Tundra exists as a transition environment between subarctic lands and the polar ice caps.
The tundra is an environment just beyond the reaches of the two polar ice caps. It is a cold and barren place where little grows and few people live. Amid the desolation, some species of animals make their home. For example, musk oxen, caribou and wolverine -- the largest of the mustelid family, which includes weasels and mink -- all thrive in this most unforgiving of habitats.
Temperature
Although tundra regions tend to experience mild summers, their predominate climate is one of low precipitation and plummeting temperatures. The coldest tundra areas are in north-eastern Siberia, where January temperatures average minus--40 degrees Fahrenheit and have been recorded as low as minus--93 degrees F. These phenomenally low temperatures cause enormous problems for travelers, who have to take extreme measures in order to keep warm and avoid hypothermia. These measures include thick, duvet jackets that are breathable as well as resistant to the cold.
Frozen Ground
Areas of tundra are characterized by layers of permafrost. These are layers of frozen Earth that remain frozen all year round, usually about 5 feet below ground level. Although permafrost does not extend right to the surface, it does mean that surface ground remains hard and stiff throughout most of the year. This makes things such as pitching tents or erecting structures immensely difficult. After a hard day of trekking, hammering a tent peg into solidly frozen ground is undesirable, so if possible boil some water in a kettle and defrost the earth before setting up camp.
Vegetation
The low levels of precipitation -- many tundra areas experience less rain than desert areas -- and poor quality soil of areas of tundra means that vegetation is scarce. This has a knock-on affect for a traveler as a lack of vegetation means no grazing animals to hunt for food, no timber to make fires to keep warm and no plants for sustenance and nutrition. A tundra traveler must overcome these difficulties by making good use of the vegetation he does find, for example, low level shrubs, sedge grasses and mosses.
Terrain
In winter, tundra terrain is generally icy, rocky and unforgiving. Consequently, it is advisable for a traveler to wear sturdy, high-sided boots with strong ankle support to enable her to navigate the landscape safely. In some tundra areas, however, the summer months bring a terrain hazard of a different variety. As the surface ice melts, the permafrost prevents it from draining away and so marshes and swamps are formed. These can be dangerous for travelers who are advised against traveling during darkness in these areas in order to avoid wandering into a dangerous marsh. Mercifully, tundra areas experience little darkness during the summer months.
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