Windstorm Delays the Ski Day

Windy morning from Greenland 2024. Our team had heavier wind through the early afternoon today.

A windstorm shook our team's tents all last night and this morning. From 10pm last night to 2pm today, 40 knot winds (46 mph) forced the team to hunker down and wait for more favorable traveling conditions.

Fortunately, more favorable conditions did in fact materialize, and the team was able to put in 6 hours on the trail. Over that time they made an impressive 9 miles of progress! But it sure wasn't easy.

When they broke camp this afternoon it was still blowing nearly 20 mph, and visibility was a challenge. It was a full on whiteout for much of their travel day. The horizon was totally occluded.

Whiteouts are super difficult because they rob you of your equilibrium. Just keeping your balance across flat terrain isn't so easy. Of course it's also challenging to stay on track. When you can't establish any landmarks, navigating towards your target requires so much more concentration and energy.

The good news is that tomorrow's forecast is looking good for a productive full travel day. The team is currently fueling up on a hot dinner and will soon tuck into their warm sleeping bags to rev up their energy for tomorrow.

Check out the latest Greenland Icecap Crossing Video Series installment below. It focuses on the icefall, the challenging mess of icy hills and gullies that the team just recently cleared.