WALES, Alaska — The single-engine Cessna buzzes back down the gravel runway, clouds of snow swirling in its wake as it pops into the air, climbs aloft and circles around.

Silence again descends upon one of the most remote villages in the United States.

Life is hard here. People and animals struggle to stay warm, to find shelter, to eat. The relentless wind scours the snow, whipping flakes into unprotected eyes. Extremely bad weather often means there’s no connection with the outside world for days at a time.

But the Internet usually works. And there’s fresh salad if you’re willing to pay the freight charge.

Read the full story at USAToday.com

A polar bear patroller searches for signs of polar bears in the town dump outside Wales, Alaska. Climate change experts say faster-melting sea ice is causing polar bears to move onto land and seek out new food sources, like garbage. (Photo: Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY)