June 3rd, Day 77

Distance traveled:
June 2nd: 59.5 km
June 3rd: Tent bound

Position: N71°31'06.0 W080°17'58.9

Yesterday, the winds died after only two hours of kiting, so we set up camp, wrote and launched an update, and were looking forward to catching up on sleep. However, much to our surprise, the winds switched directions and rapidly increased. We hurried to get ready and were able to kite for no more than an hour before heavy snowfall obscured visibility and gusty winds kept us grounded.

The next morning, a similar event occurred; the winds lessened temporarily, and we rapidly made our move. Three hours later, the storm was stronger than ever and kiting was out of control. We pitched our Hilleberg tent once again, with the satisfaction of knowing that we were sheltered form the elements, as this tent can withstand virtually any storm, and has.

These tents have proven themselves remarkable in many ways: last year, while on the Greenland Icecap, I weathered a 5 day storm relatively comfortably, and Sarah has weathered an Antarctic storm with winds gusting up to 90 knots (170 km/h) in one of these tents.

For this expedition, we have chosen the Keron GT 3. The tunnel structure makes them easy to set up in stong winds, and the extended vestibule is big enough to bring our sleds or other gear inside to repair or to shelter from the weather. Over the last couple years, these tents have become our homes; on a good year, we will spend more than half our time living in our Hilleberg tent.

We will let Stuart from Hilleberg explain why their tents do so well.

Eric

Hilleberg tents have been the top choice of discerning outdoor travelers around the world for over 35 years, and with good reason: they are utterly dependable in any season, comfortably spacious, and yet are still remarkably lightweight. Hilleberg, being family owned and run, is a company that has always been guided by their family passion for being outdoors and traveling in the wilderness. …Quality… for the company equals making the kinds of tents that they would not only be happy to use themselves, but that they would also be proud to have their best friends use, as well.

Today, the company offers 28 models of all season tents. All have linked inner and outer tents … an idea Hilleberg pioneered … for far quicker, more efficient pitching. All are conceived and developed in northern Sweden, and go through rigorous, real world testing before they are brought to market. And all offer the ideal balance of low weight, extraordinary strength and remarkable comfort.

Stuart W Craig

www.hilleberg.com

[Via Pittarak: Northwest Passage Expedition]