John S. and Nancy cut poly rope for dog necklines.

The team is working full-time to finish the gear preparations for the upcoming departure. Even though they did a lot of work on gear before they left Minnesota, there are certain tasks that had to wait until the team arrived on Baffin.

Collapsible tent poles have to be taped together and pinned into the ends of their sleeves to make tent setup easy, stove fuel has to be purchased and put in bottles, sleds have to be lashed, satellite phones and beacons tested, ropes cut, dog necklines made, leather mukluks and mitts waterproofed, and food repacked into duffle bags.

John S. and Jim cut ropes and burn the ends to keep them from fraying.

Marie Airut and Killa Ikummaq help make dog necklines (a process called fidding).

Elizabeth uses an electric drill to make holes in tent poles to pin the poles into the ends of the sleeves.

Simon Qamanirq and John Huston stuff sleeping bags and bivy bags.

Elizabeth waterproofs her mukluks.

Boxes of satellite phones wait to be activated and tested.

Webmaster Jim works to add images and videos to the website.

Using pins Nancy secures tent poles into the ends of the sleeves.

Jim mounts ski bindings and Elizabeth tapes collapsible tent poles together.

• Gathering dropped equipment:
  • Gas bottle
  • Parkas
  • Coffee cups
  • Knives
  • Ropes
  • clips
  • harnesses
  • Fish
  • etc.