Hiking Greenland:
The Arctic Circle Trail
August 2015
Greenland is the quietest place I've visited. No trees (unlike Siberia and the Alaskan Arctic), little wind, few birds and fewer streams.
Crowberries. Lots of these and blueberries to eat.
Soaked shoes all day, everyday. Pictured here is the trail, not a stream. But temps never fell below freezing.
The biggest river to be crossed without a bridge. Water up to mid-thigh.
Many caribou along the trail. And many of their antlers and bones left over from Inuit hunting.
Bright, strange algae growing in the lake.
Prefabricated buildings in the Inuit village of Kangerlussuaq, population 500. The trail begins here when you exit the airport.
Inuit graffiti on the trail/road leading from the airport.
The edge of the ice sheet, which contains 10% of the world`s freshwater reserves.
On the ice sheet, which is 3 kms at its thickest.
The Inuit village of Sisimiut (pop. 5,000), on the coast at trail`s end. Greenland has a population of 57,000 (88% Inuit, 12% European) and this is the 2nd largest settlement.
Cities and villages have this in common: the practical side of how they function is more readily visible than in suburbs.
Sled dogs staked out on the village edge. Memories of my days in the Alaskan Arctic mushing and working with sled dogs.
Underwater statues in a Copenhagen canal. Most flights to Greenland depart from Copenhagen. Greenland is part of Denmark, but has full autonomy for all domestic issues and some foreign issues. Greenland opted out of the EU although Denmark is a member.
Not Greenlandic. I saw only 3 trees in Greenland.
Wildlife seen: Caribou, arctic hare, a falcon, ptarmigan and loons.
Itinerary: 6 days hiking 165 kms (102 miles) solo from Kangerlussuaq village to Sisimuit village. No settlements en route.
Also one day biking the dirt roads from Kangerlussuaq to the ice sheet (75 kms/45 miles). And 3 days visiting Copenhagen.