INUVIK - Thirteen adventurous souls from Inuvik set out on a six-day trek on March 2 which was described as a "trip of a lifetime."

Aurora College student James Gordon prepares his snowmobile to leave Old Crow during the Johnny D. Charlie Memorial Ski-Doo Trip 2011 in the first week of March. - photo courtesy of Alice Graham

Nine students, two alumni and two instructors from the Environment and Natural Resources Technology Program at Aurora College joined the Charlie family and friends to ride snowmobiles through deep snow and over steep terrain to honour elder Johnny D. Charlie with a Memorial Ski-Doo Trip.

"It's very physically demanding," said college instructor Alice Graham, "and very mentally demanding as well."

Twenty-eight people on 24 snowmobiles made the rugged journey logging more than 750 km from Fort McPherson, over the Yukon border to Old Crow and back again.

Though a few of this year's participants from Inuvik knew the Charlie family and had made the trek before, this was the first time Aurora College had organized a class to join in.

"It was quite intense for everybody, a lot of the students knew the family," Graham said. "They're going in the memory of Johnny Charlie Sr. so it means a lot to their family to take the trip."

Graham participated in the extreme ride in 2005, but she was a passenger at the time and said this experience meant so much more to her.

"This was my second time but it was my first time driving all the way," Graham said, "and it was, I think, more fulfilling."

The journey carried the team a long way from any form of civilization, exposing them to the true elements of the North.

Through long, treeless flats of snowdrifts and down the steep slopes of LeChute Mountain, the team tested their strength and character through the excursion - a journey once made by elders without the luxury of the snowmobiles.

"In some ways it was life altering and you learn a lot about yourself," Graham said.

The group arrived later on Friday than they had planned but were met by warm, expectant hosts.

"The community of Old Crow is very dialled in with the trip, it's very personal with them, too," Graham said, "so when we arrived, there were fireworks going off at the community centre and it was very exciting and very touching."

There was a feast waiting for the cold and hungry sledders and they were told they must stay two nights so they could rest one and jig the next at the dance Old Crow had planned for them.

"It was amazing," Graham said, "a great show of hospitality."

After misplacing a snowmobile, the group headed back toward Fort McPherson early Sunday morning, March 6. They followed the porcupine river to Curtain Mountain where they set up camp for one last night.

"It was varied and it was difficult for those of us who weren't that experienced," Graham said, " but it was good over all."

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