Skiers skiing across the Greenland Icecap duirng our Greenland Expedition.

Greenland Icecap Crossing

“The expedition's difficulty was exactly at my level and I found my hidden reserves with the guide's help. The guides were like mother and father to me and are beyond any criticism. It was a great adventure and a lot of hard work. I will remember most the huge energy reserves and mental resources of our guides.”

Greenland Icecap Crossing

Skiing across the Greenland Icecap is a remarkable challenge. It's exciting, unpredictable, a lot of hard work, and immensely rewarding. Every day is long. The weather can be tricky. It's a group effort that demands teamwork and a love of expedition living. The icecap is incredible. The coastal mountains disappear from view within a couple of days and you become surrounded a vast ocean of snow which you will traverse towards your goal. At first this means gaining elevation every day over broad hills with an upward trend. Then, once the highpoint has been reached you'll begin a gradual descent that often isn't easy to notice. The difficulty of each day is largely determined by the weather which can send blues skies, strong winds, snow or rain. It will also be determined by your ability to maintain your energy day after day. You'll need to be positive, adaptable, persistent and resilient to thrive on this adventure. This expedition runs both east to west or west to east depending on various logistics. We offer a ski expedition with dogsled support (no individual sleds) as well as a ski/pulk expedition where each person has his/her own sled(s). Contact us for more details!

Dates & Rates

Tentative 2024 Starting Dates:

Dogsled supported Ski Traverse : April 23, 2024

Ski & Pulk Traverse: April 29, 2024

Tentative 2024 Price:

Please contact us for pricing.

Participants receive a discount on our 5-day Polar Shakedown Training. Click here for more details.

Inclusions:

Includes all group equipment, guide(s), permits, communication & safety gear, dinners and breakfasts while on the ice.

Itinerary

DAY 1

Arrive in Kangerlussuaq or Tasiilaq. Transfer to hotel. Evening welcome reception provides time to meet other team members and review itinerary.

DAY 2

A day in Kangerlussuaq or Tasiilaq to review expedition procedures and equipment, and to take care of last minute details.

DAY 3

The ski/pulk team will depart for the edge of the icecap, a location known as "Point 660"(if skiing W-E) or the small town of Isortoq, and then to the edge of the icecap (if heading E-W). The dogsled supported ski team will fly to a pre-determined "dog camp" on the icecap where they will meet up with the mushers and dogs.

DAY 4

The ski/pulk team will continue their ascent through the icefall. The dogsled supported ski team will begin their traverse of the icecap, heading towards Dye-2.

Read the full W=E itinerary here.

Read the full E-W itinerary here.

Qualifications

This expedition is for people who are in good shape, and who are eager to push themselves physically and mentally. You need the mental toughness to wake up every morning ready for a challenge, day after day, without a break. Though the skiing is quite demanding, it does not require significant skill. You will need to have very good cardiovascular endurance and the ability to pull a heavy sled (on our ski/pulk expedition) for several hours at a time, with only short pauses; or the ability to ski at a steady and efficient pace (for our dogsled-supported ski expedition) Most importantly you need to be able to regulate your body temperature and energy so that you do not get too cold, or too hot, or "hit the wall" with fatigue. Towards the end of the day it is critical that you have the energy reserves to set up camp and help out with the basic necessities of camp life including making water, cooking, etc.

This expedition will encounter extreme conditions including high winds, limited visibility, snow, possibly rain, and cold temperatures. Living in such cold conditions 24 hours a day can be very challenging. This expedition demands that you stay well-fed and hydrated. You need to be proactive about keeping yourself healthy and free of injury. An evacuation from this expedition is very costly and logistically difficult.

You do not have to be a world class athlete to participate in and enjoy this expedition, but every ounce of training and preparation will help to make the expedition more enjoyable and safer.

Please contact us with further questions!

Equipment

Upon registration, you will receive a comprehensive gear guide that explains the importance of each item as well as gear recommendations from our past participants. Please contact us for more information about your personal gear and group gear for this expedition.

Several items on our equipment checklist are available from our store.

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