There was one thing I did not mention in my earlier piece on Pyramiden: there are polar bears roaming around.
America is not the only home of gunslingers: in Svalbard and particularly on Pyramiden, you don’t go outside without a rifle or someone with a rifle. You never know when a polar bear might come charging at you. I’m not joking.
The boat had left, leaving my uncle, me, and two Norwegian ladies for the night. We had finished dinner and retired to the room. The ladies had invited us hiking at dinner — they intended to climb the mountain the following morning. Two problems: first, I did not bring hiking shoes along. Second, my Uncle is 89 years old. Sure, he looks/talks/walks more like 69, but doesn’t climb mountains anymore. He also doesn’t stay up late.
But I just could not go to bed–I was virtually alone on an island in the Arctic Circle in the land of 24/7 sun. I wanted to go out for a long walk. But was it worth risking my life? I did not have my own weapon and the Russians, by this time dousing themselves in vodka, politely declined to loan me one of theirs.
Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one who wanted to explore Pyramiden on my own terms. As I contemplated just going out without a firearm the two ladies appeared and invited me to join them on a midnight stroll.
Invitation accepted! I walked out of the hotel with two armed female bodygauards flanking me.
We spent the next couple hours walking around the settlement, including entering a couple unlocked buildings like the primary school and KGB/communications center. We tired to enter the hospital, but it has been securely sealed. Once a building is sealed on Pyramiden, it cannot be re-opened: at least that is what I was told.
Enjoy the slideshow by clicking Start, but here’s a preview–
Afterword
I did go outside alone and unarmed the following afternoon for a 20 minute stroll. I felt a bit like Winston Churchill walking through London streets during the the Blitz in WWII. There was a certain adrenaline rush in doing it. Don’t worry, I survived.
Read more of my Scandinavia Trip Report:
Review: SAS A330 Business Class Los Angeles to Stockholm
Lounge Review: SAS Gold Lounge Stockholm
Review: SAS Business Class Stockholm to Oslo (Scenic Flight)
Lounge Review: SAS Gold Lounge Oslo
Review: SAS Business Class Oslo to Longyearbyen
The Advantage of AirBnB in Longyearbyen
A Boat Trip to an Abandoned Russian Mining Island
Review: Hotel Tulpan in Pyramiden
Why Pyramiden is a Must-See (Photo Tour)
Exploring Pyramiden at Midnight with Two Armed Female Bodyguards
Lounge Review: SAS Café Tromso
Review: Radisson Stockholm Airport
Review: Hilton Stockholm
Did you meet the bears? If so, perhaps you could ask them to be your ESA as Brian Cohen from The Gate did in Canada…..
Met several on the cruise but none in Pyramiden.
Love this collection of posts. Minor typo (rifles).
Enlightening. Looking at getting up there sometime.
Sometimes city folk don’t get us country folk.
Firearms in isolated areas are a necessity. NRA or no NRA.
In urban areas… A lot more complicated. Depends on which side you are.
Thanks! Typo corrected.
Ha, that reminds me of the time a friend with connections in the forest department arranged for a night’s stay at a lodge deep inside a tiger reserve in India. We were warned not to walk outside at night because tigers roamed the woods around the lodge. (The lodge overlooked a watering hole where deer, elk, and other tiger prey would congregate.) The tiger wouldn’t have gotten much of a meal out of me, but still…
This place looks truly fascinating. Thanks for sharing your experience.
LOL! I’m sure he woudl have sitll enjoyed you!
Extremely interesting photos. This place must have given you a good glimpse of what life was like in the Soviet Union and the Eastern Block. I am surprised at all the furniture and other stuff that was left behind when it was abandoned. Longyearbyen and Pyramiden are now definitely near the top of my list of places I have to see in my life. Thanks for these fascinating photos.
My pleasure. I also answered your question on the OSL-LYR post — sorry I did not see it earlier.
Matt, which company did you do Pyramiden with? I’m desperate to overnight there. Most companies I see do 2 hours…2 Hours!! I have also heard horror stories about trips not happening for varying reasons. I take it you had no probs, what time of year did you go. Cheers mate! Lee
I did it on my own. You have to book the hotel yourself then just tell the boat company you are staying overnight and will return the next day.