Operation Hilltop 13 - Part 1

KGVM - September 21, 2013.

Every September, the cadets of 3045 Army Cadet Corps go out on the land for a Field Training eXercise (FTX).  FTXs are the highlights of the regular training year for cadet corps across Canada because they give cadets the opportunity to put the skills and knowledge they learned in the classroom (map & compass, knots, bushcraft, fieldcraft, radio communication, etc.) to the test.  They are the equivalent of a school field trip.  The September FTX, codenamed Operation Hilltop, also enables the cadets of 3045 to complete an important training requirement: a 7km hike. 

            

Operation Hilltop 13, (the 13 stands for 2013), took place on the Road to Nanisivik with the final destination being just past the Second Bridge.  There are two bridges on Nunavut's longest road and the distance between them is exactly 7 kilometres.  The bridge closest to Arctic Bay is known as First Bridge and the one after is called Second Bridge.  ("A darn good arrangement.")  Cadets would be driven to the First Bridge where the hike would begin.  The senior cadets were required to complete the hike wearing rucksacks and overnight just past the Second Bridge.  The junior cadets only had to finish the hike and would be driven back to Arctic Bay. 

           

In the past, the hikes were done over rougher terrain but this forced adult staff to rely on ATVs to ferry food, equipment, and people to & from the camp site.  Staging the FTX near the Nanisivik Road enabled the use of heavier vehicles (pickup trucks).  The faster mobility would definitely be important in the event of an emergency.

            

The morning of Saturday, September 21, began with the sun steadily rising over King George V Mountain.  All participating cadets were required to be at the Community Hall for breakfast at 9am.  Senior cadets and adult staff overnighting on the land also had to bring their packed rucksacks and sleeping bags.  I arrived at 8:30, setting my belongings on the floor in the main hallway that had been turned into a makeshift cafeteria.  Irene, the town's mental health nurse, was in the kitchen preparing egg mcmuffins.  She was assisted by another nurse and a visiting student doctor.  For drinks, there was orange juice and water.  Two tables and chairs were set up in front of the kitchen for junior & senior cadets.  By 9:15, breakfast was in full swing.  Cadets were served from youngest to oldest, followed by adult staff.  Naturally, the egg mcmuffins were delicious, and everyone went back for seconds.

            

Seniors loading supplies.

Water sign next to the First Bridge.

After breakfast, the cadets were separated into two groups: seniors & juniors.  I was in charge of the senior group and Sean, the Grade 5 & 6 teacher at Inuujaq School, led the juniors.  My group would reach the campsite first and set everything up before the juniors' arrival.  An RCMP officer armed with a rifle would act as our protector against aggressive wildlife.  The senior cadets and I hopped into the back of one of the pickup trucks and were driven to the Gas Station by the Commanding Officer, Lt. May.  There, the seniors loaded tents, food, hot chocolate, cardboard, garbage bags, and other essential supplies onto the pickup truck.  Lt. May then drove us to the First Bridge, located half a kilometre beyond the airport.  Once we disembarked, I realized this was my first time exploring a portion of the Nanisivik Road beyond the airport.

            

Before the trek started, the seniors organized themselves into two lines.  I led the way while one of the senior Sergeants walked at the back.  The RCMP officer and the student doctor walked alongside us.  The sky was mostly blue and the temperature was in the minus single digits.  With my digital camera at the ready, I snapped photos of the rocky landscape and the unpaved road.  After following the road around the first large hill to our left, a large white Arctic hare suddenly appeared.  It had been hiding in a drainage pipe under the road and upon hearing our approach made a dash for safety.  It stopped several feet away and eyed us with curiosity. 

            

"He's been eating a lot," commented a cadet.  "He's fattening up for the winter."

            

"Wish I could keep it as a pet," I added.  I tried to get really close to the hare but he slowly moved away.  I'll catch him next time.

            

We continued following the Road to Nanisivik, slowly inching our way up the rocky hills.  To my right, I saw Holy Cross Point and the area where the Spring Camp was held back in May.  We stopped and had a quick rest, taking the rucksacks off our backs and stretching for 5 minutes.  When the trek resumed, the seniors took turns walking at the front of the group so that they wouldn't fall behind.  You're only as fast as your slowest person.

            

The next landmark we crossed were the liquor signs at the top of the first plateau, some 4 kilometres past the First Bridge.  Arctic Bay is a restricted community, meaning residents can only import alcohol if they have a permit.  The signs mark where this restriction begins and ends.  I quickly took photos of both signs before catching up to the seniors.  We took another short break at the top of the second plateau.  The views from here are spectacular. 

            

Beyond the second plateau, the ground became blacker and there was much more snow lying around.  The road slightly curves to the left and then becomes a straight path for a good kilometre.  Then it begins to dip and curve to the right.  As we followed the road's descent, I could see we were entering a small valley.  To the left, I could see a frozen river that ran alongside a tall brown mountain with a steep hillside.  "There's no way you could get a solid footing on that side," the RCMP officer commented.  "You would just slide back down all the time."  After walking several more metres, the road became straight again but continued to descend.

            

"I can see the Second Bridge!" a senior cadet exclaimed.

            

"Yes, I see it too," I replied with my eyes squinted.

            

Second Bridge.

It took about another ten minutes to reach the Second Bridge.  With every step we took, I could make out the red truck that had been driven there in advance.  About halfway down the road, the frozen river to our left makes a sudden 90 degree turn away from the road and runs between two hills.  The Second Bridge is built across a small stream that joins with the river.  It too was frozen.  After reaching the camp site, the seniors dropped their rucksacks and sat at the lone picnic table to catch their breaths.  I set my backpack down and took pictures of the surrounding valley.  The Road to Nanisivik continues for several metres before making a sharp left turn and ascends up a hill. 

            

"Don't get too comfortable," I advised the seniors.  "Once the juniors get here, there's work to be done."

To be continued . . .