It’s there and it’s frustrating, at least if it doesn’t cooperate with your intended direction. If going from Canada, always keep left when at choice, the opposite applies when going from Russia. Stay close to 74 W right from the start and try not to reach below 70 W. This is to avoid getting caught by the underwater Lomonosov ridge drift and also to counter the strong easterly drift often brought on by blizzards. But don’t overdo it, even if sliding below 70 W, keep a straight line for the pole rather then heading straight west.

The strongest drift opposite your headed direction will be in the last degrees before the pole. Prepare for long travel days and short camps and forget rest days.

Some expeditions have tried to buy satellite pictures of the ice to scout a route past ridges and large open leads. Unfortunately, those pictures are not detailed enough and too old when they reach you. The ice conditions change very quickly and the satellite pictures turn inaccurate within hours. In addition, it’s hard to tell if leads are open or iced over, if areas are covered with rubble or not, and the general project is simply time consuming and useless.