This was the second documented polar bear at Summit. There's a NatGeo article about the 2018 incident. EGRIP also had a bear in 2016, and mother/cub tracks nearby in 2024. In emailing with @aederocher.bsky.social about the bear's behavior, he said overland movements are actually pretty common

Has anyone called them histcones? 😀

Polar bear sightings far inland on the GrIS are rare. Thankfully (and amazingly) the bear showed little interest while passing through camp and carried on upwind over the horizon. Everyone is safe, wind direction has been consistent, and we're maintaining a 24-hour watch. 3/3

I discovered this just minutes after finishing when I made an unplanned stop at an elevated atmospheric monitoring station.

My head's always on a swivel here, but I have a new appreciation for how difficult it is to spot a bear even in clear conditions. 2/3