Newborn Polar Bear Cubs Den Encounter
2026 Dates: Between Mid February ~ Mid March
Experience the breathtaking beauty of the northern landscape while exploring the environment of our planet’s foremost polar bear denning area.
Clothing recommendations
In our experience
In our experience
In our experience
- Layering is the best way to stay warm. A base layer of long underwear, (with a variety of different warmth ratings) a mid-layer of Polar Fleece, and a minimum of a premium goose down parka and down snow pants.
- Layering is also important when getting in and out of a heated vehicle. A deep tunnel hood will help to keep the wind from your face, as will a fur ruff.
- We highly recommend that quality of garment. The tough outer layer resists tearing. Water repellency is not paramount in below freezing temperatures, since snow simply brushes off, leaving little moisture to soak into the outer fabric.
Face covers
In our experience
In our experience
- Temperatures range from -20C to -35C during this time.
- A neoprene face mask that covers the nose and lower face should also prevent frostbite and windburn. A Polar Fleece cap, worn under the hood will get you through the really cold, windy days, as will something to keep the wind off your face.
- Sun glasses and sun screen are necessary, and will also provide protection from the wind, which is often brisk, as will lots of hand cream, as the humidity is quite low/dry.
Insulated boots
Insulated boots
Insulated boots
- Standing for long periods of time in snow, in low temperatures, we recommend the warmest boots that you can find.
- Manufacturers such as Baffin, Sorrel, or Cabella's all provide good boots. However, they should be rated for at least -100 degrees Celsius (POLAR RATED) to keep your toes toasty. The inner liners should be removed daily, and allowed to dry overnight to provide the best performance.
- Merino wool socks are a good bet, as they are very warm, and will wick moisture away from your feet, keeping them warmer. Cotton clothing retains moisture, and can quickly draw heat from your body parts by conduction.
Hand protection
Insulated boots
Insulated boots
- Hand protection is best accomplished with a two or three layer approach. Extra large down mittens, worn over convertible fingerless gloves/mittens, warn over a base layer of glove liners seems to be the best option for keeping shutter fingers warm.
- The addition of disposable chemical hand warmers in the convertible mittens and the parka hand warmer pockets will help to keep frostbite at bay.
- Frostbite is a very real issue when handling tripods and cameras, and when changing batteries.
Photography Equipment
Photography checklist
- Camera bodies
- 600mm+ (600mm or 800mm) lens
- Teleconverter (1.4x or 2.0x)
- Wide-angle lens for aurora or landscapes
- Tripod
- Gimbal Tripod Head
- Ball head mount
- Spare camera batteries
- Battery charger
- Lots of memory cards
- Computer and Hard drive
- Memory card reader
- Extra large Zip-Loc Baggies
Note and recommendations
- Camera batteries lose considerable power in cold weather, and require changing to warm ones stored inside a parka (in a plastic baggie, to prevent condensation).
- Lenses and other camera equipment also gather condensation, when brought from a cold environment into a warm one. Extra large Zip-Loc Baggies can prevent moisture, when the equipment is stabilizing its temperature. Internal lens groups have been known to fog up, if not given enough time to stabilize their temperature.
- Carbon fiber tripods do not seem to be as much a problem with touching them with moist hands and freezing one’s skin to them as do aluminum ones, thus reducing the need for foam covers for the legs. The foam will pad them for carrying over the shoulder.
This unique experience and location were presented by
