The Atlas Obscura Podcast · Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Sue Aikens has lived nearly 200 miles above the Arctic Circle for over 20 years, in a location called Cavik, an old oil camp. Her closest town is 500 miles south, and there are no roads to get there, requiring her to fly. She describes a life where she has no electricity or running water unless she creates or collects it herself.
“The name of the camp that I have, it's called Cavik. An old oil camp. I'm only a few miles from the Arctic Ocean. I'm hundreds of miles from north of the tree line. My closest town is 500 miles south. There are no roads to get there. I obviously can't walk that far through three or four mountain ranges. You have to fly. There's no electricity unless I create it. There is no running water unless I collect it. If I'm hungry, I can hunt for it.”
“Sue Aikens has lived this life nearly 200 miles above the Arctic Circle for over 20 years.”
“I choose a life of isolation.”