A National

Lakes that are over two meters deep generally do not freeze throughout and their lakebeds can remain unfrozen. What happens if these lakes partially drain? Well that is when the excitement begins. The waterlogged sand begins to freeze, the water begins to expand and the pressures of these forces begin to create a small hill. Fast-forward to hundreds of years and this small hill grows in size making it a landmark. For the Inuvialuit these landmarks have been used for centuries as a guide for hunters and travelers and today they are known as Pingos.

Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories is the perfect getaway for exploring Canada’s Pingos. It has the largest concentration of Pingos (approximately 1,350). There are eight primary Pingos contained in a protected area of about 16 square kilometers. The program to preserve the Pingos was established during the signing of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. Today it is known as a National Landmark. Ibyuk Pingo, name of the largest of the eight is Canada’s biggest and the World’s second largest Pingo; its circumference measures 300 metres and it has an altitude of 48 metres in height, which is equivalent to a 16-story office building.

In the summer, tour companies can get you toand-from Tuktoyaktuk either by a short plane ride or a scenic boat ride through the Mackenzie Delta. Once there, local tour operators can bring you to dip your toe into the Arctic Ocean. Summer visitation to Ibyuk is expected to increase due to the panoramic boardwalk built last summer making Pingos easily accessible to tourists. The project took years of consultation and planning. Parks Canada and Canada’s Economic Action Plan made funding of the project possible. Community support was tremendous. The boardwalk consists of 429 meters in length, and ends at a circular platform providing for beautiful views

Split pingo. visitors looking out at the pingos from the newly built boardwalk. August, 2010.