![<strong>Arctic lockdown: </strong>Adventurers Hilde Falun Strom and Sunniva Sorby have spent close to nine months in remote Bamsebu, situated in Norway's Svalbard archipelago, as part of the Hearts in the Ice expedition.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/200522052605-hearts-in-the-ice-project-shot-of-sunniva-and-hilde-at-the-hut.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Arctic lockdown: Adventurers Hilde Falun Strom and Sunniva Sorby have spent close to nine months in remote Bamsebu, situated in Norway's Svalbard archipelago, as part of the Hearts in the Ice expedition.
![<strong>Ambitious expedition:</strong> The duo are the first women in history to "overwinter" in the Arctic without a male team member.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/200522052814-hearts-in-the-ice-project-sunniva-and-hilde-on-the-ice.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Ambitious expedition: The duo are the first women in history to "overwinter" in the Arctic without a male team member.
![<strong>Temporary home: </strong>They've been staying in this wooden hut, which was originally built in the 1930s and used by whalers.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/200522052250-hearts-in-the-ice-project-bamsebu-hut-detail.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Temporary home: They've been staying in this wooden hut, which was originally built in the 1930s and used by whalers.
![<strong>Canceled pick-up: </strong>Strom and Sorby are unable to leave the isolated location due to global travel restrictions.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/200522052503-hearts-in-the-ice-project-march-covidfullmoon.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Canceled pick-up: Strom and Sorby are unable to leave the isolated location due to global travel restrictions.
![<strong>'Citizen scientists': </strong>They spend their days collecting weather and wildlife data as well as monitoring clouds, sea ice and organisms.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/200522052720-hearts-in-the-ice-project-sunniva-and-hildes-cabin.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
'Citizen scientists': They spend their days collecting weather and wildlife data as well as monitoring clouds, sea ice and organisms.
![<strong>Raising awareness:</strong> Strom and Sorby launched the Hearts in the ice project with the aim "to engage a global community in the dialogue around climate change and what we can all do."](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/200522053305-hearts-in-the-ice-sunniva-sorby-in-basembu.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Raising awareness: Strom and Sorby launched the Hearts in the ice project with the aim "to engage a global community in the dialogue around climate change and what we can all do."
![<strong>Back to basics: </strong>The pair have been using solar power and windmills for electricity during their expedition and collecting logs to use for fires during the winter.<br />](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/200522052346-hearts-in-the-ice-project-hilde-vedkutting.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Back to basics: The pair have been using solar power and windmills for electricity during their expedition and collecting logs to use for fires during the winter.
![<strong>Extended stay:</strong> The duo have chosen to stay until September in order to continue their work.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/200522052055-hearts-in-the-ice-basembu-ice.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Extended stay: The duo have chosen to stay until September in order to continue their work.
![<strong>Strange times: </strong>"We could never have imagined when we started this voluntary self-isolation, that the whole world would be in an involuntary isolation," says Sorby.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/200522051942-hearts-in-the-ice-bamsebu.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Strange times: "We could never have imagined when we started this voluntary self-isolation, that the whole world would be in an involuntary isolation," says Sorby.
![<strong>Staying put:</strong> Although they're looking forward to eventually reuniting with family and friends, both women feel they're "more useful" where they are.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/200522052159-hearts-in-the-ice-project-sunniva-and-hilde-on-the-ice-2.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Staying put: Although they're looking forward to eventually reuniting with family and friends, both women feel they're "more useful" where they are.