Winter in Svalbard

Text: Ingrid Ballari

Why not experience something different this year? Winter at Svalbard means large open plains, snowmobile excursions, and eager dogs on sledding trips. But it also means more: The large masses of snow and ice are vital for all the wildlife, but also for us humans who use nature for recreation.

Fullmåne februarlys

Winter land

The polar bear’s primary hunting area is the same sea ice that the seal uses when they give birth, and the fish and crustaceans graze under at the nutrient-rich ice edge. The long-standing ice that lies over Svalbard tells a geologically interesting story about how the development has been up here in the north. The various snow layers that the glaciers consist of are used as a climate indicator, and extraction of ice cores on Svalbard has taken us as far as about 1000 years back in time. It is a short time on a geological scale, and is mainly due to the Gulf Stream giving a larger summer melt than in Antarctica, in addition to the glaciers «calving», i.e. they move and fall into the sea.

Few of us are scientists, but you can see some of the history hidden under the ice when you visit one of the many ice caves. On a trip with either a snowmobile or a dog, we take you to Tellbreen to show you an underworld of snow and ice. The caves are in fact meltwater channels that are excavated in the summer before the cold and winter once again freeze the corridors. This means that the ice caves change shape and structure from year to year. From the inside you can clearly see the ice ‘»rings», or the layers the glacier consists of. In between crystal-clear ice, you will find sand and rocks, fossils and air bubbles with natural gases.

Pure happiness

On the way to the East Coast, you meet another animal that has adapted to the harsh, barren conditions in Svalbard. The reindeer are affected in a completely different way by the changes in the weather. Svalbard is often called an arctic desert due to the low rainfall, but warmer weather and more precipitation can provide difficult conditions for our four-legged neighbors. In winter, too much snow, but also steel ice over the tundra can make the food inaccessible to the reindeer. The change means that the reindeer have started grazing on seaweed and kelp as an additional food, to get nutrition. Despite the changes, the reindeer population remains stable, and we can enjoy the sight of these friendly creatures on tour.

East Coast – Mecca for expedition travelers

The journey to one of the most exotic destinations is spectacular. In Mohnbukta on the east coast, you drive between beautiful ice formations that can take your breath away. The formations arise from ice bergs and hummocked ice, which have frozen between the pack ice in the east. This is also where you have the best chance of seeing polar bears. Consideration for wildlife comes first and foremost, and both locals and the tourism industry are well trained to take care of the vulnerable fauna. Still, keep your binoculars ready, because if you are lucky, you can see the king of the Arctic in the middle of the ice, looking for seals.

And deep in the bay, a wall of blue and white glacier front tells another story about Svalbard.