Ice Town Life on the Edge

Longyearbyen on Svalbard, the northernmost town in the world, is a place like no other a place where you aren't allowed to be born or die, carrying a gun outside of town is mandatory and where polar bears outnumber people.

Meet the quirky characters who've chosen to live in one of the most remote and extreme places on the planet, including a taxi driver who's a dead ringer for Santa, an American chef who bakes worm cookies, and a death-defying dogsled team.

Winter comes to Longyearbyen, meaning 24 hours of total darkness and extreme Arctic weather. Witness the aftermath of an unthinkable tragedy, when an avalanche claims the life of the local teacher and a young child during a brutal storm.

Watch Christine put her new dog sledding skills to the test by entering the Hilmar Nois wilderness dog race. Meanwhile, Mary Ann makes a misstep when she hires a new chef, and tour guide Mats is less than thrilled about large polar bear tracks.

After the Arctic's warmest winter ever recorded, the residents of Svalbard are witnessing the effects. Professor Chris's students measure a glacier, Alex takes a tour to a Russian mining settlement, and Lara spends a day cleaning up after 200 dogs.

Christine and Grace face their biggest test to date as they head to a remote cabin in the wilderness. Ben wrestles to recover after a fire ruins his permaculture business, and Wiggo scares tourists with grizzly tales of death and danger.

Visitors are a big deal in lonely Svalbard. See how the residents react when Christine's sister visits from England, Mary Ann's son travels 1700 kms to save her disastrous kitchen, and an international opera singer arrives from Copenhagen.

Christine and her lead dog prepare for Svalbard's biggest dog sled race, Wiggo struggles to quit smoking, and Doctor Echhardt explains how his small team has dealt with frostbite, polar bear attacks, and emergency rescues.

Doctor Eckhardt treats three-month-old baby Malte, Professor Chris checks on an avalanche site, and Pastor Leif opens up about his hopes for a family ahead of recording a song with his band of vocalists.

Ben is close to launching his local food business, while Wiggo and his wife, Claudia, set out in search of the summer's first Arctic cod. Mark joins tourists visiting the world's northernmost ghost town, and Sasha gives an entertaining tour.