An icy adventure: Greenland’s ice layer (day 2)

An ice cream night

Well, that was a cold night! Unfortunately, duplicating mattresses, a Nalgene bottle full of hot water and a full stomach did not keep me hot. I think I slept for a while, the rest of the time I tried layers with more clothes inside and on my sleeping bag, but it didn’t help …

Good luck to me, we get up early, 06: 00), so we could leave at 07:00 for another ice walk.

But the first breakfast! Hot and toasted drinks made on gas fire. Very pretty. The only thing that would have been better was Waffles. But you can’t have everything 😉

And then I was sunny!

Today we go in a different direction. Yesterday was beautiful, but with the sun it was today … incredible.

home Sweet Home

I was excited to finally fly my drone. Yesterday’s rain kept him on the ground, but today I managed to capture some great photos. I am still a beginner (I have had it for less than a week), and I am a little nervous to lose it in a river or moulin (those deep holes where all the water disappears).

The walk itself was less dramatic (without polar swimming or looking at Abisses), but the views were fantastic. I am starting to feel at home on the ice; Crampones give me a lot of confidence.

The mysterious poop

Today’s walk was a little shorter. Very fast we find a poop spread.

Who is this poop?

Strange, since no animal lives on the ice. It turns out that it was from a rock ptarmigan, a bird that often feels for centuries while digesting the food. Ice is safe for them because there are no predators around. Very good! I have also seen Ptarrmigans on previous walks: they hide in bushes until you are very close, then explode in flight with a large racket. Usually in groups. They can really scare you.

A Rock Ptarmigan – photo of Thorsteinn Friðriksson

Thanks Volkswagen!

We had some fun crossings on cracks and steep sections and downstairs. In a moment we run into a lot of sewn tires. A leftover of when the Volkswagen group used to try cars here, pushing them in extreme conditions. In the early 2000s, I could lead to ice, and there were plans for a 93 mile test track (150 km). But the ice kept changing and changing, so the project was finally discarded. The cars would fly to Kangerlussuaq and built the road to the ice layer, which today is used mainly by tourists. So, in a way, we have to thank car manufacturers for such easy access.

Ice tires

Great adventures in my mind

This has been incredible that made me dream of another adventure: crossing the ice layer, from this to west. 372 miles (600 km), approximately one month. Many do not end due to the brutal climate. And for now, I don’t have the right team, enough money (you can easily cost $ 23K) or people to do it. But how amazing that would be …

I have some beautiful images of my drone.

From my expedition of doubts in northern Sweden this spring, they have increasingly attracted me to the winter adventures. There is something so special about them. Maybe it is because I did not grow with «adequate» winters (in the Netherlands, it is much more rain than snow).
I love the challenges of a colder environment (as long as you have the right team, of course …). If it is cold all the time, that would not be fun.

A sad goodbye

Back in the camp, we had a good lunch and packed the tents. I was sad to leave. This experience has been incredible: I could have easily left a few more days (although perhaps with a little warmer nights). I’m glad I didn’t have done one of those «Touch The Ice» tours where you only have an hour on the edge. With so little time, you don’t even need crampons because you can’t go very far.

No Santa, only Rudolph

On the way back we saw my first reindeer! Simply crossing the road. I hope it is the first of many.

Back in Kangerlussuaq, I registered at a hotel and organized my team for tomorrow. I will go to the KanggerusSuaq Ridge path, then I will meet with the Arctic Circle Trail the next day. The weather looks good, and I’m ready!

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