Subarctic Splendour: Churchill, Manitoba
from WorldWeb.com Travel Guide

Due to its harsh climate, Canada’s subarctic remains relatively untouched. Northern animals can be seen in this mixed environment of tundra, boreal forest, and pack ice. Polar bears, beluga whales, caribou, harp seals, arctic foxes, and ptarmigan are only a few of the species that inhabit these natural surroundings. The unique fauna of the region erupts into a wash of colour when the white and grey of winter gives way to a compressed summer. The clear skies and location of the subarctic also make this region perfect for viewing the Northern Lights.

An ideal location for seeing some of the subarctic and its sights is Churchill, Manitoba. Churchill is over 1000 km (600 mi) northeast of Manitoba’s capital city of Winnipeg and is only accessible by rail and air. From October until April, snow is on the ground and temperatures are below 0ºC (32ºF). January temperatures average below -25ºC (-13ºF) and have reached below -40ºC (-40ºF). The yearly average temperature for Churchill is -6.9ºC (20ºF).

Tours from one to seven days, suiting naturalists and adventurists alike, are plentiful in Churchill as access to the natural northern wonders is easy. Due to limited accommodation within and transportation to Churchill, as well as the short and popular touring seasons, all tours, transport, and accommodation should be booked months or more in advance.

SUBARCTIC SIGHTS

	Polar Bear Image courtesy of Seal River Heritage Lodge

Polar Bears
Churchill lies in the middle of the migratory path of northern Manitoba’s polar bear population (usually September to November annually), although bears can be seen throughout the year. Generally, polar bears remain on the pack ice throughout the year. In the Churchill area, with the melting of the pack ice, the bears are forced to swim to ashore until Hudson’s Bay freezes over again. As well, nearby Wapusk National Park contains a polar bear denning area.

Far from being cuddly creatures, polar bears are wild carnivores, adept at stalking and killing seals on pack ice. As well, polar bears have been known to kill and eat walruses and beluga whales. While the bears pose a real danger to Churchill’s population, the town has a hotline where bear sightings are reported and a bear jail where rogue bears are kept until they can be relocated.

To view the bears safely, special polar bear single and multiple-day tours depart Churchill for the tundra in custom-designed vehicles with a covered cab and large, under-inflated tires. The tires help to minimize the disturbance of the tundra while placing visitors at a safe height above the bears. None of the tour companies guarantee bear sightings, however due to the large and recovering population, there is more than a good chance of seeing a polar bear.

Beluga Whales
From mid-June to August, beluga whales migrate into the Churchill River. Large pods of these unique animals with their white colour and movable necks (the only whales able to do this) swim into the river where they are easily viewed by visitors.

During the beluga migration, whale-watching tour companies in Churchill offer sightseeing trips on the river. In some cases, it is possible to dive with the whales. However, the water temperature varies between 5°C and 14°C (37°F and 59°F), so a dry diving suit is recommended.

Arctic Fox Image courtesy of Seal River Heritage Lodge

Other Subarctic Animals
On any tour around Churchill and the subarctic, a number of other animals may be seen. Animals such as arctic foxes, ptarmigan, caribou, seals, arctic hare and lemmings are seen regularly. Tours by dog sled, snowmobile, and snowshoe are available during the winter months.

Migratory birds are visible in the Churchill area from mid-June to early-July, while nesting species begin to settle in the last week in June and first week of July. The incredible array of birds merits a tour of its own. These birds are best viewed during one of the walking tours offered from Churchill.

The Northern Lights
As high-energy particles from the sun come into contact with the gases in Earth’s upper atmosphere, the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are created. The lights glow and ripple in various colours, depending on the type of gas that the particles excite.

For approximately 300 days of the year, the Northern Lights are visible. Churchill, directly under the umbrella of the Aurora oval, has a clear view of the Northern Lights for many of these days. Prime Northern Lights viewing times are normally in late fall, late winter, and early spring.

Churchill Wildlife Viewing The Seasons
Jan				Feb				Mar				Apr				May				June				July				Aug				Sept				Oct				Nov				Dec
-26.7				-24.6				-19.5				-9.7				-0.7				6.6				12.0				11.7				5.6				-1.7				-12.6				-22.8
16.9				15.7				16.1				19.0				31.9				44.3				56.0				68.3				63.4				46.9				33.1				20.0

Polar Bear Viewing		January - Mid April
Whale Watching		Mid June - Mid August
Migrating and Nesting Birds		Mid April - Early July
The Northern Lights		September - October & January - May
Average Temperature (°C)
Average Precipitation (mm)
Note: All dates are approximate and vary with the weather

GETTING THERE

There are only two ways to get to Churchill today – rail and air. Between Churchill and Winnipeg, limited train service operates throughout the week along a one-and-a-half day, 1700 km (over 1000 mi) route.

Flights on regional airlines to and from Winnipeg are more frequent than rail transportation, more so during the summer months, and take only a couple of hours.

	Igloo under the Northern Lights Image courtesy of Seal River Heritage Lodge

COSTS

Complete six to 10-day tour packages from Winnipeg range in price from CDN $3000 to $8000 per person for polar bear tours. Seven-day package tours of the remaining subarctic sights range in price from CDN $2500 to $5000 per person. Daily tours from Churchill can cost in the neighbourhood of CDN $200 per person.

Accommodation in Churchill can range from CDN $100 to $200 and up per person at a variety of hotels, lodges, and cabins.

A round trip by train to Churchill costs approximately CDN $300 for an economy class ticket up to approximately CDN $1300 for a deluxe, double sleeper ticket. Roundtrip flights to Churchill cost about CDN $800.

Prices fluctuate greatly for each season and each tour. The prices quoted here may not be correct when booking a tour and are given only as a rough guide. Definite prices and information can be gathered by directly contacting tour, accommodation, and transportation providers.

WHAT TO BRING

Clothing
Temperatures in the subarctic can be frigid — even during the summer months. As well, with the strong northerly wind, the wind chill can drop the temperature far below acceptable levels. Most, if not all, of the tundra vehicles are heated. However, as soon as the windows are opened to get a better view of the wildlife, the heat escapes. As well, like the Boy Scouts say, be prepared. If something goes wrong, you may have to sit without generated heat for a long time.

It is possible to rent clothing locally during the duration of your trip but you can bring what you need with you. If you do choose to rent clothing in Churchill, you must book well ahead of your trip.

Churchill Northern Studies Centre Twenty-three kilometres (15 mi) from Churchill, the Churchill Northern Studies Centre was constructed as a research facility to learn more about the north and the northern biomes in order to protect and sustain them. Due to the centre’s location, researchers are able to study the tundra, boreal forest, and marine coast biomes, the flora and fauna of these biomes, local culture, regional history, and the Northern Lights. Learning vacation packages are offered by the centre, allowing visitors to learn from scientists who are performing research in Churchill. Five to seven-day courses are conducted throughout the year in most of the centre’s research areas. While many of these courses are open to all individuals, there are some that are limited to students over 55 years old as part of Elderhostel International. Courses on polar bears, including accommodation and meals and not transportation, are approximately CDN $1800 per person. Similar courses on sights such as birds, wildflowers, and the Northern Lights range from CDN $850 to $1200 per person.

A northern clothing rule is to stay away from cotton, as it is generally a poor insulator. As well, cotton tends to hold moisture. If you are wet, you will be cold. The keys to staying warm are to wick moisture from your body, trap warm air inside your clothing, and prevent the cold air from getting in. Wearing multiple layers will help you accomplish this.

Suggested fall, winter, and spring clothing are polypropylene (or similar) long underwear, long-sleeved shirts, wool or fleece pants and sweaters, polypropylene socks with a wool or fleece over-sock, a wool hat that covers your ears, scarf or neck protector, insulated windproof pants such as ski pants, insulated mittens and gloves, a hooded winter parka, and winter boots that are rated for -20ºC (-4ºF) to -30ºC (-22ºF).

For the summer months, temperatures can change dramatically. The good news with wearing layers is that you can always take a layer off. Suggested clothing items are long-sleeved shirts, comfortable pants, wide-brimmed hat, gloves, warm socks, a warm jacket, a wind jacket, rain clothing, a fleece or wool sweater, and sturdy, waterproof hiking boots. For some tours, rubber boots are also suggested.

Before you book your trip, consult tour operators and local outdoor clothing outfitters on more specific items to bring.

Camera Equipment
Bringing a camera to take photos of the natural beauty of Churchill’s subarctic is a must. However, there are a few things that should be considered.

Bringing extra film and batteries is also a must. The remoteness of Churchill means that supplies like film and batteries are expensive. In cold weather, batteries work less effectively than in warm weather. By keeping spare batteries in a shirt pocket, they will stay warm for when they are needed.

Newer automatic and digital cameras are battery dependent and may not work as well as manual cameras in the cold. Keeping cameras under a jacket runs the risk of creating condensation on your camera. Condensation can damage the camera’s electrical circuits.

Condensation also occurs when a camera is brought into a warm building or vehicle from cold weather. Placing a camera within an airtight plastic bag until the camera has warmed to room temperature minimizes the chance of condensation.

Taking crisp photos in the white glare of a subarctic winter is somewhat difficult. Automatic cameras tend to improperly read the amount of surrounding light, leaving photos grey and dull. Adjusting the exposure of your camera to underexpose any shots involving snow and ice can solve this.

There is no guarantee of getting close to wildlife on the tundra. If possible, bring both close-up and long-range camera lenses.

What Else?
Throughout the year, it is a good idea to bring and wear sunglasses, sunscreen, and lip balm. Ultraviolet rays are harmful even in subarctic Canada, requiring you to protect your face and eyes from direct and reflected light. As well, a water bottle is handy at staving off dehydration. Toiletries, basic first aid, and any medications that you require should also be brought since, while they are available in Churchill, basic medical supplies are limited and expensive.

During the warm and wet summer months, bugs such as mosquitoes, black flies, and deer flies can be rampant. To combat the clouds of biting insects, bug spray, jackets, and hats should be considered. Again, while these items can be purchased in Churchill, they are available for more reasonable costs in centres such as Winnipeg.