Alert Canada: The northernmost settlement in the world 

I think this is what I'd do if I ever won the lottery. Just travel to the weirdest places on Earth. Particularly the cold places.

I honestly thought Alert was just a single building, like a weather station or something. I didn't expect to see a souvenir shop.

Went all the way up there for a t-shirt made in China. 😂😂

I found this place by just randomly searching through the map it's really interesting

It's nice to be able to travel to the most northern settlement humans have accomplished. Even nicer to be bale to do it in HD from the comfort of my warm home. Thanks for the video man and bringing us along.

No tim hortons there come on canada

That's incredible how FAR north that is! On the map says about 500 miles from the NORTH POLE! holy sht! Thanks for bringing us along.

Alert is one of my bucket-list places. I'd love to do a tour of the Canadian arctic but I imagine that doesn't come cheap.

Thanks to share this video. I have so many good memories from my two trips in Alert back in 1976. I can see this Canadian station change allot especially with all the nice new buildings.

Fun fact: Alert is closer to UlaanBaatar (Mongolia) than it is to Washington DC

Where's the ice wall that prevents all the water from flowing off of earth?

Nice to see this. My father was stationed there for 6 months about 30 years ago. I saw lots of pictures of it and some video my dad took of it. I have a painting in my living room made by my brother inlaw from a picture my dad took when up there.

Canada is massive…. Wow…. You can have so many different experiences in one country… from artic tundras and mountains to massive city’s and forests… it’s incredible

Alert and Eureka are NOT settlements as defined by Canadian municipal governments. They are a joint Canadian/American military weather station and communications centre. They are classified as "Restricted" thereby controlling who can and cannot visit. The most northern "settlement" in Canada is Grise Fiord on Ellesmere Island in the Baffin region. How do I know? As a Canadian, been there, done that.

Thank you to our military for what you do up there. You guys are the best !

Thanks for the 'memories'. My dad was in the RCAF and stationed in Alert and most of the other most northern bases when I was a kid. I lived in Goose Bay Labrador for awhile when I was very young. I was left property in Hay River by my grandfather who spent 40 years there. I have lived in Florida the last 52 years. My Floridian husband had no desire to 'retire' in Hay River so we sold the property there.

LOL look how clean the inside of that Canadian Forces cargo plane is. From the cargo area to the cockpit. Working with the Canadians when I was in the military, I always found it amazing how they could have 20 year old planes that were so amazingly clean they looked like they just came from the factory last week. Our American planes show signs of an old work truck with all the bruises, scrapes, and grease residue. They run like a top and very safe but not neat and clean like the Canadians. The Canadian Forces act like drill day at the local volunteer fire department keeping the trucks and bays clean and ready for inspection. To be brutally honest, its very impressive. You get a look at that cockpit? Very clean like its brand new. This is how they do it. So much pride its ridiculous. Never disrespect these guys. They are more ship shape than any American military. I hate to say it but its true.

That must have been amazing. The people stationed there must have some excellent stories. What an experience! Thanks for sharing ❄❄❄

Sweet video. Thanks for uploading and thanks to all the canadian soldiers for their service

Never thought that the C-17's were that big. So freaking cool✌

How in the hell does anyone give this a thumbs down? How many videos like this can there be? Where else are you going to see something like this? Thanks for posting. That was great. Im just 2222 kms away...

Feels like a different planet ! Thank you for taking me to this northern tip wonder of Canada.

Nice to see the place again. From what I saw, a lot of changes for sure since my tour in 1970. Great video. Thanks for the share.

I'm surprised they have a souvenir shop there give the limited access to civilian tourists, but I guess even military people like the furthest north experience.

Awesome. Enjoyable vid. Foreboding, unforgiving place. Amazing a permanent installation can exist in such an inhospitable place.

Cool video man! Brought back memories when I did the same thing in 72 while stationed with AF at Base Weather, Thule. Flew on AF C-130 hauling fuel bladders. Alert is a LOT more developed now than then. Thanks for posting. R.

I spent 6 months up there - half in the dark and 3 months of light. Went over to Thule, too! It's all bloody cold and dry in the winter. The lowest temperature I experienced was -45.

I thought Alert was just a shack or something like that, I am surprised at how much is up there. That is one remote place! Damn

Excellent video of two interesting places I will never be able to see. Thank you for posting it. Steve, Oklahoma

I worked on the Polar Continental Shelf Project as a summer student in the late 60's and returned a couple of years later as a helicopter pilot. We lived in Parkalls (insulated Quonset huts) beside the runway about half way along. CFS Alert was different then. However they did have showers which we didn't as well as beer in the sergeant's mess. Clearing customs was easy as the immigration/customs officer was the officer in charge of the weather station. The RCAF aircrews overnighted in Thule and bought all sorts of stuff at the PX to take home. They cleared Canada customs at Alert. Sample dialogue: "Do you have anything to declare?" " Airman: "No" "Okay welcome to Alert" Airman: "By the way here are the 3 cartons of Winstons and the Rum you wanted". A fun place.

Amazing...Anyway by this video I can see coldest part of my country.I can understand the hardships of few people for maintaining the borders of Canada 🇨🇦. Thanks for uploading awesome vdo.

Pilot: ICEBERG DEAD AHEAD Co pilot: godamnit jim

Back in the late seventies, I was into Ham radio and passed traffic and did phone patches from Alert. Somewhere I still have the QSL cards from the contacts.

Thanks for the memories. I was posted up to Alert for 6 months in 2011/2012. I miss Alert and the North. Glad that you got to check the Station out!

Thanks for sharing, this place is one of a kind... The next time I get lost at the north pole, I'll head there first lol.

So cool, man! Alert is definitely on my list, and I would love to visit it one day. I wish I know people in the army stationed up there.

Wow you are so blessed to be able to have an adventure like that! It actually didn't look that cold, must have been spring or fall. Not that you would notice since there's no trees! Great video, thank you so much for posting. Two thumbs up. PS I want one of those t shirts. 👍🏻👍🏻

What a gem this video is! Thank you for uploading

Thanks for the memories! was part of Ops Boxtop in '90; things have changed since then!

Lucky!… all my 3 flights to Alert were in a C-130 Herk 😂

This was really interesting. I was actually looking up far northern Canada and this video showed up.

Such a kickass experience. I’d imagine those airmen enjoyed the conversations and seeing a new face too! Thanks for sharing this.

wow very different from when I spent 6 months there in 1980

I thought alert was some sad remote building with 2 people in it. This looks WAY better than that. :D Now to save some money... yeah I know. Probably going to have to save 5 digits.

Northern Lights up there? During a Carrington like solar event, does radiation levels increase?

thanks for taking us with you

Great video! Nobody would believe this story unless you documented it.

Man, this is awesome. What a treat to be able to fly with them and experience this.

bus driver was a cutie

Good memories ! I spent 6 months tour in 1975 , what a change..

the northern most permanent settlement is in svaldbar (norway) but alert is the northernmost permanent settlement that is not public

I love your channel! As a big aviation nerd, I would absolutely LOVE to somehow visit the worlds northernmost airport. How would someone not in the military get invited to fly to this location?

That 60deg turn looked insane! :D Thanks for the great vid! :D

This is awesome. I spent a couple months in Resolute, Nunavut. Even got my appendix out while out there haha. It's a great experience up there.

Meanwhile in Florida....

When the plane was first taxiing on the runway before take-off, i thought it was already flying, it's so tall!

Really interesting. Liked getting a look at something I am never likely to see with my own eyes. Beautiful country! Thanks!

What's the new building under construction at Thule Air Base? Great video, thanks for posting!

So amazing you got to experience this trip! Thank you for recording it and sharing with us.

What a lucky guy you are. I'd LOVE to have a day like that. And the T-shirt too.

I know its standard issue stuff but there's something kind of funny about all the dudes in camo against a completely white landscape

Help there’s an Alert in Canada

I live at the southernmost point of Canada, it still is freezing down here. I agree, I am fine when it is -20 degrees celcius outside without gloves.

wow! c-17 nothing but 1st class! My first tour Nov 1977 was in a Herc sleeping on top of a wooden crate, and so were my other three tours after that....The place doesn't look the same.... kinda took out the nostalgia out of it....

How awesome! I was just looking on the satellite overhead after reading Labyrinth of Ice and came across Alert. I had to see if there was a RU-vid video. From Thule to Alert on a C-17 to boot. Cool video!

I never had any desire to visit Canada until I seen this video. I know you can probably see everything there in a couple hours, but still it’d be cool to visit a place that far north. Plus it’s a lot bigger then I thought it’d be.

Lucky bastard lol. I’ve been to Baker lake nu. Goal is to go even farther north now

Those signs remind me of the signpost forest at Watson Lake Yukon along the Alaska Hwy.

Found this place on Google maps recently. Zoomed all the way in, saw they had a Tim Hortons and thought "of course they do" lmao

They got so many souvenirs up there. The business must be booming.

I’m glad this ended up in my recommended feed. I think it means I’m interesting.

Ashley Alert is cool, but those 60° banking turns in a C17 were freaking awesome

Pretty sick experience man. Awesome video

I always wonder what these places are like in the summer. Wonder if they get even a little bit warm. It's odd to see such a normally cold place with plants and trees and warmth.

Very Suspicious! I didn’t see the edge of the world. 😀 Love my Canadian Buddy’s miss them👍🇺🇸

Very cool. Not too many people get to Alert.

You are North of the magnetic pole, only 500 miles from the geographic pole! I missed getting there in c.1971 in the military - you had to be in good health ( to prevent toothaches, ha). And they hunted poor polar bears)

Damn those shirts looked cool, I was up there once way back .. and guess why? .. We played Depeche Mode 2 nights :)

Isn’t “Longyearbyen, Svalbard” the northernmost settlement?

Some people have all the luck. Another destination I can now check off on my bucket list of armchair travels.

That's awesome, I used to build the wire harnesses for the c17.. very talented pilots

How did you manage to get a flight? Did you sign up somewhere? :')

That’s crazy. Always wanted to go check it out

What an awesome flight!!🇨🇦💪🏻

That tarmac looks so smooth.

You have to really envy these guys getting to fly in an area that few human eyes ever get to see.

4:15 "do we see moncton anywhere?" lmfao

I'm surprised this video is so short. I guess there must not have been too much to document or that you could show without permission. All the clothing for sale kinda blew my mind. Is that for all the people stationed there? Is there anyone who really shows up without everything they could need? I would have loved to see some ways they stay sane and entertained up there. Hear about the routine. Anyway. Really cool you shared.

Very good, next time try and show a little more of Alert, very good video.

You know its cold when there are absolutely no trees 🎄🎄🎄

So I don’t get it... are you part of the military or just have some crazy inside connections to be able to call up for a ride on an empty c-17 plane that would cost in the tens of thousands per hour to operate all for a tour of that sign and a shirt?... 😂😂😂

Alert is a military base not a settlement. Canada's most northerly settlement is Grise Fiord. I was at both in the 1970's

Awesome trip. Quick question. Did they have a Tim Hortons there? Thx for sharing btw!

I served at CFS Alert during the Spring/Summer of 1985.

Had a great time working up there 😊

There's a lot of misconceptions in the comments about CFS Alert. I spent almost a month there in May of 2016. First and foremost, You can't just go there. It's a Canadian Forces Station only, The only way in and out is via Canadian military flights, which actually only happened about every 2 to 4 weeks. I think it was a 3-week cycle when I was there. So unfortunately all of you can't go unless you're in the military or doing work for the military as a civilian or the US government. There's another good video on RU-vid of a guy who gets hired to go up and take care of the fuel systems. When I was there in May it was 24 hours of light the entire time, But it was still pretty cold about 0 to 30° f that time of year. Basically there's a whole bunch of buildings connected together for living in, most of the others are supply buildings and support buildings. There's a wonderful Lake nearby that's frozen but supplies the water, They have a pipe that goes down like 100 ft, and it's the most pure water in the world and it's simply amazing. It's the water supply for the base. It is on the Arctic Ocean but when I was there it's just frozen over. It just looks like more land. It only thaws for a little while in the middle of summer and not for very long. This guy was really lucky to be able to get on a flight. I assume he's a US military pilot, otherwise, I don't think he would have been allowed in the cockpit. I know some people made comments about the location. Believe it or not CFS Alert is closer to Moscow than it is to Ottawa! I know that's crazy but it's true. I will say that the place is really special. The people assigned there were really wonderful, It was an experience of a lifetime and I feel completely blessed to have spent a little bit of time there. I also spent over a week at Thule in Greenland because we got stuck because of weather.

I love it! I'm in this video, waiting to board that little Twotter!

As a Canadian, thanks for the tour. Did that guy at 4:15 ask if there was a Moncton sign lol?

There's a TIM HORTON's in ALERT.

I live in the sanfrancisco bay area and have never seen snow in person so pretty different