It was another great trip to Yellowknife this year. My co-leader John Barclay and I had a wonderful group of enthusiastic, friendly, and most of all, flexible people. Not in the gymnastics sense, mind you, but in the rolling with the punches that nature gives you sense.
We had one night where we sat huddled on a lake shore waiting for a snowstorm to pass. It was worth it since the clouds finally cleared and we got to see the auroras. And every night it was cold. And sometimes a bit windy. But everybody weathered it well.
Our very first night saw the auroras dancing and curling and changing colors. It was a great beginning. And we managed to see and photograph the auroras on just about every night we went out. I think there was one night where they didn’t cooperate too much and one night where we knew it was going to be cloudy all night anyway and opted to stay in.
And then there was the fall color. When John and I arrived in Yellowknife a couple of days before the tour began, I thought the color was ok. Pretty much what I expected for early September but not nearly what I’d seen later in the month.
Well this year it was cold in Yellowknife. Usually in September the lows are in the low forties, maybe the high thirties. This year it was freezing every night and cold during the day. In the span of about seven days the fall color went from only ok to HOLY MOLY! So we got to see color in the sky and on the ground.
And that’s what I love about Yellowknife in September. You usually have tolerable temperatures, you get to see auroras, and can see some great fall color. And that’s not to mention some of the more “colorful” aspects of Yellowknife itself, like Old Town and the wonderful Prince of Wales Heritage Centre.
Every year this trip has been a success. Every year we’ve managed to get great aurora pictures and, more importantly, everyone got to experience the auroras dancing overhead. It’s not something you soon forget and as John mentioned, it’s very addicting.
I’ll be going back again next year. The exact dates aren’t set just yet but I can tell you it will be around the 4th full week of September, in the 21st to 30th range. So let me know if you’re interested and I’ll add you to the early notification list.
