Auyuittuq National Park

Auyuittuq sits on the Cumberland Peninsula of Baffin Island, almost entirely above the Arctic Circle, and covers roughly the area of Bhutan or New Jersey (19,707 km² / 7,609 sq mi). It was established as a national park reserve in 1976 and upgraded to full national park status in 2000. This is a landscape shaped wholly by ice: the park takes in part of the Penny Highlands and the 6,000-km² Penny Ice Cap — a sheet of ice resting on Precambrian granite that many believe to be the birthplace of the last ice age. The ice cap feeds a network of glaciers, including the Coronation Glacier, which carve deep valleys between the peaks and spill into narrow coastal fjords.

The marquee features are vertical. Mount Thor presents a 1,250-m face (its 105° overhang is often cited as the greatest uninterrupted vertical drop on the planet), and Mount Asgard rises with an 800-m face — famous enough to feature in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. Wildlife is sparse because vegetation is sparse: plants such as mountain avens, campion, Papaver, saxifrage, dwarf birch, Arctic willow, and heather grow in low clumps that form their own warmer microclimates. The animals you might encounter include Arctic and red foxes, Arctic hares, lemmings, ermines, snowy owls, peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, and barren-ground caribou — plus polar bears (a serious concern on the northern, Qikiqtarjuaq side) and, offshore, beluga whales and narwhals.

When to come. This is a short, weather-dependent season; dates shift year to year with ice, wind, and tide. March–early May: the fjords are frozen and you reach the park from Pangnirtung or Qikiqtarjuaq by snowmobile, dog team, or ski (skiers out of Qikiqtarjuaq should travel with an outfitter to the boundary to reduce polar-bear risk). June–July: ice break-up — near the end of June at Pangnirtung, mid-July at Qikiqtarjuaq — leaves the fjords passable by neither oversnow nor boat; avoid. Late July–September: the fjords are normally ice-free and reachable by boat — the prime hiking window. October–February: travel is not advisable — cold, near-constant darkness, and access problems make it unpleasant, dangerous, and often impossible. Note that winds in Akshayuk Pass can reach 175 km/h (109 mph), and the head of a fjord can be dead calm while gales blow at Pangnirtung; when that happens, outfitters won't run boats.

There is no intercity road network in Nunavut and no road to the park. Access is by air to one of two gateway hamlets, then by boat (summer) or oversnow travel (spring) to the park boundary. Before you go, contact the Park office — ☏ +1 867 473-2500 (Pangnirtung), +1 867 927-8834 (Qikiqtarjuaq), toll-free +1-888-773-8888, ✉ [email protected] — and register; Parks Canada requires orientation.

By Plane

There's no airport at the park itself. Canadian North flies from Iqaluit (YFB) — the regional hub, itself reached by air from Ottawa and other southern cities — to the two gateway communities: Pangnirtung (YXP) to the south and Qikiqtarjuaq (YVM) to the north. From either hamlet you continue to the park by water or ice (see By Boat). Build slack into your itinerary: Arctic weather routinely delays these flights by hours or days.

By Boat

In the ice-free season (roughly late July–September) the park is reached by boat from Pangnirtung in the south or Qikiqtarjuaq in the north. Arrange transport with a local outfitter; the Pangnirtung park office (☏ +1 867 473-2500) keeps a list of operators providing transport and/or guiding.

• Peter Kilabuk — Box 365, Pangnirtung X0A 0R0, ☏ +1 867 473-4060. The 28-km (17-mi) run north from Pangnirtung to the park takes about 45 minutes and is tide-dependent. Kilabuk is a former Auyuittuq park warden, a former Speaker of the Nunavut legislature, and a Canadian Ranger; airport pickup can be arranged if requested before arrival. He also runs day trips, including a 50-km (31-mi), 6–8-hour run to Qekerten (Kekerten) Territorial Park and the old whaling station, plus fishing and Cumberland Sound outings. ~$80–100. (rate updated Jun 2011)
• Billy Arnaquq / Nunavut Experience Outfitting — Box 96, Qikiqtarjuaq X0A 0B0, ☏ +1 867 927-8518. The only outfitter running boats out of Qikiqtarjuaq; the crossing takes 3–5 hours depending on sea conditions. ~$180. (rate updated Jun 2011)

Fees and permits (2024). Day excursion permit $16 per person 18+ per day (17 and under free). The Northern Park Backcountry Excursion/Camping Permit — valid across Auyuittuq, Aulavik, Ivvavik, Nahanni, Quttinirpaaq, Sirmilik, Tuktut Nogait, and Vuntut — is $33.25/day per person; an annual pass costs less than seven day passes. Fishing permits are $20/day or $69/year. Note that a standard Parks Canada day pass does not cover backcountry camping or excursions.

You travel on foot. There is no transport inside the park — no roads, vehicles, or shuttles. The main corridor is Akshayuk Pass, a backpacking route running the length of the pass and following the Weasel and Owl rivers via Summit Lake. Emergency shelters stand roughly every 15 km, but they are for emergencies only, not sleeping — you must carry a tent. Plan in days and weather windows rather than kilometres: river levels, wind, and fog dictate the pace far more than distance does. Since 2008, when heavy rain caused Summit Lake to burst its banks, flood the Weasel River, and wash out the Windy Lake bridge, hiking has at times been confined to one side of the Weasel — confirm the current route status with the park office before setting out.

• Mount Thor — the headline sight: often described as the world's greatest uninterrupted vertical drop, a 1,250-m (4,100-ft) face with a 105° overhang and a magnet for elite rock climbers.

• Mount Asgard — twin-towered massif with an 800-m (2,600-ft) face, seen on screen in The Spy Who Loved Me.

• Penny Ice Cap — the 6,000-km² ice sheet at the park's heart, sitting atop Precambrian granite and feeding the park's glaciers.

• Coronation Glacier and the broader fields of glaciers, tundra, and fjord.

• The Arctic Circle marker — an inukshuk on the line of latitude, one of the park's most-photographed spots.

• Schwarzenbach Falls (Qulitasaniakvik) — a notable waterfall along the pass.

• Backpack Akshayuk Pass. The classic multi-day traverse along the Weasel and Owl rivers via Summit Lake — the reason most visitors come. Fully self-supported: carry everything, expect river fords, and register with Parks Canada first.

• Climb. Mount Thor and Mount Asgard are world-renowned big-wall objectives for experienced, fully equipped expedition climbers.

• Ski / oversnow travel. In the March–early-May window, reach and explore the park by ski, snowmobile, or dog team from the gateway hamlets.

• Fish. Permitted with a fishing permit ($20/day, $69/year); arrange via an outfitter.

Crossing rivers — the real hazard. Hikers have died fording too late in the day. Rivers run lowest in the early morning; cross between roughly 4 AM and 8 AM, and treat the Turner River and Halfhour Creek as especially dangerous by late afternoon. Carry polar-bear deterrents (rifles are not allowed in the park), never leave food near your campsite, and avoid the Thor (north) side of the pass where rock falls make the route inadvisable.

There are no eateries anywhere in the park; you must bring and prepare all your own food. Plan high-calorie, lightweight, no-refrigeration backcountry meals and pack out all waste. Stock up in Iqaluit or the gateway hamlet before departure, and bear in mind that Arctic flight delays can strand you for extra days — carry a buffer of food accordingly. And, again: never store or leave food near your tent.

The glacier-fed water here is among the cleanest in the world straight from the source — but treat it anyway. The north side of the pass is a bird-nesting area, so purify all water no matter how clear it looks (filter, boil, or chemically treat). There are no bars, cafés, or stores in the park; carry your own hot-drink supplies if you want them.

Accommodation inside the park is camping only — a four-season tent is required. The emergency shelters spaced roughly every 15 km along the pass are for genuine emergencies, not overnight stays. Choose sites on durable ground away from water-crossing zones and well clear of bird-nesting areas, store food away from your tent, and be prepared for the very high winds the pass is known for.

For indoor lodging you must stay in one of the gateway hamlets before or after your trip:

• Budget: Backcountry tent camping in the park (covered by your $33.25/day backcountry permit) — the only on-site option.
• Mid-range: Limited hotel/lodge accommodation exists in Pangnirtung (the southern gateway).

There are no shops in the park — outfit yourself completely before you arrive. The gateway hamlet of Pangnirtung is, however, a celebrated centre for Inuit carvings and prints, and the place to pick up authentic Arctic art on your way in or out. Buy directly from the community studio/co-op where you can.

• Pangnirtung (~28 km / ~45 min by boat south of the park) — the southern gateway and Baffin's foremost centre for Inuit prints and carvings.
• Qekerten (Kekerten) Territorial Park & old Whaling Station (~50 km / 6–8 hrs by boat from Pangnirtung) — a 19th-century whaling site reached as a Cumberland Sound day trip.
• Qikiqtarjuaq (northern gateway, by air via Iqaluit) — hamlet known for iceberg viewing and access to Arctic waters.
• Iqaluit — Nunavut's capital and air hub, with the territory's best concentration of services, dining, and museums; nearly everyone routes through here.
• Sirmilik National Park (northern Baffin Island) — another spectacular Baffin park of glaciers, fjords, and seabird cliffs, sharing the same Northern Parks backcountry permit.