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Where to stand
Park at the Pontoon day-use car park and walk down to the lake shore. Look up to the zenith and all around, not only north. The forest is low, so the horizon is open.
View towards the pole
A frozen lake and low taiga forest, with a flat horizon all round
Sky darkness (Bortle scale): 2
Rules and safety
Never park on the shoulder of the Ingraham Trail; use car parks and pull-outs, and wear reflective clothing. Do not drive onto the lake and watch for thin ice. In winter it can be colder than minus 30 °C.
About the spot
Pontoon Lake is a day-use area on a lake along the Ingraham Trail, about 40 minutes' drive from Yellowknife. It lies at a geomagnetic latitude of about 68.6°, almost under the middle of the auroral oval, so in season the aurora is visible on most clear nights. It often crosses the zenith and sometimes moves to the south.
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