Quttinirpaaq National Park of Canada Spring 2005 Quttinirpaaq Location A national park was proclaimed on Vegetation National Park of Canada Ellesmere Island in 1988. The park is Pronounced “Khoot-tee-neelk-paahk” located at the north end of the island, This region of polar desert is one of the driest which itself is the northern extremity of in the Northern Hemisphere. Plants must be the Arctic Archipelago. The park is 44 km hardy enough to withstand these climatic east of the Alert military base, and only conditions. To this extent, sedge meadows Climate some 800 km from the North Pole. Access grow where there is enough soil to retain to the 37 775 km2 park is via chartered groundwater, including small wetland areas, Being as far north as it is, the park has wintry aircraft from Resolute Bay. Quttinirpaaq and along creek and river valleys. Shrub weather conditions even in the summer. July is National Park represents Canada's willows survive in areas with enough soil the only month where temperatures reach into Eastern High Arctic Glacier Natural accumulation for them to send down roots. oo the 0 C to 7 C range. Summer also brings Region and a portion of the Northern Arctic wildflowers colour the land during its several weeks of continuous daylight. Winters Arctic Marine Region. The park's near brief summer, especially in the warmer and Activities are long and harsh, summers cool and brief, total isolation helps protect its moister Lake Hazen area. Lichens and with cold dry winds and very light snowfalls. ecosystems. Quttinirpaaq is part of the mosses make up the remaining species of Access to the park's interior is largely by small The area is essentially a polar desert, though Arctic Cordillera and the Northern Arctic vegetation. aircraft. Visitors can indulge in challenging hikes, thermal oases, such as the area around Lake Ecozones. outstanding nature photography (the wildlife has Hazen, are warm and moist enough to support virtually no fear of humans), "flightseeing", fishing, plant and animal life. Only about 60 mm of and picnicking. There are no campsites, but some precipitation falls here annually. roofed accommodations are available on the south Wildlife side of Lake Hazen. Random camping in the The wildlife of Quttinirpaaq National Park is interior of the park is permitted, but a "no trace" a sparse mix of herbivores and carnivores, ethic on the visitor's part is strongly encouraged. generally only as plentiful as the vegetation The arctic environment is extremely sensitive to any t Geology le In around it. Arctic hares have been seen human impact. Garbage left behind will take m an a h ce k r hundreds of years to decompose, and even organic O a The Grant Land Mountains ic M gathered in the hundreds. Other herbivores ct c M Ar C ts lin n waste will be visible for decades. Visitors are greeted cover the north portion of to e include small herds of muskoxen and c m k le the park. As well, high C Peary's caribou. Arctic wolves, arctic fox, by park staff at Tanquary Fjord, and some ALERT In interpretive information is available. A trip arctic glaciers, fjords, ice le and a few polar bears represent the area's t caps, and a deeply cut predator population. During the summer, planning brochure is also available. It is plateau exist here. The some 30 species of birds nest in the area, recommended that arrangements are made early, 900 m thick icefields are a Quttinirpaaq including Arctic Terns and Ringed Plovers. especially for the summer, and that people plan for true remnant of the last Arctic char can be found in Lake Hazen and a total self-sufficiency. Fort continental glaciers that Conger few other lakes within the park . Visitors are

n covered much of North ze encouraged to keep track of any animal Ha e For more information, contact: Lak rd t America during the last Ice jo i sightings, making notes on location, F a r r The Superintendent he t rc S numbers, sex, and age whenever possible. Age some 10 000 years ago. A Quttinirpaaq National Park Lake Hazen is the largest Notes on any observed nesting or denning Nunavut Field Unit s P.O. Box 353 e freshwater lake north of the Tanquary r sites, or other ecological information, are a Pangnirtung, Nunavut Camp N d Arctic Circle. N r also encouraged, though care must be taken X0A 0R0 jo F Telephone: (867) 473-8828 ry not to disturb these sensitive sites. a u q Fax: (867) 473-8612 n a T 0 50 000 m Website: www.pc.gc.ca/quttinirpaaq © Parks Canada Quttinirpaaq National Park of Canada Spring 2005 Quttinirpaaq Location A national park was proclaimed on Vegetation National Park of Canada Ellesmere Island in 1988. The park is Pronounced “Khoot-tee-neelk-paahk” located at the north end of the island, This region of polar desert is one of the driest which itself is the northern extremity of in the Northern Hemisphere. Plants must be the Arctic Archipelago. The park is 44 km hardy enough to withstand these climatic east of the Alert military base, and only conditions. To this extent, sedge meadows Climate some 800 km from the North Pole. Access grow where there is enough soil to retain to the 37 775 km2 park is via chartered groundwater, including small wetland areas, Being as far north as it is, the park has wintry aircraft from Resolute Bay. Quttinirpaaq and along creek and river valleys. Shrub weather conditions even in the summer. July is National Park represents Canada's willows survive in areas with enough soil the only month where temperatures reach into Eastern High Arctic Glacier Natural accumulation for them to send down roots. oo the 0 C to 7 C range. Summer also brings Region and a portion of the Northern Arctic wildflowers colour the land during its several weeks of continuous daylight. Winters Arctic Marine Region. The park's near brief summer, especially in the warmer and Activities are long and harsh, summers cool and brief, total isolation helps protect its moister Lake Hazen area. Lichens and with cold dry winds and very light snowfalls. ecosystems. Quttinirpaaq is part of the mosses make up the remaining species of Access to the park's interior is largely by small The area is essentially a polar desert, though Arctic Cordillera and the Northern Arctic vegetation. aircraft. Visitors can indulge in challenging hikes, thermal oases, such as the area around Lake Ecozones. outstanding nature photography (the wildlife has Hazen, are warm and moist enough to support virtually no fear of humans), "flightseeing", fishing, plant and animal life. Only about 60 mm of and picnicking. There are no campsites, but some precipitation falls here annually. roofed accommodations are available on the south Wildlife side of Lake Hazen. Random camping in the The wildlife of Quttinirpaaq National Park is interior of the park is permitted, but a "no trace" a sparse mix of herbivores and carnivores, ethic on the visitor's part is strongly encouraged. generally only as plentiful as the vegetation The arctic environment is extremely sensitive to any t Geology le In around it. Arctic hares have been seen human impact. Garbage left behind will take m an a h ce k r hundreds of years to decompose, and even organic O a The Grant Land Mountains ic M gathered in the hundreds. Other herbivores ct c M Ar C ts lin n waste will be visible for decades. Visitors are greeted cover the north portion of to e include small herds of muskoxen and c m k le the park. As well, high C Peary's caribou. Arctic wolves, arctic fox, by park staff at Tanquary Fjord, and some ALERT In interpretive information is available. A trip arctic glaciers, fjords, ice le and a few polar bears represent the area's t caps, and a deeply cut predator population. During the summer, planning brochure is also available. It is plateau exist here. The some 30 species of birds nest in the area, recommended that arrangements are made early, 900 m thick icefields are a Quttinirpaaq including Arctic Terns and Ringed Plovers. especially for the summer, and that people plan for true remnant of the last Arctic char can be found in Lake Hazen and a total self-sufficiency. Fort continental glaciers that Conger few other lakes within the park . Visitors are n covered much of North ze encouraged to keep track of any animal Ha e For more information, contact: Lak rd t America during the last Ice jo i sightings, making notes on location, F a r r The Superintendent he t rc S numbers, sex, and age whenever possible. Age some 10 000 years ago. A Quttinirpaaq National Park Lake Hazen is the largest Notes on any observed nesting or denning Nunavut Field Unit s P.O. Box 353 e freshwater lake north of the Tanquary r sites, or other ecological information, are a Pangnirtung, Nunavut Camp N d Arctic Circle. N r also encouraged, though care must be taken X0A 0R0 jo F Telephone: (867) 473-8828 ry not to disturb these sensitive sites. a u q Fax: (867) 473-8612 n a T 0 50 000 m Website: www.pc.gc.ca/quttinirpaaq © Parks Canada