In the summer of 2022, American climber and author Mark Synnott led a 6,736-mile expedition through the Northwest Passage, a sea route linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic. Starting in Nuuk, Greenland, and ending in Nome, Alaska, the 112-day journey followed the route of British explorer Sir John Franklin. Franklin and his 128-man crew vanished in the 1840s while trying to navigate the same path. Synnott’s goal was to explore the mystery of their disappearance by stopping at the same locations and studying the Arctic environment up close. The expedition, backed by National Geographic, served as both a scientific mission and a tribute to one of polar history’s greatest mysteries.

Synnott later wrote about the journey in his 2023 book, Into the Ice, which blends travel stories, history, and personal insight. The expedition was also featured in National Geographic’s documentary Explorer: Lost in the Arctic. Researcher Tom Gross noted that in 2015, potential grave markers were seen on King William Island. Though still unconfirmed, findings like this help shed light on the Franklin expedition and inspire continued interest in Arctic exploration.