It had been planned that the relief ships should depot supplies along the Nares Strait, around Cape Sabine and at Littleton Island, if they were unable to reach Fort Conger, which should have made for a comfortable wintering of Greely's men.
Det var planlagt, at nødhjælpsskibene skulle deponere forsyninger langs Nares-strædet, omkring Cape Sabine og Littleton Island, hvis de ikke kunne nå Fort Conger, hvilket burde have sikret en bekvemmelig overvintring af Greelys mænd.