November 19 – Warm temperatures and light winds continued today. As the day progressed, conditions became foggy for periods and ultimately soft snow fell near the end of the day. On the tundra, many seals were spotted along the coastline. Polar bears, however, were not seen either on land or on the sea ice. An unusual sighting of an enormous flock of more than 150 ptarmigan kept photographers busy for quite a while. The highlight today, though, was an early morning sighting of two tundra wolves, one black and one gray, seen by groups leaving town at first light. This bear season has been exceptional for wolf sightings; most years no wolves are spotted.
November 20 – It was another snowy day with high winds and cold temperatures. Visibility was reduced to just a few hundred feet for much of the afternoon. Polar bears were not spotted, and very few smaller animals were encountered in the storm. Helicopters were grounded, and all but the main roads in town were closed due to drifting. The storm stopped abruptly at 8 pm, and by 10 pm, groups were gathered outside to enjoy a beautiful northern lights display.
