Wen Jinguang and three friends drove a second-hand SUV bought for 2,500 yuan deep into the Arctic in mid-March this year (Photo provided by Wen Jinguang)
Wen Jinguang experienced the thrill of venturing into the icy wilderness (Photo provided by Wen Jinguang)
Wen Jinguang, a Chinese immigrant from Shandong, USA, drove a second-hand SUV purchased for 2,500 yuan with three friends in mid-March this year to brave the Arctic and experience the thrill of venturing into the icy wilderness.
Wen Jinguang, 39, previously ran a chemical factory and trading company in China before immigrating to Canada, and now plans to settle in California. He says his current occupation is traveling, but he takes an affordable, rugged route. His main mode of transport is a Mitsubishi SUV he bought for 2,500 yuan, which has taken him many places. Along the way, he stays in tents and motels, brings his own food, and travels as economically as possible.
Wen Jinguang said that going to the Arctic had always been his dream—to see the northern lights, drive along the Icefields Parkway, and experience the local culture and Arctic life. He had originally planned to go alone, but his wife was worried, so he posted online looking for companions. Eventually, two men and one woman joined, and the four of them set off from Vancouver on a 13-day Arctic adventure.
He said his companions were skeptical about whether the old, beat-up car could make it to the Arctic, but he knows how to fix cars, having repaired it along the way during previous cross-Canada road trips. However, the most dangerous situation on this Arctic trip turned out to be car trouble. The vehicle broke down on Eagle Plains, and they initially thought it was the oil pump, so they replaced it with a new one. Wen sustained 12 cuts of various sizes while replacing the pump. Later, they found the new pump didn’t work either, so they put the old one back in.
The winds on Eagle Plains are extremely strong—even large trucks can be overturned. Before heading to the Arctic, Wen had been warned that it’s impossible to fix a car there because at minus 20 degrees Celsius, your hands simply can’t function. It was actually minus 36 degrees Celsius, and despite the risk of being blown away, he relied purely on willpower to replace the oil pump. There was also a government escort vehicle nearby, warning that if they didn’t finish the repair within 20 minutes, they would be forced to leave.
Wen Jinguang said that much of the route involved driving on ice, requiring extreme caution. His companions wanted to take over driving, but lacking experience on snowy and icy roads, they were drenched in sweat after just two hours. However, all the hardship melted away when they saw the northern lights. He had imagined the aurora would be colorful, but with the naked eye, it appeared white and hazy. Still, the experience of waiting for the northern lights in the middle of the night is rare in life, making it especially memorable.
Although the Arctic was freezing, he got so excited that he stripped naked and ran around at minus 41 degrees Celsius, taking many fun photos. There’s a hot spring along the Alaska Highway, and soaking in it amid the ice and snow is a unique experience.
The entire Arctic trip lasted 13 days, and each person spent about 1,200 yuan. The main expenses were for car repair parts. They mostly ate food they brought along, such as dumplings, Erguotou (a type of baijiu), and vegetable salads. They also brought a microwave to the car and used it to heat up food at motels. They didn’t eat at a restaurant until the tenth day.
He said he wants to go back to the Arctic in the future because the region offers different scenery in winter and summer, and he’d like to return in the summer.