Summer Season & Climate
- Right into July, drift ice is sometimes pushed onto the camping beach.
- Peak season - so many tents are rare, and there is enough space on our tundra.
- Thanks to permanent daylight all around the clock, we have accordingly many hours of sunshine, inspite of also periods with low clouds or even rain.
- Living truely in Spitsbergen - instead of just detached sightseeing from a passing-by cruise ship.
Summer Season - Beginning and End
Our summer season 2012 on the campsite is intended to start on June 2nd 2012. Depending on winter damages, especially by frost to the water pipes, some improvisation may be still needed in the first period after opening.
The summer season 2012 will end according to plan around September 15th 2012. However, in case of sufficient preregistered guests for late September, we may keep open a bit longer.
Please observe that both in the early (June) and late season (September) with only few guests, office hours may be more irregular, but normally, somebody of us is reachable by phone at any time.
Summer Climate
As a rule of thumb: From beginning of July to the end of the midnight sun period (arund August 20th), there is no frost (also at "night"), day and night temperatures are quite similar and typically in the range of +3° to +12° C, occasionally also more. Mosquitos and lasting heavy rain are exceptions. Possible stronger and then cold wind is an issue, however, both for tents (wind stable) and for suitable clothing. After about August 20th, nightly light frost becomes more likely, the same applies for the early season (all of June). After the end of the polar day, the sun will set every night for about 20 minutes longer, but right into the first days in September, there will be at least twilight throughout the few hours with sun under the horizon.
Wet snow can fall as an exception even in July and August, but would not last long on the ground then, while from late August onwards, fresh snow may stay for hours and in September possibly even for days. Just like rain, snowfall is limited in quantities.
With a good tent (emphasis on wind stability), a sufficient sleeping-bag and an insulation mat underneath, the summer season is quite acceptable, if not even pleasant for camping, further faciliated by the pleasant service building of the campsite.
Early summer:
Around summer solistice (June 22nd), the midnight sun remains even at midnight so high above the horizon, that (especially when cloudy) one has the feeling of normal daylight all around the clock. In good weather, the sky will be day blue even at midnight, not the reddish sunset colours known from much more southerly North Cape pictures. This is the time of stimulating spring atmosphere, still with snow up in the mountains, but the lower areas are mostly free already, and from day to day, more flowers will appear quickly on the tundra and the birds are busy with breeding, as flora and fauna have to be fast to make full use of the short arctic summer. Continueing snowmelt further up and water still remaining from the snowmelt in the valleys make the terrain partly wet, even boggy in places and streams and rivers can be quite strong at times. However, even under wet conditions, there is an old beach wall running across the campsite, which is always fairly dry for putting up tents.
In June, some light frost can still occur, with extremes occasionally down to -5 C (not every summer), more likely in the first part of the month.
Occupation on the campsite is often still low, so even after the opening of the service building, the campsite attendant may not be there at all office hours, but can be reached by phone, if necessary.
Spitsbergen Marathon - June 2nd 2012
The Spitsbergen Marathon is the northernmost regular marathon of the world (not counting "events" like "marathons" at the North Pole over partly rough packed ice, which have little to do with normal marathon running). In 2012, it will be arranged for the 18th time on June 2nd by the Longyearbyen sports club. In addition to the full marathon, also shorter distances (semi-marathon, 10 km, children "marathon") will be offered.
2008, 80 runners participated in total and the winner of all classes was Tomáš Kadlas (time needed: 3:15:45), a Czechian guest of the campingsite.
Details: see 
Spitsbergen Marathon
- Full action in midnight sun in the shallow water in front of our beach - though only for seconds.
Longyearbyen Camping Arctic Naked-bathing Certificate
Having such a great scenic beach as Longyearbyen Camping, and more sun hours in July and August than many mediterranean beach resorts, an active beach life should be part of it. For its stimulation, we have introduced since 2008 our official Longyearbyen Camping Arctic Midnightsun Naked-bathing Certificate, which all guests of the campsite get free of charge, provided they have been swimming completely undressed under the auspices of one of the campsite staff members for several metres in the Arctic Ocean, including a full dive, at our campsite beach. In its first year, the certificate proved to become a big success, having been issued to 104 candidates. We will continue with this contribution to arctic beachlife also in future.
More: 
Longyearbyen Camping Arctic Naked-bathing Certificate
Main Season:
July and August are our main season, but even then, guest numbers on the campsite may vary considerably from day to day - depending not least on the arrival and departure dates of groups. In some cases, it can get a bit crowdy in the service building in mornings and evenings, especially in the cooking room and the showers. Outside on the tundra, however, there is more than enough space for the tents.
- Return of the evening sun after short rainfall.
- Cosy atmosphere in the eating room in the evening.
- When sun sets again at night briefly, light conditions can be overwhelming.
- Path down to the campsite, where the tundra starts changing to autumn colours ...
- .... and somewhat later with a fine layer of newly fallen fresh snow, which, however, stays only briefly, first.
- In the second part of September, dawn at night gets quickly longer and darker and in addition to the moon, the first northern lights may be spotted (picture: early October).
Late Summer:
After the end of the midnight sun period (around August 20th), also the temperature differences between night and day increase and one should take into account the possibility of light frost at least in some nights. Latest from the second part of September onwards, fresh snow may stay as a thin layer also longer, though usually in only very low quantities. Towards beginning of October, extreme temperatures may occasionally drop down to -10 C. After the end of the midnight sun, it is still dawn all night through well into September, but from night to night, sun will stay about 20 minutes longer below the horizon, and it is getting gradually darker. From about September 15th onwards, it is dark enough in the middle of the night for possibly spotting stronger northern lights.
Inspite of no more midnight sun and sinking temperatures, late summer can be clearly a good tip as an interesting period with only small number of tourists: nature puts on its autumn dress with strong colours and often great contrasts with the fresh snow in the mountains. The natural light shows during dawn can be phantastic and last for hours due to the very flat trajectory of the sun at such high latitudes. Not least: the terrain is dryest now, inviting to long and more comfortable hikes. The geese gather in big flocks in the valleys (also often at the campsite lagoon) and to training flights for their migration southwards in late September. The ptarmigans moult gradually to their white winter coat.
During the last years, the number of guests at the campsite has dropped abruptly around the August/September change of month. Therefore, September is ideal not only for friends of nature, but also for travellers who love it more quiet.
