Arctic survival tips
The Arctic is classed as anything that lies north of the circle that is 66° north of the equator. It includes seven countries which are Russia, Canada, Norway, Finland, Sweden, the United States but only with Alaska, and Denmark but only with their overseas territory of Greenland. It is one of the most sparsely populated areas on earth and there are only 5 months of the year when the average daily temperature gets above freezing.
The North Pole has a period of 6 months where they sit in total darkness, and this spreads out to the northern tips of the Canadian islands and Greenland mainland. This is one area of the world where it is really easy to die, and preparing for a journey to the wilderness of the Arctic Circle is one that takes more than just packing spare clothes.
If you ever come to this deadly and beautiful place, make sure you understand exactly what you’re getting into.
The average temperature in the inland areas of Northern Norway can reach as low as -40°C. The average temperatures are closer to -10°C to -20°C, with it being slightly warmer near the coast due to the sea air, but the Northern coast of Norway is only right at the bottom of the Arctic Circle. Some areas in Russia and Canada stretch further north and get much colder like the village of Oymyakon found in the Oymyakonsky District of the Sakha Republic. They have an average daily winter temperature of −50 °C (−58 °F), with a record low of 71.2°C taken in 1924.
Flash freezing is a big problem here too, the air can get so cold that in a gale it can freeze ears and noses in seconds, meaning you will need some heavy-duty gear, including some kind of goggles and layers of clothing that cover every inch of your skin.
How to stay safe in the Arctic
Do not go to this area, especially the wilderness without a clear route planned out before you go. This isn’t the kind of place to go for a casual walk, and knowing exactly where you are at all times will keep you alive. You should always be close to shelter and have ample means of keeping yourself warm because there is no other climate on earth that can kill you as fast as extreme cold. Preparation is key, so here are a few things to consider if you plan on visiting the Arctic Circle.
Watch your supplies
It will be very difficult to resupply, so make sure you have everything you need with you. The southern areas of the Arctic Circle are the furthest northern parts of all the countries that are in it except for Greenland and Canada. These two stretch further north and get much colder than the others. If you go further north than anything connected to the mainland then the only chance to re-supply will be from another party bringing supplies in a planned mission, or from one of the few research stations.
Gain some weight
Try and put on some fat before you go to make up for the higher amount of calories you’ll need just to maintain your body weight in arctic conditions. Field workers from both the Arctic and Antarctic research stations eat between 4,000 and 6,000 calories per day. It is a good idea to try and put on extra weight before you go to slow down the loss of body weight just from being there.
Get a special tent
There is no land at the North Pole and what people see in pictures is nothing more than a gigantic ice sheet. There is plenty of land within the Arctic Circle after the main countries in the form of hundreds of tiny islands, but there is little to no useful plant life on them. There is nothing to build a shelter with and this isn’t the kind of place you should even try. You will need a special tent that has been designed for Arctic conditions, which are usually quite heavy and bulky, not to mention expensive.
Drink twice as much water as normal
Areas of permanent extreme cold have the lowest areas of humidity on Earth. The driest air on the planet can be found in Antarctica in a place known simply as “Dry Valley”. The Arctic shares the same features that make the air dry, and this will cause you to lose water at a rapid rate. Every time you breathe out, all the moisture will freeze and float away as frost, and the air you breathe in will be completely dry, so even if you aren’t sweating you’ll still quickly lose moisture.
Bring a specialized survival kit
There is always a high chance that you might get cut off, both from rescue and your communications going down. If this happens and you get stuck somewhere, you’ll need more than the basic kit to survive. You should have enough food and stove fuel to last as long as possible, but at least water won’t be a problem.
Be careful of sweating
If you get sweaty and the moisture from your body reaches the outer layers of your clothing, then it’s going to freeze inside your clothes when you cool down. This will make you much colder in the long run and even though it’s difficult, activities that make you sweat should be avoided, or at least done in short bursts. This also goes for breathing into your clothes for warmth, or when you’re in a sleeping bag because the moisture can build up and cause frost.
Get some specialised transport
It depends on how far north you plan to go but you might need something other than a decent pair of boots. When you come across snow too deep to walk through normally you will need to use something more advanced, like a snowmobile or husky-pulled sled. For shorter journeys, a pair of snowshoes works nicely but it takes a lot of energy to move rather slowly using this method. Journeys to the North Pole itself involve traveling by something called a snowcat which is tracked and can carry a large amount of cargo.
Interesting facts about the Arctic Circle
- The word Arctic comes from the Greek word ‘arktikos’, which means northern or bear.
- It’s not known who was the first person to reach the North Pole as the claims are disputed, but it was either the party led by Robert Peary or Matthew Henson in 1909.
- The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of all oceans, with its deepest point being 5450m deep.
- The Arctic is the only place on earth where polar bears can naturally be found.
- Polar bears and penguins have never met each other, as penguins can only be found living in the southern hemisphere.
- The narwhal is another interesting creature that can only be found in the Arctic, with its singular straight tusk growing up to 3 meters long.
- The Arctic Circle covers about a 6th of the earth’s surface.