Perfecting the Plan Jade and the team planned carefully for their trip. T ey would fl y to the island of Svalbard at the outer edge of the Arctic. From there, a small plane would take them to a temporary Russian base called Barneo. T en a helicopter would take them to their starting point. T e expedition had a very narrow window.


In winter, the Arctic is pitch dark. Temperatures dip as low as minus 50° Celsius. Arctic spring is the best time to travel there, but it only lasts for a few weeks in April. Aſt er that, rising summer temperatures begin melting the Arctic ice. T en it becomes unsafe to travel.


Each year, a new Barneo base is made and


an airstrip is built on the ice. When Jade and the team arrived in Svalbard, they learned there was trouble ahead. T e ice was thinner than usual. Dangerous cracks kept opening across the newly built Barneo airstrip. T e team waited for two weeks while the


airstrip was being repaired. At last, it was ready. T ey fl ew to Barneo. T en, a helicopter took them to the drop-off point. T ey had been up all night. But there was no time to waste. Jade harnessed herself to her sled, and the team started off into the unknown.


Jade watched as the chopper whirled out of sight.


To cross this stretch of open water, the team made a raft from their sleds.


20 20


NATIONAL


TIONAL GEOGRAPHIC


EOGRAPHIC EXPLORER XPLORER


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