life, whether it is your Mom, Uncle, Grand Dad or..  Eric: Yes.
In class our teacher was teaching us about Admiral Perry and Mathew Henson. I'm glad that Mathew Hanson was finally recognized. Do you see these men as heroes? Guest 5, Alan VHELP 10 PM chat 3/12	Yes, we do see these men as heroes - and believe it was about time Mathew Hanson was recognized for his all important role in reaching the North Pole. Mille: The reason I see these men as heroes is because they had incredible drive and belief in their goals. This is something I always keep out in front of myself.
What first motivated you to start taking such huge challenges? Guest 19, 10 PM chat 3/12	It is probably a matter of not actually seeing the goal as a challenge, but more as an adventure! An adventure just waiting to be full-filled. A dream to be followed. Nothing is impossible if you can keep believing in it right!  It might be extremely hard to reach your goal, and it is important to keep in mind that was is important is the journey not the destination. In other words, when you are pursuing a dream, a goal, a challenge remember to have fun along the way and enjoy reaching your goal. Or maybe it is no longer worthwhile!
Are either of you married? If so do your spouses support you or does it bother them? Guest 22, 12 PM chat 3/12	Eric is not married. Will Steger is married to Elsa Steger. Paul and Mille are married to each other! Us who are married ;) Yes, we do get support from our spouse. But we also recognize that it at times can be very hard to be married to an "explorer". Explorers are usually very stubborn people, very focused on their goals and dreams. To keep focused you need to be very dedicated, and you have to work very hard to succeed. It most often also means that you travel a lot. It is a fine balance to keep a happy family life. But we all agree it is extremely important to us, and that we think it is challenge to all married couples.
After an expedition, do you all usually like to stay in warm weather? Guest 14, 12 PM chat 3/12	Paul: I love to go to the dessert - especially to go rafting. Eric: If it involves camping, I am going whether it is cold or hot. Mille: No thanks, I am not a hot weather person. Once it gets above 80 F, I prefer the shade or being in the water!
What is Armenia? Guest 4, 12 PM chat 3/12	Armenia is a country. It slightly smaller than Maryland and  borders amongst other Iran and Turkey. A little more than 3 million people live in Armenia. Now, we should probably explain this question a little bit. At Tuesday's chat Polar Explorer Will Steger was asked "what traits he would look for in a hero" . Here is his answer: "A person that does more than just spectacular things. As an example, the Norwegian explorer Nansen is one of my heroes. He led an extra ordinary expedition in the late 1890's in which he proved his theory of the Arctic Ocean's circulation. He later went on and was given the Nobel Peace Prize after the work that he did in WW1 in Armenia." To learn more about Armenia click here (or visit the CIA World Fact Book by clicking on "Tools").
Have you ever learned any survival skills in your life from any natives of the north pole? Guest 11, 12 PM chat 3/12	No people actually live at the North Pole. The North Pole is a geographical spot in the Arctic Ocean. Click here to learn more about that. BUT, we have learned a lot of our survival skills from the natives of the Arctic. If not most of them, because our skills were passed down to us from earlier explorers, who read or learned from other earlier explorers who learned "how to" from the natives.  And we are still learning today. Actually last year Mille and Paul learned how to build an igloo from an Inuit in Arviat. You can see a video of this by clicking here.
Are we ever going to chat with anybody who is actually on the expedition? Guest 20, 12 PM chat 3/12	YES! Paul and Eric will for sure chat with you Friday, April 5th. And who knows, maybe the will even visit one of the other chats before then...
What's your favorite snack while you are traveling? Guest 2 VHELP, 10 PM chat 3/12	Paul: GORP (mix of chokolate chips, M&M's, nuts and raisins). I also like these new crunchy Power Bars we have with us this year. Eric: Pasta ;) Oh yes, I also like Kellogs breakfast bars a lot. Mille: When I am in the tent I LOVE the dried fruit, like the apricots. On the sled I really like the Chocolate Brownie Cliff bar. Yuuummiii.
Friday, March 8th  In our chat on Wednesday we promised you a good website for more information on global warming today. Here it is: http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming - Go visit it. It is EXCELLENT!
How heavy are the sleds Guest 23, 12 PM chat 3/6	On this expedition the sleds each weigh between 800 and 1000 lbs. when fully loaded. They will be traveling in areas of lots of deep snow, so we are very cautious of keeping the load as "light" as possible.
How do you dry clothes if you go into a pond? Guest 6, 12 PM chat 3/6	If you fall into the ice, the first thing you do (once you are out of the water) is to roll in the snow!!!  This may sound a bit strange, but what happens is that the snow will act like a sponge, like paper towels, "sucking" the water, out of your clothing and away from your skin. Next your team mates will grab a bivy bag of the sled, you take off your clothing and you get into the sleeping bags in the bivy bag. If we have any warm water bottles we will put them in the sleeping bag with you , to help get it warm. Then we set up the tent, turn on the stove and get you inside in the heated tent. Once inside the tent we will hang the wet clothing on the drying rack in the top of the tent. If we can't dry it in one night, you will have to use your spare set of clothing.
What is stratosphere? Guest 1, 18 and 29, 12 PM chat 3/6	The whole mass of air surrounding the earth is called the atmosphere. It extends about 620 miles. The atmosphere is divided into 5 layers that each have their own name: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere. Stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere about 50 kilometers above Earth. This is where you find the ozone layer that protects earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. YOU can watch a GREAT movie on this if you click here PS The troposphere is where our weather occurs!
Why aren't there any roads? Guest 25, 10 PM chat 3/6	The area that Paul and Eric are traveling in now, has no roads in the summer time, for a couple of reasons. Very few people live in the area, and there is not a lot of industry, so the government has felt so far, that it would not be "cost-effective" to put in roads, build bridges to cross water etc. In other words, the thought has been it would be to expensive.
How deep is the snow where Paul and Eric are traveling? Guest 23, 10 PM chat 3/6	We just spoke with the team Thursday morning and as we are sure you will hear in their report on Monday the snow is: DEEP. Paul said a little above their waist!
What do animals do in the wild when they don't have anyone to put sunscreen on their noses? Guest 1, 10 PM chat 3/6	We should probably explain this question a bit ;) Since 1995, we have had to apply sunscreen to several of the Polar Husky noses out on the expeditions in the high Arctic, because of the intensified sun caused by the thinning of the ozone layer above the Arctic. Obviously the wild animals can not apply sunscreen. Most likely, they have to just "live with it", developing blisters and skin cancer.
What does Pimagihowin mean? Guest 13, 10 PM chat 3/6	Pimagihowin is an Oji-Cree phrase. It means: "Living From The Land".
How can the atmosphere (ozone layer) be repaired? Guest 12, 10 PM chat 3/6	The ozone layer is broken down by CFC gasses. These gasses are found in common daily things as "aerosol" products (spray bottles such as spray paint and spray deodorant), in certain refrigerators, in car exhaust, in the gasses that escape from air conditioners, in the exhaust from coal plants and many other house hold items.  To repair the thinning of the very important ozone layer, we must stop or limit our production of CFC gasses, by limiting our use CFC producing things.  That means: Use a roll-on or pump spray instead of aerosol spray bottle when you can. It is actually quite easy. For example buy a roll-on or pump-spray deodorant instead!  Car pool. Whenever you can to limit car exhaust. Buy cars that run on fuel cells or battery to limit car exhaust. Save on your use of energy. Turn the light off when you leave a room. Buy energy efficient light bulbs. Keep the windows and doors closed in the wintertime to restore heat. Wear an extra sweater, live in well insulated houses. Open the doors and windows to cool your house in the summertime, only use the air conditioning system when you really need it!  In the USA we actually have an agency that are on the look-out to protect our environment. It is called "Environmental Protection Agency". You can visit their website here for more information and good tips. Also look for their "approval" of products that you buy, such as refrigerators.  How does this repair the thinning that has al ready happened? Well, Ozone is actually created in nature every day. The scientist believe if we stop or limit our use of CFC gasses the ozone layer will be "repaired" in only 50 years! The good news is that many countries (about 180 of them) have gotten together and are agreeing to make laws to limit use of CFC gasses. The USA is NOT one of these countries. If YOU think USA should take part in limiting use of CFC gasses write YOUR senator. YOU can do it!
I have a Siberian Husky. He drinks tons of water. Do the Polar Huskies require a lot of water? Do the explorers have to carry the water, or do they melt snow? Guest VHelp, Spencer, 10 PM chat 3/6	Good observation! It is very important that the Polar Huskies as well as the explorers stay well hydrated - get a lot of water. The Polar Huskies on the expedition get their water by eating snow. They eat most of it during their daily 14 hours of rest, but they also eat snow during the day while they are running. This is called "they dip snow". The explorers keep a close eye on whether the dogs are hydrated - getting enough water. They can see this by looking at the gums of the dog (should be pink and moist), by looking at their stool (should not be runny) and by checking on their coats (should be shiny and elastic). If a dog does not get enough water by eating snow, the explorer will melt some snow to make water. You can read more and see some fun facts about this important question on the H2O page in the Polar Husky A to Z (Investigate section). Click here to visit it.  Say hi to you husky! Have you put a picture of him in the Dog Zone yet?
How does the ozone layer get damaged? Guest, 10 PM chat 3/6	The ozone layer is broken down by CFC gasses. These gasses are found in common daily things as "aerosol" products (spray bottles such as spray paint and spray deodorant), in certain refrigerators, in car exhaust, in the gasses that escape from air conditioners, in the exhaust from coal plants and many other house hold items.
Friday, March 1st
Can you tell us more about your expedition (route)? We need it for our map. Guest 7, chat 2/28	Route: Departure from Red Lake, head north towards Pikangikum, North Spirit, Deer Lake, Sandy lake, Keewaywin, Possibly, north to Muskrat dam, Big trout Lake then east toward Kassabonika, south towards Pickle lake the final destination.
Where exactly are you , and who lives there? Guest 2, chat 2/28	The area in which Team NOMADS is traveling on this years expedition, is the northwestern corner of Ontario in Canada. This area is called the Nishnawbee Aski Nation, and is home to the native Oji-Cree, Cree and Ojibway people. You can learn a lot more about the area and people by visiting the facts page in the investigate section of the website.  This morning (Friday) Team NOMADS is in red Lake!
How did you choose the dogs you did? Guest 23, chat 2/28	Team NOMADS have 16 dogs with them on the trail. If you haven't al ready go meet them all in the kennel. We look at many factors when we choose the dogs going out on an expedition. As a musher you are looking to have a good strong combination of power, experience and dogs that work good together as a team. The only way the dogs get real experience though is by actually going out there. On this years expedition Team NOMADS will be traveling in the woods, on rivers and visiting many communities; and the conditions are not to much snow. That means relatively "light travel", and because you are in the trees you are looking to have really good control of the sled. This is excellent conditions for the younger dogs with less experience, who loves speed and get along well. Whereas many of the older guys with incredible power and force like Spank, Peto and Charlie are not on the teams this year.
How close are you to the dogs? Guest 29, 2/28 chat	The dogs are like family to us. They are our very best friends. We know them from the day they are born to the day they pass and we spent almost everyday of their lives with them. We go our on expeditions together having incredible experiences with them, that they make possible! We love'em.
Where did you grow up? Guest 31, 2/28 chat	Paul: St. Paul Minnesota, USA Eric: Cedarburg, Wisconsin, USA Mille: Virum, Copenhagen, Denmark.
What kinds of food do you eat (on the trail)? Guest 38, 2/28 chat	Breakfast: Oatmeal or Granola with 1/2 a bagel and 2 breakfast sausages. Lunch: Soup or ramon noodles with cheese (and butter when really cold), salami and nuts. Dinner: Pasta or rice with cheese, butter and meat (bacon, can chicken, sausage and local meat like moose or caribou). During the day: 2 energy bars, 1 candy bar, dried fruit and "gorp" (a mixture of nuts, raisins, m&m's and chocolate chips. You can also read more about this on the granola bar page in the Polar Husky A to Z section of the website.
What is your favorite animal that lives in the Arctic? Guest 28, chat 2/28	Paul: Polar Bear Eric: Wolverine Mille: Wolf
How do you charge your battery? Guest 6, chat 2/28	It is very difficult to keep batteries charged in the cold. On the trail we need battery power for our communication equipment (laptop computer, satellite phone), digital camera, video camera, head lamps and GPS (global positioning system). Rule number one is to try and avoid turning anything on when it is cold! Before turning on the computer or the satellite phone it all has to thaw out. If it is really cold that can take 4-6 hours. We do this in the tent where we have heat using a little stove when we are not sleeping (then it is turned off). The GPS we try to keep the batteries warm by keeping them right next to our warm skin. We can charge our batteries in one of three ways: 1. Solar Power. We have a flat solar power panel which is then hooked up to a gel-cell battery. Draw back: only works when enough day and sun light. 2. Generator. team NOMADS have a little 1000 W generator with them. Draw Back: it needs fuel. The unit and fuel weighs a lot. Can only carry limited amount of fuel. 3. Expedition-Grab-It batteries. These are special batteries that work down to -40 F (which equals -40 C) for so many hours. Draw back: they are not rechargeable. When they die, they die. This is our back-up power.
Are ya'll best friends? Guest 22, chat 2/28	We are very good friends. When you travel together as a team and work as hard (and many hours) together as we do, it is crucial that we all respect each other and pay attention to taking care of each other. We have to be excellent at team work and communication.
Are you just doing this because you become wealthy? Guest 21, chat 2/28	No. Then we would not be doing it. we could all be better paid having a different job! Much of the year we end up working 60-80 hours and more weeks. We do what we do, because we love it. Because we are all pursuing a dream and a vision. Because meeting all the students and teachers that we work with is extremely inspiring. Because we get to travel and see places only very few are lucky enough to experience. Because we love working with Polar Huskies. Because we believe in our educational purpose.
What kind of supplies do you carry with you? Guest 16, chat 2/28	2 sleds w. main lines 20 dog harnesses 1080 lbs of dry dog food 500 lbs of meat 40 lbs of lard 2 50 ft stake out chains 4 dog bowls 2 Hilleberg tunnel tents 2 bivy bags w. sleeping bags systems . 2 crazy creek chairs 2 pairs of skiis 2 sets of ski poles 2 pairs of snow poles 1 shot gun w. cracker / flair shells 2 lunch bags:2 thermoses, 4 x nalgene bottles, utentils kit 7 gallons of white gas Stove box: pot, pan, fuel bottles, kit, Coleman 2 burner stove, lantern  14 rolls of toilet paper First Aid Bag: human and dog Spare bag: incl. sled repair kit, vet kit, ski kit, human kit, dog kit, sewing kit, gun kit, stove kit, tent kit, gun kit extra lines, rope, bungees etc. video camera digital camera IBM laptop generator solar panel expedition-grab-it batteries M4 satellite communication system GPS bag: binocolars, 2 x GBS, ELT (emergency location transmitter), hand warmers, maps   2 shovels 2 saws 2 ax 1 ice ax 12 ice screws 2 personal bags (books etc.) 2 personal clothing bags Approx. 250 lbs. of human food