Trail Talk
Well-known member
I'd like to start off 2024 by sending best wishes to the Transglobal Car Expedition that departed New York on January 10th (Transglobal Car Expedition) enroute to the geographic North Pole via Yellowknife and Cambridge Bay.
I've poured over the website and it looks to be a serious expedition with realistic equipment and achievable goals. They've spent several years testing routes and equipment, with some interesting and expensive lessons. Their Arctic Trucks-modified F150 hybrid had the misfortune of falling through the ice into the Arctic Ocean during a reconnaissance trip off Nunavut in 2022. They returned several months later and successfully recovered the vehicle, ferrying it by helicopter to Cambridge Bay. Serious effort to do the right thing, so kudos to them.
In addition to the specialty Yemelya amphibious vehicles they will now take onto the ocean ice, I'm in awe of those sweet Ford F350 Lariat chassis-cab modified by Arctic Trucks into 6x6 configuration which will carry them from Yellowknife to Cambridge Bay. We had a small taste of their route last year (Ice, Ice, Baby 2023) and have great appreciation for the undertaking.
Although not mentioned by name, one F350 6x6 will carry a Total Composites cabin, being the same truck used to support the Pole to Pole EV Expedition last year. Another cabin was built for a second truck and the third will carry a flat deck for supplies and spares.
Somewhat anti-climatic after that, for our Ice, Ice, Baby 2024 edition we will be departing in mid-March for the cultural festivals in Aklavik and Inuvik, tag the Arctic Ocean at Tuktoyaktuk, then scooting South before the spring melt shuts down ice roads and river crossings.
I've poured over the website and it looks to be a serious expedition with realistic equipment and achievable goals. They've spent several years testing routes and equipment, with some interesting and expensive lessons. Their Arctic Trucks-modified F150 hybrid had the misfortune of falling through the ice into the Arctic Ocean during a reconnaissance trip off Nunavut in 2022. They returned several months later and successfully recovered the vehicle, ferrying it by helicopter to Cambridge Bay. Serious effort to do the right thing, so kudos to them.
In addition to the specialty Yemelya amphibious vehicles they will now take onto the ocean ice, I'm in awe of those sweet Ford F350 Lariat chassis-cab modified by Arctic Trucks into 6x6 configuration which will carry them from Yellowknife to Cambridge Bay. We had a small taste of their route last year (Ice, Ice, Baby 2023) and have great appreciation for the undertaking.
Although not mentioned by name, one F350 6x6 will carry a Total Composites cabin, being the same truck used to support the Pole to Pole EV Expedition last year. Another cabin was built for a second truck and the third will carry a flat deck for supplies and spares.
Somewhat anti-climatic after that, for our Ice, Ice, Baby 2024 edition we will be departing in mid-March for the cultural festivals in Aklavik and Inuvik, tag the Arctic Ocean at Tuktoyaktuk, then scooting South before the spring melt shuts down ice roads and river crossings.
Too bad we couldn't connect in person this summer while we were driving through to Departure Bay.
