The Arctic is perhaps the most challenging environment on Earth for a motor vehicle. Where else can you drive down the middle of a river, or actually drive across an ocean? Temperatures are averaging colder than 20 below zero in February, and could potentially hit 50 below if we get caught in a cold snap.

So taking a pair of SUVs up past the 66th parallel in the dead of winter requires some careful preparation if you want to make it back with the cars and all your toes still attached.

Getting The Right Ride

We chose the new Mitsubishi Outlander XLS for this adventure. The Outlander had the right stuff in a number of areas – we liked its tall, but not too tall, stance and its driver-controlled AWD system. We can choose economical 2WD, standard AWD for lightly challenging surfaces, and full limited-slip AWD for the serious ice roads. The capable 3.0-liter V6 engine and 4-wheel disc brakes make the Outlander a confident vehicle on the snow and ice.

Inside the car, we liked the heated seats, satellite radio, GPS navigation, and the hard-disk music server. We were also grateful for the spacious interior of the cars – with three people to a vehicle, we needed some serious luggage room.

But even with the right car for the job, there’s more you have to do when you’re headed in the far North. Read on and find out.