Expedition 60 The Subarctic

Expedition 60 The Subarctic

Introducing 60 Degrees North Welcome aboard for a flight around the world at 60 degrees north latitude. We'll be traveling over the subarctic region, the area south of the Arctic Circle. The subarctic is known for its long, cold winters and its short, cool summers. Unlike our previous trips, this trip won't include a visit to the same latitude line in the Southern Hemisphere. That's because at 60 degrees south latitude, there are no airports-because there is no land!

Subarctic Safari Mountains in the subarctic sometimes contain glaciers-giant sheets of ice that have built up over hundreds or thousands of years. The subarctic is home to animals such as bears, wolves, caribou, and moose. The inland areas of continents at 60 degrees north are often covered with huge evergreen forests known as taiga (TIE-guh). The trees in these forests must withstand temperatures as low as -40°F (-40°C) in the winter. But our trip will take place in June--summertime in the Northern Hemisphere-when temperatures are warm, and daylight is plentiful.

Anchorage, Alaska We start in Anchorage, Alaska (61 degrees north latitude), just in time for the Summer Solstice Festival on June 21. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year. On that day each year, Anchorage gets about nineteen hours of daylight.

Anchorage is located on Cook Inlet, a narrow channel on the Gulf of Alaska. Because it's near water, Anchorage has a milder climate than other places farther inland. Large bodies of water keep places warmer in winter and cooler in summer. High temperatures in Anchorage average 65 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and 20 degrees in winter. Friends advise you not to miss the Goldpanners' baseball game in Fairbanks, a city 360 miles to the north. The game is played late at night without artificial lights at the Midnight Sun Festival!

Oslo, Norway Flying east to northern Europe, we land in Oslo, Norway, on an inlet on the North Sea. A warm ocean current, the North Atlantic Drift, keeps temperatures in the city fairly mild for its latitude at 60 degrees north. Temperatures can reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and the mid-20s in winter.