Expedition in Greenland over the Arctic Circle Trail

We land in Copenhagen where we are welcome by one of our expedition team and we are brought to our hotel.

Today, we fly from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq, an airport which serves as the most reliable and biggest transit air gateway in Greenland. This allows us relative security regarding dependable flights in winter conditions. Upon arrival, we walk 100 meters tothe hotel where we allocate rooms and get settled. In the afternoon, everyone receives his or her personal expedition equipment including a polar sleeping bag, a mattress and all other important items (see equipment list) as well as the necessary tent, kitchen box and other materials needed per duo as we sleep two in one (roomy) tent. We double-check solid functionality of each item in order to prevent any bad surprises once we are out on the trail. Together, we assemble the daily food rations and take into account the higher-than-normal caloric requirements, ease of consumption, and any personal food desiderata.

After a hearty breakfast, we set off on one of two possible routes, depending on weather conditions and group composition. Either we add a 14 kilometers approach via Kellyville, where the actual Arctic Circle Trail starts, or we accept a ride in a super-jeep with all of the sleds towed in a large trailer. Off we go and just like on any other expedition, we allow ourselves time to adjust to the cadence of sled pulling, manipulation of expedition equipment, and accepting the omnipresent cold. When the first day comes to an end, the cosiness of a warm sleeping bag provides us a comfortable place to celebrate our first accomplishments and thoughtfully plan the day to come.

The route of the Arctic Circle Trail is marked by cairns (small heaps of stones) that can be easily seen from a distance in summer, but winter snow masks their presence and makes route finding a bit more challenging. At times, the tracks by hunters are quite misleading as they go in different directions. Since we have put forth an ambitious plan, we must not dawdle as we aim to cover a distance between 15 to 20 km/day. We wake up in the dark and are ready to progress with the first light of dawn.

Steadily, we begin to find a pleasant routine in our gestures and distribution of the different tasks. It takes time to get ready in the morning: enough snow must be melted for our (dehydrated) breakfast and we must rehydrate maximally. In addition to that, the thermos for the day must be filled. Practice will show that all manipulations take much more time than in a normal daily life. We must wear gloves or mittens while manipulating equipment and work incessantly to keep our equipment organized and free from any ice build-up. When the time has come to start breaking up camp, you realize that our morning routine requires some energy. Once outside the tent, though, the overwhelming beauty of the Greenlandic scenery literally takes your breath away and provides a boost of renewed energy to begin progression.

Regular short climbs of no more than 500 meters provide us with varied terrain where the chances are good to spot reindeer and the occasional musk oxen. They scramble and ramble around the areas where they can use their hooves to find some frozen vegetation but it is incredible to see how these animals seem to survive in such a harsh environment. Lost in the rhythm of shuffling skis forward, the attentive polar traveller will be rewarded for staying alert when seeing the shy polar hare or polar fox, both who seem to melt away into the extensive white frozen canvas.

When fatigue sets in and the group comes to a consensus to call it a day, dinner will be ravished and the sleeping bag will be an immediate lure.

When we are lucky enough to have “night-owls” in the group, they will be hailed as the heroes of the expedition when they see the Northern Lights and alert everyone to come out of their tents to view nature’s spectacle! Gracious, dancing veils of green, yellow, red and orange provide us with the miracle of the Northern Regions, surely worth abandoning your sleeping bag … for as long as you can stand still and manage the cold.

We are almost at the halfway point of the ACT (Arctic Circle Trail) marked by a big, wide-open valley where the Ittineq River provides summer hikers with fresh water.  We walk by the bridge that was recently built to provide a safe crossing when all of the meltwater creates mighty streams. We, however, can graciously ski across all the frozen features of this landscape and smile at the fact that we do not have to deal with the insidious mosquitoes that rule in the summer.

Here and there, we will also walk by a small hut, meant to provide shelter for hikers in distress, but too small to offer our group accommodation. They do however provide us with a sense of humanity and a reminder that summers in Greenland also offer temperatures other than sub-zero conditions.

The biggest differences in altitude are to be found in the first part of the ACT. As we start aiming for our final destination, we navigate a few descents before we arrive at Sisimiut, a city located at sea-level. There, the ocean finds an abrupt confrontation with a compressed landmass that sharply rises up. That is why the last ascent requires serious effort, but we have found a rhythm that not only keeps us warm, but at the same time avoids any excess moisture in the form of sweat, so easy does it! The “Polar Plod” rules in this environment, skiing at a pace that prevents you from being too hot, but not too fast so as to prevent exertion.

One of the nicest memories that people retain after a polar expedition is the contradiction of being surrounded by immensity and having to deal with the smallest details in order to keep warm and safe. One cannot be but humble and enjoy the great serenity. Weather conditions around Kangerlussuaq are very stable, calm and consistent in March. The thick snowy carpet absorbs all sound. The pure whiteness delivers a calming homogeneity. Only our temporary ski tracks will disturb the peace. When leaving the campsite, we try to brush clean signs of our passage.

Regularly we put our tents on lakes and enjoy the nightly concerto of expanding and retracting ice. At -25°C, there is no need to fear anything unstable as the ice layer could support a house.

With an eye for the intricate beauty of the Greenlandic environment, photographers among us will discover new angles, colours, and shades that distort apparent monotony. If need be, they can hook their sled on the pulling harness of one of the stronger expedition members and take their time for photography. Soon enough, the cold will invite you to move again to pump more blood to your body’s extremities. This way, the progression stretch in the group will recalibrate so that the group can take regular breaks together.  It is necessary to regularly drink and eat to keep our body’s central heating system well-fuelled

Today, we may hope to reach our destination Sisimiut. The excitement of sniffing the stable makes us feel re-energized and slowly we can start counting down the last kilometres. The fatigue of the previous days melts away like snow for the sun and as it is customary, participants engage in communication more, anticipating a grand finale. We see the first signs of civilisation in the far distance:  houses with smoke rising out of the chimneys.  Soon the smells so typical of human congregation begin to tease us, feeding the desire to find ourselves again in the warmth with food, drink and rest.  It is all about re-appreciation of the basics of life.  When we unhook the sled from our harness and find the showers in the hotel, there is nothing better than feeling the warm water run over skin that was constantly challenged by deep cold.

No words for it … deep sleep in a soft bed!  The exchanges with the local inhabitants are warm, just as warm as their cosy and colourful homes. Strolling around town is relaxing and invites interaction with the Inuit population. Clearly, we are not the typical tourists and the imminent flight from Sisimiut back to Kangerlussuaq requires a bit of organisation of our expedition equipment so that it can all fit in the belly of the aircraft. When we hang high in the sky and look down to where we skied, the ACT stretches before us in all its glory.

We keep this day in case the weather has prevented us from flying the day before. We take our return flight for Copenhagen.

Today, we take our international flight back home from Copenhagen. It is very likely that we shall need to overnight in a hotel in Copenhagen.