NORTHWEST PASSAGE MARATHON

July 05, 2018 | Arctic Watch

NORTHWEST PASSAGE MARATHON

We are excited to welcome this year's participants of the Northwest Passage Marathon - the world's northernmost marathon and Nunavut's only marathon! With the potential to see muskoxen, polar bears, arctic foxes and more, the Northwest Passage Marathon is unlike any other.

The Northwest Passage Marathon is returning to Arctic Watch this year! On July 18th, we are pleased to welcome fifteen marathon runners from around the world to our lodge located 800km north of the Arctic Circle. At 74 degrees north, Arctic Watch is not only an incredible location for wildlife viewing but is also a unique and stunning landscape to enjoy on foot. The Northwest Passage marathon provides the unique opportunity to be self-propelled and cover long distances over land, allowing our guests to experience parts of the island that are otherwise inaccessible. Above the arctic circle, the rolling tundra is vast and barren of trees. Running along the open expanse, the land spills out in front of you, small plants carve out an existence at your feet and curious Arctic wildlife often make an appearance.

In our first year hosting the marathon, we had seven runners and fourteen polar bear sightings along the 42km route. Leaving from the lodge, the course heads north following Cunningham Inlet to Polar Bear Point where it then turns west and hugs the Northwest Passage all the way to Cape Marie. Along the way, runners can expect to see belugas as they begin to congregate in the inlet and polar bears and seals are often seen on the ice of the Northwest Passage.

Returning inland the marathon continues through the Red Valley and a mobile aid station will support runners along the way. Already this year we have seen muskoxen, arctic fox and snowy owls on our inland excursions. The Northwest Passage Marathon is truly unlike any marathon in the world and we can’t wait to host this year’s runners for an experience of a lifetime. Interested in the marathon? We are now accepting bookings for the next marathon scheduled in 2020.