Northern Lights During Polar Expedition Survival Training

Baffin Island, Nunavut in the Canadian Arctic - March, 2009

I spent 10 days in Nunavut learning how to survive in polar environments. The training included skiing over rugged sea ice, dog sledding and numerous days of camping out with temperatures dipping down to -30, sometimes with a wind chill of -45! It was so cold that exposed skin began to freeze in seconds. Conducting the training was veteran polar explorer Matty McNair, who has travelled to both the North and South pole numerous times. Also on this training session was Paul Hubner and his son Ryan. Paul has already skied to both the North and South Poles and is intending to have Ryan join him next winter on a trek to the South Pole. If successful, Ryan would become the youngest person to ski to the South Pole.   Remote Arctic travel can be very dangerous with such hazards as: frostbite, hypothermia, shifting sea ice, and polar bears. Large Polar Bear tracks had been spotted along the path that we took through Auyuittuq National Park.     Many Thanks to Matty & Eric McNair and Paul & Ryan Hubner.

A great display of the northern lights with Iqaluit in the background.	One of our tents with a lit up sky. The temperature was about -20C.

Northern lights and a lit up tent reflected in the sea ice.	More, fantastic northern lights. Probably the best display I've seen.

Another great light show in Auyuittuq National Park.	The northern lights were so bright that they lit up the snow with an eerie green hue.

 

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