Perfecting the Plan Jade and her team planned the trip carefully. T ey would fl y to the edge of the Arctic. A small plane would take them to a base in Russia. T en a helicopter would take them to their starting point. T ey didn’t have much time. T e


Arctic spring only lasts a few weeks in April, and the weather changes oſt en.


T e team arrived at the airbase. But


there was trouble. T e ice was thinner than usual. Dangerous cracks kept opening across the airstrip. T e team waited until the airstrip


was fi xed. T en, the helicopter carried them to the drop-off point. Right away, Jade harnessed herself to her sled and started off into the unknown.


Jade stood on the cold, empty ice as the chopper whirled out of sight.


To cross this stretch of open water, the team worked together to make a raft from their sleds.


20 20 NATIONAL TIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EOGRAPHIC EXPLORER XPLORER


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