This research expedition is field season #1 of Heidi Swanson's PhD research in Eco-toxicology through the University of New Brunswick. In summer 2005, while doing some consulting work in Nunavut, Heidi started wondering about contaminant levels in Arctic lakes, and ecological tranfer pathways - about how salmon on the Pacific coast bring their contaminant-laden bodies upstream, and deposit not only their eggs and spawn but also the metals, PCB's, and other toxins that have built up in their flesh. Are sea-run Arctic Charr also taking contaminants from the ocean, and bringing them into freshwater and terrestrial systems when they return to spawn? And how could an under-funded graduate student go about answering this question? Without helicopter support?

On her way back from the Arctic that summer, Heidi came across an article in the in-flight magazine about a photo expedition through an isolated arctic park. Entirely human-powered, these men spent 2 months trekking across the tundra with their gear in specially-designed sleds they pulled behind them.

And so Heidi had an idea. Heidi had a wonderful, awful idea. Involving a fisheries research study conducted without any air support. In the high arctic. The gods threw many obstacles in her way - cleverly disguised as personnel with various research councils, Canada's Firearms Registry, funding agencies... Never one to shrink from challenge (some would call her pathologically stubborn) the wonderful, awful idea coalesced into this summer's expedition. Her friend Kathryn quit her job to run away to the Arctic for the summer. Her boyfriend endured the clutter as we launched an Arctic expedition from their one bedroom Edmonton apartment...