Trip Reports

Greenland Mountaineer 2024

Training Day
Trip Report

Written by Team Member Edward Chard (Ed), August 2024

Tim and Ed have returned to the UK after a challenging trip to East Greenland.

Unfortunately, Greenland (like many other areas of the world this summer) has suffered with some very unseasonable wet and stormy weather which in turn negatively affected our planned itinerary.

That said the expedition team had a great introduction into what Greenland can offer; huge glaciers dropping into the sea with remote campsites and soring rock spires all around. Our trip had a ‘real’ expedition feel with everyone getting involved in all parts of the daily planning process and supporting others around them.

The first few days had good weather that enabled everyone to re-engage with wild camping, glacier travel and safe travel on steep ground. Getting to high ground anywhere on Greenlandic coast is a treat; think - clear blue ocean views dotted with icebergs stretching as far as the eye can see.

Travel between coastal basecamps in Greenland is via fast boats, we travelled North around 60km swerving 30m high icebergs and getting a glimpse of the Central Greenland Ice cap in the distance.

The aim was to find a remote campsite, close to a glacier snout to set up a base to use to explore the higher peaks. We had hoped to use high bivi sites on the glacier to reduce summit days down to 8-9hours long. Unfortunately is was at this point the weather broke and heavy rain and wind battered the whole area making it dangerous to be sleeping out on the ice.

Wild camping in such conditions can be demoralising even with experienced people, wet eventually seeps into tents and every basic task feels hard won. The breaks in the weather let us cook and eat as normal well away from the sleeping tents, normal procedure when travelling in areas frequented by Polar Bears.

One of the high points for the team during this period was finding a large ‘Moulin’. A glacial feature where water has eroded a vertical shaft into the bed of the glacier. They can range in size from a metre or so right up to the monster we found that was around 10m across.

Freezing cold water gushing down into what looks like the centre of the earth is impressive particularly when you set up a rope system allowing you to be lowered in and climb back out. There were definitely some eyes on stalks that afternoon!!

The flowing day we made the demoralising but sensible decision to return to Kulusuk Island where shorter and more achievable adventures could be found.

After 2 days of rock climbing and mountaineering we had a final day on the major mountain of the island (Qalorujoorneq – good luck in pronouncing it!) a horseshoe of some 23km on grade 2-3 scrambling terrain saw us get great views of a Humpback Whale pod way below in the bay.

We flew back to Iceland the following day for a stopover before flying onto the UK with mixed emotions and a bag full of experiences.

Ed Chard, July 2024

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