The aurora chase high

I usually will surrender to about the next 36 hours of weather, of cloud forecast maps. The night immediately ahead, and then the next night or sometimes 2, but never really more than that. Anything further out probably isn’t worth the energy, especially this time of the year. I like knowing what’s immediately around the corner, it’s good to keep an eye on that, and notice trends, but anything more than a couple days away is just not worth worrying over.

For this night, it was probable we’d see the clouds clear overnight, but not until late. So I picked up my guests about an hour later than usual and we headed straight out to meet the cloud cover beginning to break. Within an hour, there was more clear sky than cloud and the soon after the aurora was spectacular overhead. It felt like it danced forever and this natural high just wouldn’t leave me. It was everything I love so much about this lifestyle.

This is my 11th year chasing the aurora every night, of doing this as my career, and I know not every night will be so fortunate. I know there will be nights without such clarity and such opportunity. There will be nights we are socked in under cloud in every direction. For now though, the nights like these are just the best. They are exactly why I fell so in love with the aurora chase, and why after 18 years since my first chase, I remain so in love with it.