British Empire Range

The British Empire Range is a mountain range on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, in Canada’s high Arctic. It contains high, glaciated peaks and is among the most northerly mountain terrain in Canada.

The range is notable for peaks rising to over 2,600 metres and heavily glaciated landscapes; it is visited only by scientific teams and experienced polar mountaineering expeditions. There are no road links and travel requires aircraft and specialised polar equipment.

Ranges on Ellesmere Island were mapped and explored during 20th-century Arctic expeditions; mountaineering and scientific research have documented their geology and glaciation. Modern use is primarily scientific and expeditionary rather than mass tourism.

Geographically the range lies on northern Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, within the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and well above 80 degrees north latitude. The terrain is remote tundra and ice, with the nearest permanent settlements many hundreds of kilometres away.

• Access and logistics: Extremely remote Arctic location reached almost exclusively by air and requiring polar expedition logistics and permits for access.
• Arctic highland terrain: Contains some of Canada’s highest peaks north of the Arctic Circle and forms part of the high-elevation terrain of Ellesmere Island.

What to See#

• Barbeau Peak: At 2,616 metres, Barbeau Peak is the highest point within the range and on Ellesmere Island, and is the most prominent summit of the British Empire Range.