Four months of complete darkness, freezing temperatures all year round and no trees; welcome to North America’s northernmost community.
Grise Fiord in Canada is located just 1,500 kilometers from the North Pole and although it sounds inhospitable, it has maintained a steady population since its founding in 1953 and currently has a population of just over 140.
The hamlet was established by the Canadian government in an attempt to assert sovereignty in the north during the Cold War. As a result, several Inuit families were forcibly relocated.
Over time, the community has blossomed and now some locals are taking to social media to offer a glimpse into their lives and the harsh conditions they live in.
Grise Fiord in Canada is just 960 miles from the North Pole
Since its founding in 1953 it has had a constant population density and currently has just over 140 inhabitants
The hamlet was established by the Canadian government in an attempt to assert sovereignty in the north during the Cold War. As a result, several Inuit families were forcibly relocated.
Over time, the community has blossomed and now some locals are taking to social media to offer a glimpse into their lives and the harsh conditions they live in.
Despite the cold climate, resident Ooleesee Akeeagok explains in one of her TikToks that her young daughter “loves being outside, even below -25 degrees Celsius”
In a YouTube video, Klaus Dohring and Michael Schneider, who are president and director of sales of solar company Green Sun Rising, reveal how they landed in Grise Fiord to install some solar panels on the community office and were struck by what they found.
They explain that the temperature during the day is ‘single digit minus’, while at night it drops further to ‘double digit minus’.
Klaus says, as drone footage shows the alien landscape: “Fascinating place, incredible views, mountains around us, glaciers, lots of icebergs, lots of ice and the occasional polar bear.”
At the end of the film, the men explain that they were trapped in Grise Fiord for several days because a “blizzard and high winds” at the nearest airport prevented a plane from reaching them.
There are no roads connecting Grise Fiord to the mainland and it is only accessible via a single airstrip or by boat in the summer months.
The nearest airport is in Resolute Bay and the flight time is approximately one hour and 30 minutes.
Return flights from Grise Fiord to Resolute on the Inuit-owned airline Canadian North are rare and very expensive, with tickets costing more than $1,300.
In a YouTube video, Klaus Dohring and Michael Schneider from solar company Green Sun Rising reveal how they landed in Grise Fiord to install some solar panels
Klaus says, as drone footage shows the alien landscape: ‘Fascinating place, incredible views, mountains around us, glaciers, lots of icebergs, lots of ice’
There are no roads connecting Grise Fiord to the mainland and it is only accessible by single airstrip or by boat in the summer months
The nearest airport is in Resolute Bay and the combat time is approximately one hour and 30 minutes
Round-trip flights from Grise Fiord to Resolute with Canadian North are rare and very expensive, with tickets costing more than $1,300
Because it is difficult to provide food for the community, supermarket products are also very pricey.
In a TikTok, resident Jen Ningiuk gives viewers a glimpse of some of the products available for purchase at Grise Fiord’s only store.
In the clip, she shows how a 12-pack of toilet paper costs $18.33 (CA$24.69), a 64-pack of baby wipes costs $13.36 (CA$17.99), and a 32-pack of Nature Valley granola bars units cost $37.12 (CA$49.99).
Other Grise Fiord residents have shared videos of some of their daily activities, including seal hunting, cooking and walking.
In most clips, conditions appear icy and high winds (sometimes over 75mph) are another common feature.
Despite the cold climate, resident Ooleesee Akeeagok explains in one of her TikToks that her young daughter “loves being outside, even in -25C (-13F)!”
In Grise Fiord, the average annual temperature tops out at -2.3F (-16.5C), dropping to -50F (-45C) during the winter months.
As a result, residents spend a lot of time indoors Katak Silas shows on his TikTok channel how a lot of time has allowed him to perfect the art of body popping.
In his videos, he performs various dance moves to musical tracks, with viewers applauding his skills.
In one clip, he is seen dancing in the community room to Daft Punk’s One More Time, with every move perfectly timed.
Katak Silas shows on his TikTok channel how he has been able to perfect the art of body popping thanks to his time.
In a TikTok, resident Jenn Ningiuk gives viewers a glimpse of some of the products for sale at Grise Fiord’s only store
The name Grise Fiord actually means ‘Pig’s Cove’ in Norwegian, which is a reference to the growling walruses that Norwegian explorer Otto Sverdrup heard as he sailed to shore aboard the Fram in 1899.
As for amenities in Grise Fiord, in addition to a supermarket and a community centre, some of the other notable attractions include a health centre, a school and a church.
Travel Nunavut’s tourism website describes the hamlet as “warmly hospitable” and a place where visitors are “always welcomed with a big smile.”
In addition to English, residents speak Inuktitut, one of Canada’s main Inuit languages.
The Inuktitut name of Grise Fiord is Aujuittuq, which translates to ‘the place that never thaws’.
The website notes that the main draws for adventure tourists are the scenery and wildlife.
In addition to seals, narwhals, beluga whales and walruses are often sighted, while polar bears also regularly prowl.
The name Grise Fiord actually means ‘Pig’s Cove’ in Norwegian, which is a reference to the growling walruses that Norwegian explorer Otto Sverdrup heard when he sailed there aboard the Fram in 1899.
In the Grise Fiord Community Guidelines, modern residents ask visitors to respect their home.
They note that while we “retain aspects of our traditional diet and lifestyle, we are as modern as you are,” with satellite TV, the Internet and iPhones.
Visitors are also advised not to ask sensitive and personal questions, but instead to ‘ask us about our passions and hobbies and how we like to spend our time’.