Wild Alaska

As spring lights up the land, Alaska faces the greatest transformation on earth. Temperatures soar, and as the sun hits the snow and ice, water, light and warmth return. Alaska’s transition to spring may look magical, but for those animals emerging from a winter’s sleep, it’s a time of intense competition. And treacherous weather can return to strike at any time.

The few short weeks of an Alaskan summer must sustain the abundant wildlife for the whole year. No season brings more surprises. There is a predictable wealth of riches, but there is so little time to master the art of survival. And no matter how hot it gets, winter is always just around the corner, and there is so much to do before the sun sets again. Summer is a time of madness, and is not all easy living; forest fires, a Sahara in the Arctic Circle and the very speed of seasonal change remind you how untameable Alaska is, whatever the season.

The vast mountains, the surrounding oceans and the northerly latitude combine to deliver one of the most extreme winters on the planet. In this wilderness of epic proportions, nowhere are risks greater. Preparation is everything as winter tightens its grip: how do you cope when the land freezes, storms rage, and finally endless darkness descends? Amidst the raw beauty of an Alaska winter, how does life hang on until the sun returns?