Svalbard in Winter: The Pink Polar Night

Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago deep in the Arctic Ocean, lies far north of the Arctic Circle between mainland Norway and the North Pole. It is one of the northernmost inhabited places on Earth, where life exists on nature’s terms.  

The islands are home to polar bears, and residents live with constant awareness that these powerful animals may be closer than expected. Anyone who chooses to live or travel in this isolated landscape quickly learns that humans are only guests in a world shaped and ruled by the Arctic wilderness. 

Among those drawn to Svalbard is Yiran Ding, known online as @yiranding, a freelance photographer who divides his time between Finland and Iceland. He traveled to Longyearbyen, the northernmost town of its kind, driven by a fascination with the Arctic. His work centers on artistic expeditions that blend travel, emotion, and philosophical reflection, shared with a wide audience on social platforms like Little Red Book and Instagram. 

Discovering the Polar Night and the Global Seed Vault #

Before arriving in Svalbard, Yiran Ding expected the polar night to be pure darkness. Instead, he found the Arctic winter alive with color. Even in late January, with the sun still absent, the sky above Longyearbyen glowed pink and violet around midday. Time blurred without sunrise or sunset, and the only thing marking the hours was the clock on his phone. In the Arctic, he realized that the polar night was not black or blue, it was sometimes pink.  

At what the clock called noon, Yiran Ding visited the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Built deep within the Arctic permafrost, the facility preserves seeds from around the world as a safeguard for humanity’s future and has the capacity to store up to 4.5 million seed samples. Standing there beneath a pink sky fading into deep blue shadows, he felt the stillness of a place where day and night seem to merge. 

What to wear in Svalbard#

Winter temperatures in Svalbard typically range between −10°C and −20°C, conditions that usually bring to mind heavy or bulky outfits. Yet Yiran Ding presented a different picture. Dressed in a slim-fitted jacket, he stood in stark contrast to the traditional image of polar exploration gear. 

It was not that he was underdressed. Instead, he wore an Icewear wool-insulated jacket layered over a wool sweater, which kept him warm in freezing temperatures. Despite its insulating power, it was light enough to be folded and packed into his bag when not in use, making it a practical choice for travel and changing conditions alike. 

The secret lies in Icewear’s Icelandic wool insulation, which fully utilizes the natural qualities of Icelandic wool. Its unique blend of long and short fibers locks in heat while staying breathable and lightweight, allowing warmth without the heaviness typically associated with cold-weather clothing. Discover more about the Blacksheep collection on the Icewear blog.  

Experiencing Svalbard beyond expectations#

As more travelers and photographers arrive in Svalbard each year, the archipelago has become easier to reach and more widely shared online. Yet Yiran Ding believes travel should never rely on expectations created by others; genuine experience begins only when a person stands in a place and forms their own response. In Svalbard, where humans live carefully within nature’s boundaries, Yiran Ding experienced a world that felt both fragile and eternal.