Wapusk National Park of Canada

Visitor Safety: Overview

Wapusk National Park is truly remote. Its climate and terrain are harsh. Severe cold in winter, coupled with snow conditions and lack of landmarks, mean even seemingly routine winter travel can be hazardous.

Equipment breakdown or loss of your bearings could endanger your life. Even when you are with an experienced commercial tour operator, you need to take sensible travel precautions. Bringing proper clothing will help ensure your visit is safe and enjoyable.

To get the most from your visit and limit your impact on the park, please observe the following:

• Be sure you have the knowledge, skill and fitness levels needed for your explorations.
• Commercial operators provide the equipment and expertise to ensure a safe journey. Please obey their rules and instructions.
• Be aware of the park's natural hazards, including weather. Wapusk experiences unpredictable, changeable weather with frequent storms. Bring clothing suitable for both wet conditions and extreme cold.
• Snow covered region
  © Parks Canada
  Severe Arctic conditions prevail in winter. Temperatures usually drop below -40^oC for weeks at a time, and wind chill can plunge the air temperature to an equivalent -80^oC or colder. Exposed skin freezes in less than 30 seconds at this temperature.
• In winter, frostbite, hypothermia and snowblindness pose dangers. Wear appropriate Arctic clothing and good-quality sunglasses.
• Sea, lake and river ice may be unstable and unsafe any time of the year.
• Any open water, including ponds and streams, will be very cold.
• Polar bear on Hudson Bay
  © Parks Canada
  Inland, the park is almost entirely muskeg and tundra, which is almost impassable for much of the year. Travel in this area is restricted to winter.
• Biting insects are abundant and are both a hazard and an annoying distraction during the summer. Use bug-proof jackets and hats, and carry repellent.
• Foxes are abundant in Wapusk National Park, and may carry rabies. Keep your distance from these animals.
• Black bears and polar bears may be encountered anywhere at any time in the park. Polar bears are a risk at all times of the year, but especially during ice-free periods. They are most numerous on land from July through November. Many female bears remain in dens inland until March, when they begin to travel with cubs back to Hudson Bay.