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"Everyone should experience that feeling of being a small but significant
part in something much bigger. With it comes a sense of childlike
wonder and appreciation, as well as a view of the consequences of
our actions."
- Jenny Rasche, 2005 Arctic Ecology Course
"This trip is not your typical tourist trip. We were travelers, and
we part with a new, expanded perspective of life on earth, in all
of its colors and forms. "
- Greg Price, 2004 Arctic Ecology Course
"I knew this would be a trip about polar bears, and it was, but it was so much more."
- Julie White, 2003 Arctic Ecology Course
"Each day was filled with bear watches - starting well before sunrise - and journeys around the tundra, walks in the islands of boreal forest and along the ice-clad coast. Every day provided different sights and experiences."
- Brian Huntington, 2002 Arctic Ecology Course
Background
Each year, in mid to late October, polar bears move to the Cape Churchill area on the west coast of Hudson Bay. Some of the bears walk northward along the Manitoba Coast, some head northeast from the Owl River Defining Area, and some even move south and cross the Churchill River to get to the Cape. The bears somehow "know" that fresh water ice floes will be coming down the large rivers and packed against Cape Churchill by the "wagnertok," or northwest winds. This process forms harder ice which becomes the first ice shelf from which the bears can hunt ringed seals; the bears come and they wait, walking up and down the coast, watching the sea, and sniffing the winds, sleeping in kelp beds, or play-fighting until they can go out onto the ice.
Usually around November 4th or 5th, the shelf forms, and the bears move onto the ice and begin to hunt. Some years the shelf freezes earlier and some years it freezes later. Occasionally, it does not freeze until the first week in December. The longer the ice is delayed, the larger the bear concentration around Churchill. Therefore, we try to time our visit to Churchill to coincide with this freeze-up.
Course Details
Participants may choose to travel to Churchill from Missoula, MT with instructor, Dr. Charles Jonkel. Participants traveling from the East may choose to begin their trip in Winnipeg and ride the train to Churchill.
From Missoula we will follow Montana's water flowing from Glacier National Park into the Saskatchewan River, to Lake Winnipeg, to the Nelson River, and finally to the Hudson Bay. As we travel north, we cross the Hudson Bay Divide, observing steady changes in the land and vegetation - passing through the long grass prairie, the montaine forests, the short grass prairie, three forest zones, and down to the sea. We will explore natural history "out train windows" and meet all sorts of people. In the past we have met Cree trappers, fishermen, hunters, their kids and families.
We will spend time exploring the natural history of the Churchill area including the following activities:
- ask local people such as school children, researchers, and natives to join us
- spend time on nature walks and beach combing until we see the first ice
- try to go out on the ice and view the bears in their habitat when they move out on the ice
- look for wildlife including caribou, foxes, wolves, ptarmigan, arctic hare, and snowy owls
- build igloos
- ski or skate
- look down seal holes (if there is good ice)
- learn arctic plants and pick berries under the snow
- do outreach in local schools for those interested
- take a tundra buggy tour or a dog sled tour (for an extra fee)
- visit the Eskimo Museum and the Town Centre art museum
Transportation
Getting to
the Train: We will meet at the Great Bear Foundation office at 802
E. Front Street on Saturday, November 7th at 7am.
We will caravan to Pablo, MT, board the Salish-Kootenai College bus,
and depart around 10am. We will spend two days driving to The Pas, Manitoba,
staying overnight in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. We will arrive in
The Pas around 7pm on Sunday, November 8th.
There will be limited free parking at the GBF office. For those caravanning to Pablo, there will be ample free parking at Salish-Kootenai College. Depending on group size, additional vehicles may be helpful. Therefore, if you are interested in driving a personal vehicle please let the office know prior to the departure date.
The Train: We will board the train around 9:30am on November
9th and arrive in Churchill the morning of November 10th. Those leaving
from Winnipeg will depart the evening of November 9th.
Learning: There will be lectures on the train about plant and animal identification, tracks, and the forest. This includes interaction with other passengers and participants.
Food: We will provide some meals and you are free to bring food for snacks and to share. You also have the option to purchase food from the dining car. It is good and reasonably priced, but is not included in the cost of the trip.
Sleeper Car Option on the Train: If you would like a sleeper
car you will need to pay extra money. You can reserve a sleeper car
prior to departure (usually costs around $1000 extra for round trip)
or you can try to purchase a ticket once on the train. The cost is
significantly cheaper if purchased on the train, but there is no guarantee
of availability.
While in Churchill
We will rent our own vans, buses, or pickups while we are in Churchill for flexibility in choosing and participating in different activities.
Our Return
We will depart from Churchill by train on Saturday, November 14th.
(Learning never stops, so expect lectures and interactions to continue).
We will arrive in The Pas around 7:30pm on November 15th, load up
and head for Missoula. Again, we will take two days driving back,
spending the night in Swan River, Manitoba.
Accommodations
The accommodations at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre are very comfortable with dorm rooms, lounges, and a dining room. We are expected to help with the dishes, fix our lunches, remake our beds when we leave, and clean rooms. The food at the Centre is great. There is even a bubble on the top of the building for watching bears and northern lights.
We will all need to take great care regarding bear safety while we are in Churchill. You will need to peek both ways before going out the door and take wide corners around buildings and cars. Don't worry, we will have lectures on bear safety.
Packing
- Clothing: Expect cold, variable weather in Churchill. Plan to bring a warm parka with a good hood, warm boots, a scarf, a hat, and windproof mitts. Synthetic long underwear, turtlenecks, sweaters, and warm trousers are necessities.
- Spotting scope or binoculars
- Camera
- Sleeping bag for the train ride, sleeping pad (optional)
- Food like apples, cookies, trail mix, nuts, or jerky for on-the-road to reduce costs and make friends.
- The Northern Studies Centre can always use extra stuff that you might have lying around your house - glasses, utensils, plates, ladles, mugs, towels, brooms, tools, towels, brooms, shovels, duct tape, blankets, videos, lamps, office supplies, and more are always appreciated
Emergency Phone ContactsTrain station, The Pas: (204) 623-2210
Natural Resources, The Pas: (204) 623-6678 - Dale Cross
Wescana Inn, The Pas: (204) 623-5446
Churchill Northern Studies Centre, Churchill: (204) 675-2307
Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Churchill: (204) 675-8821
Trip deposits:
Email GBF and reserve your space on the trip before making the $100 deposit (per person) below through our secure Google Checkout account.
Call (406-829-9378) or email us for registration information.
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