Greenland Winter Expedition

[u/Marius_dragon_slayer]

[u/Marius_dragon_slayer]

This March, I set out on a winter expedition to Greenland. The plan was to land in Sisimiut on Monday, March 10th, and take on a "wild" version of the Arctic Circle Trail. After six days, we’d leave the trail and head towards the start of the ice cap.

Well... Air Greenland had other plans.

With only 4 out of their 8 Dash-8 planes operational, flight cancellations and delays turned our itinerary into a logistical nightmare. At one point, I genuinely thought the trip would get canceled. But hey, that’s expeditions for you. Instead of sulking, we made the best of it with a boat trip around the Nuuk area, some sight seeing and a lot of team dinners (with alcohol).

Eventually, we did reach our destination—though with a modified plan. Instead of our intended route, we "only" had time for the classic Arctic Circle Trail, which took about 9 days. We took a snowmobile for a short section, offering breathtaking views over the mountainous terrain near Sisimiut.

Once on the trail, it felt amazing to finally get moving—pulling the pulkas, skiing whenever possible, otherwise walking. Walking during the day was almost meditative: no decisions to make, just one ski in front of the other. This was my first time on a guided trip (this was with Thule Expeditions!), and I have to admit, it was nice not having to worry about navigation, camp spots, or logistics. Although I do like doing my own trips the most.

Evenings were spent in the inner tent with white gas burners roaring—melting snow, drying gear, and warming up. Plus, eating just a bit of candy. (You burn a ridiculous amount of calories out there.)

Mornings, though? Brutal. Waking up in the cold, doing chores with frozen fingers, and sweaty clothes from my vapour barrier liner was not fun. But once the tents were packed and we started moving, all was good again.

The wilderness was absolutely stunning—endless, untouched, and awe-inspiring. The weather was surprisingly mild, bottoming out at -20°C, with mostly sunny days. The warmest day? Close to -2°C (without factoring in wind, of course).

We only encountered a handful of others: one other group, a solo trekker, and some dogsleds and snowmobiles. Otherwise, it was just us and the Arctic silence.

This trip, along with my training expedition in Norway, was preparation for solo winter journeys. Next winter, I’m planning to head to Norway or Sweden with my sled dog—just need to pick the right location. Before that, I also need to find a good spot for a 2.5-week summer trek with my dog this July… Luxury problems, I guess. 😆

Now I am dreaming of going to Northeast Greenland, crossing the icecap or going to Svalbard! (plz send money 🥺)

[u/CFHLS]

Wow that looks like an incredible experience!

[u/crlthrn]

Exceptional! Thank you.

[u/[deleted]]

So green.

[u/Cozy_Box]

Looks like you had a fantastic camping!