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Greenland Ski Expedition

"Exploratory ski mountaineering in the remote mountains of East Greenland. With superb skiing and numerous opportunities for first descents in a beautiful and unspoilt arctic environment - this is a great opportunity to do an expedition style trip in just two weeks of holiday"
  
17 days
Inter-Adv
5:1
Dates: 20 Apr - 06 May '12
Price: £1850
Ski Ability: 3-5
Fitness: 3-4
Experience: Previous multiday ski touring experience essential. Proficiency with ice axe and crampons required.
Included: Guiding Fees and Expenses.
Other Costs: Hut nights, food, travel and dogsleds during the tour ~ £900
Flights: To the region from the Uk via Reykjavik cost ~ £600
 
Summary
This is an exploratory ski mountaineering expedition, with technical ski descents each day. The skiing is generally on excellent spring snow, with the possibility for exploration and first descents during the trip.
Our time is split between a remote, but well equipped mountain hut and an extended week long circuit invloving glacier camping. Weather and snow conditions in the region at this time of year are invariably stable and productive.
Recent Trip Report: April 2008
Travel
We fly via Iceland to the Ammassalik region of East Greenland, where we spent a couple of days doing warm up tours and finalising logistics before travelling on by boat, dogsled and ski to a remote Mountain Hut - our base and jump off point for making longer excursions into the surrounding glacier systems, including a remote camp for part of the trip.
 
Food and Accommodation
For this trip we charge a guiding + expenses fee only. Accommodation is booked for the group and you simply pay direct as we go along. In the mountains we stay for part of the time at an unguarded but fully equipped Mountain Hut and for a number of days at a remote camp where expedition quality sleeping bags and sleeping mats will be neccesary. As this is a glacier camp, you need to be prepared for sleeping and living constantly on snow for a number of days.
 
Sample Itinerary
Subject to weather and snow conditions, the planned itinerary for the trip is as follows:-
greenland ski expedition itinerary
Days 1-2 Fri-Sat
Outward flight to Reykjavik, where we spend the night before flying on to Kulusuk Airport in Greenland. Sat PM Travel by dogsled and boat to a remote remote inuit village which serves as our base for the next couple of days.
Day 3 - Sun
Day tour in the surrounding fjords - this is a stunning area, with great spring touring overlooking the ice covered bays and islands.
Days 4-14 Mon-Thu

Finalise logistics with local inuit hunters and travel inland by dogsled to the Mountain Hut.

We cover the final few Km on ski to arrive at the hut. For the first couple of days we base ourselves at the hut making day tours, before setting off on a week long ski tour to explore the surrounding glacier systems.

A typical day might involve 1-2 hrs easy glacier travel, before leaving gear and skiing a technical peak, then moving on a little further to make the next camp.

We may camp in the same spot for 2-3 nights to do some longer tours.The aim is to avoid skiing with a heavy pack on and break up 'travel' sections into shorter legs - so you can enjoy each days skiing.

At the end of this period, we ski back out to civilisation and tranfer back to Kulusuk on the Thursday afternoon.
Day 15 - Fri
Day tour around Kulusuk (we include this as a spare day in the schedule to allow for any weather delays).
Day 16 - Sat
Return flight from Kulusuk to Reykjavik - followed by a big night out in the famous party capital of the North.
Day 17 - Sun
Return flight from Reykjavik to the UK.
greenland ski expedition
 
Important
When travelling to Greenland, flight timings are always subject to weather and flying conditions. We have incorporated possible spare 'weather' days into our planning, to try and ensure connecting flights back to the UK (we also have a sat phone for emergencies and to check forecasts etc, in case of a need to change plans in the field).
 
Flights and Transport
All flights and transport are paid for by team members directly. Flights to Reykjavik are available from Stansted, Heathrow and Glasgow The flight on to Greenland is also easily bookable online. Cost of Dogsled hire is shared between group members and paid for on the spot.
 
Payment and Trip Budget

The £1850 guiding fee payable to Alpine Guides Ltd, covers the guiding fees and organising expenses only. You will also need ~£900 to cover your food, accommodation and dogsled costs etc during the trip. The other main item is flights to Greenland, which cost ~£600 return from the Uk and take a few minutes to book online.
 
Ability and Experience
You need to be a strong skier with previous mulitday touring experience (see ski ability level 3-5) - ie able to handle all off piste conditions whilst carrying more than just a day sac. Proficiency with ice axe and crampons is also needed.
 
Fitness
Ski mountaineering expeditions require high levels of fitness and endurance (see fitness levels 3-4). You must be capable of skinning all day whilst carrying food and equipment for a multi day tour and will need to prepare well in advance with regular training including big days out on skis.
 
Equipment
We will supply you with a full kit list. You are responsible for bringing personal clothing and sleeping equipment, a rucsac and ski mountaineering kit - if there are any items you may need to hire, then please contact us and we will help you arrange this. The glacier camp will be set up with Alpine Guides own expedition quality tents, stoves and cooking equipment. We are delighted to be working on this tour with Backcountry UK, who provide excellent service and advice as a leading retailer of ski mountaineering equipment in the UK.
 
     
 
 
 
         
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