ARKHANGELSK, January 21. /TASS/. The Northern Path 2019 snowmobile expedition, which started on January 11 from Murmansk, reached Arkhangelsk on Sunday. The expedition’s coordinator Igor Smolin told TASS the participants had covered about 1,500km.
Three travelers from Magnitogorsk plan to cross the Russian Arctic’s eight regions from Murmansk to Kamchatka within three months. The expedition participants - experienced travelers - will cover about 17,000 km.
"The expedition has reached Arkhangelsk, they have covered about 1,500 km - it is impossible to take precise measures, as it may happen so that one goes ahead of the others, returns, and the others are waiting for him to come back," the coordinator said.
The biggest problem the travelers faced on the route from Murmansk, he continued, was too soft snow. "It is enough of it, but that snow is too soft and loose," he said. "You can see quite enough snow, but it is not stiff enough - no thawing was there, and thus the snowmobiles practically fell down to the ground."
The route along the White Sea was not easier. "The ice was bad, it was not reliable everywhere," the coordinator said. "They even registered a record - three hours or even more to make one and a half kilometers, at some narrow passages they even had to carry the snowmobiles."
The expedition will leave Arkhangelsk on Tuesday morning to head for north-east - towards Mezen in the Arkhangelsk Region, and further on - to Naryan-Mar in the Nenets Region.