Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services

Resolute Bay (Apr 10/02) - The Rangers are on the move. Operation Kigliqaqvik Ranger was to begin today. It is a landmark trek to Magnetic North.

A group of 29 Canadian Rangers from all three territories are on an epic eight-day voyage that will take them from Resolute Bay to the Magnetic North Pole and back.

Kigliqaqvik Ranger is the largest, most far-reaching patrol ever conducted by Ranger personnel.

Following two days of near blizzard conditions, the weather was expected to clear in time for today's schedule start of the expedition. Environment Canada forecast sunny conditions with highs reaching minus 23.

"It's looking pretty good right now," said Capt. Rick Regan, deputy Commanding Officer of the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group.

He added that the patrol spent Sunday and Monday training on sea ice south of the hamlet.

Travelling on snowmachines, the Rangers expect to reach the Magnetic North Pole on April 18.

The patrol has a two-fold purpose--to assert Canadian sovereignty in the high Arctic, and to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Rangers.

"This expedition kind of started 18 months ago," said Regan.

Fuel, hard rations, shelter and other supplies were sealifted to the community last year.

"We're completely self contained, if need be," said Regan.

For Ranger Sgt. Darrel Klemmer, Kigliqaqvik Ranger is the opportunity of a lifetime.

The 39-year-old Tulita resident was selected locally for his superior land skills, as was one Ranger from each of 1 CRPGs 59 patrols.

The slate was narrowed down to 30, chosen by lottery.

"It's my first time beyond the trees," said Klemmer.

"I expected it to be much flatter," he added.

Each snowmachine will tow a qamotiq carrying 400 kg of gear. The voyage will carry the patrol across Bathurst Island and Maclean Strait, then continue to Ellef Ringnes Island to Cape Isachsen.

The final push is a treacherous 230 km trek across sea ice to Magnetic North.

Provided the weather co-operates, Regan said the ice will present the biggest challenge.

"We're expecting very rough ice in some areas," creating tough slogging for heavily-laden snowmachines, Regan said.

The cost of Kigliqaqvik Ranger is conservatively estimated at $750,000.

Sgt. Peter Moon, a public affairs spokesperson for the Rangers, said it's money well spent, "when you consider it would cost $40,000 a day to keep an aircraft in the air," to provide overflights in the high Arctic.

Moon said the patrol is gelling together well.

"It's a very disparate group...there really is a sense of excitement," he said.