Under the glacier

Today I booked a “snowcat to ice cave” tour. I’m not entirely sure why I went this route vs pretty much anything else, but it was booked and paid for so at 9am we found ourselves climbing into the strangest vehicle I’ve ever ridden in.

I recall initially I wanted to book a snowmobile tour, but they are not many under 8 hours in duration and I wasn’t so sure I’d enjoy a full day on a snowmobile. I definitely wouldn’t enjoy a full day on a snowmobile in this particularly cold weather (today’s low is -1 and the high is 5…let me tell you, -1 and 5 are indistinguishable from each other since they are both frigid).

We learned in Colombia that none of us care for confined spaces or tunnels, so I was truly nervous when we got to the ice cave opening. It looked awful – like everything I hate. Then we were handed helmets and spikes and I nearly gave up.

We somehow all managed to muster the courage to enter the ice cave. Once we got past the first 40 feet of downward tunnels, the cave leveled out. My heart was racing from the adrenaline of the climb in, but the stunning beauty inside the cave allowed me to quickly recover. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.

At the end of the tunnels, we had to squeeze through a really small opening in order to enter the “cathedral” – a massive cavern that the guides just discovered this year. The room was oddly humid, with a bit of liquid water on the floor, and it certainly was a sight to see. To think that a space this size could exist under the millions of tons of solid ice above it is wild (and a thought I’m glad I had after going in rather than during).

We slowly made our way back, still awe-struck at the power of ice and beauty of nature. Thankfully, exiting was much easier than entering, and I was pretty glad for the wide open space that greeted me once I emerged from the cave.

Our guide took us near the top of the glacier and we stopped for some hot elderberry juice (not bad!!). Then we piled into the snowcat and made our way back.

After a warm-up and lunch, we headed to Svalbard’s Husky Cafe. Like a cat cafe, but with dogs/huskies. Best idea ever!!

We are off to the Svalbard Brewery next. Tomorrow we have no real agenda beyond the Svalbard Museum (which is supposed to be great) and some shopping. Since Svalbard isn’t governed the same way Norway is, it lies outside tax zones – everything is fully tax free. Like a much colder and more awesome New Hampshire.