Anchorage, AK – As Arctic air grips Alaska and temperatures plunge across much of the state, forecasters warn that overnight lows could dip well below zero in parts of the Interior this week. But imagine being trapped inside your car for two months, surviving only on handfuls of snow.
According to the Daily Mail, a 44-year-old Swedish man was discovered in February 2012 after surviving roughly 60 days snowed-in inside his car near the town of Umea in northern Sweden. Authorities said his vehicle became buried after a snowstorm on December 19, and he lived on snow alone as temperatures plunged to -30°C (-22°F).
Experts called his survival “astonishing.” Some theorized his body entered a hibernation-like state, slowing his metabolism, while others credited the “igloo effect” of the snow-covered car, which trapped enough warmth to keep him alive.
When rescuers reached him, he was emaciated and barely conscious, wrapped in a sleeping bag with only cigarettes and comic books nearby. Doctors at Umea University Hospital confirmed he was suffering from severe hypothermia and malnourishment—but miraculously survived.
As Alaska’s deep freeze continues, state emergency officials remind residents and winter travelers to check emergency kits in their vehicles—blankets, food, and water can mean the difference between life and death in remote areas. Even seasoned Alaskans face danger when stranded. One question endures: Could you survive stuck in subzero conditions for two months like he did?
