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Greenland First Descents Ski Expedition

Highly exploratory ski touring expedition searching out first descents in the alpine ranges of East Greenland.
Trip length // 15 days

Ski mountaineering exploration on the wild arctic coastline of East Greenland

Rare access to the inner fjords from shoreside basecamps with Zodiac boat support

Join a small team led by Greenland specialist and IFMGA guide Matt Spenceley

 

This expedition is a distillation of over 20 years dedicated to skiing the wild mountains of East Greenland. Joining IFMGA mountain guide Matt Spenceley in the region to the north of his ski lodge, a small team will travel sea ice and the open waters of the fjords beyond to explore the huge potential for ski touring in these remote arctic ranges. From a shoreside basecamp, we'll use an ice-strengthened Zodiac motorboat to reach objectives we identify from the water. Building on the knowledge of past trips, our focus will be on first descents and great skiing, searching out new lines amongst these heavily glaciated alpine peaks. We have the option of moving camp by boat or heading inland on one of the many extensive glacier systems that dominate this area.

 

This is a trip for keen skiers looking to join a wilderness ski mountaineering expedition in the remote and beautiful arctic region that has become Matt's home and way of life.

East Greenland Ski Touring, Mountaineering & Trekking Specialists

TERRAIN AND SKI OBJECTIVES

To the north of our lodge, we have access to a huge area of alpine peaks that rise directly out of the frozen ocean, bounded to the west by an ice cap second in size only to Antarctica. This is one of the richest areas for exploratory backcountry skiing on earth.

The mountains of East Greenland are heavily glaciated and surrounded by a complex of fjords. They offer a myriad of great touring and descents, fall-line skiing directly from the summit to the shore. The terrain is alpine in scale, lines linking peaks, couloirs and faces with cols and glacier runs. Vertical height gain from sea to summit starts at around 700m and rises to over 2000m further inland. 

 

Whilst many fjords are frozen, strong enough to skin, dog sled or snowmobile across, we also have access to the ice edge and open water of Ammassalik Fjord that cuts deep into the inland ranges. Boats open up a mountainous shoreline hundreds of kilometres long, the key to this expedition.

 

 

East Greenland Ski Touring, Mountaineering & Trekking Specialists
East Greenland Ski Touring, Mountaineering & Trekking Specialists

THE PLAN

In this wild region, the state of the sea ice, snowpack and prevailing the weather dictates everything that we do.  

 

Flying into Kulusuk, East Greenland on Saturday, we'll meet you at the snow strip and skin around 30 minutes to the lodge whilst all kit is taken by snowmobile. After lunch and an update on conditions, there's time to cover a detailed avalanche exercise. On Sunday, we head out for a tour on the glaciated summits of Apusiaajik. Come Monday, with all the kit we need, we set out over the frozen bay to the ice edge – the point we can access open water with our motorboats. Depending on pack ice, drifting with the current, we’ll travel to our first basecamp location and spend the afternoon getting set up and comfortable. Whilst the bigger boat returns to the village, we’ll anchor our Zodiac boat by camp. From this wild location, surrounded by stunning ski terrain, we’ll follow conditions and local knowledge to find new objectives. Shorter/rest days will be planned around any weather that comes through. Self-sufficient, we may choose to move camp, or move inland to follow where the skiing is best.

 

In the last days, in view of ice conditions, we’ll plan our return to the lodge in time for your prop-plane flight to Reykjavik, Iceland.

OUR LODGE

A traditional wooden cabin we have built ourselves over the years, our lodge is nestled in the tiny Inuit village of Kulusuk, home to 200 people.  

 

A comfortable and practical base to explore East Greenland, our lodge provides cabin bedrooms, running water, hot showers, and flushing toilets, a rare thing in this cold climate. There’s a drying area for kit, a sitting room heated by a stove and a big table we all gather around each evening. Cut off by sea ice six months of the year, our stores and freezers are well supplied to provide a plentiful and varied menu. Whenever possible, we eat locally caught fish, from salmon to arctic char, cod and halibut. 

East Greenland Ski Touring, Mountaineering & Trekking Specialists
East Greenland Ski Touring, Mountaineering & Trekking Specialists

ABILITY

We work hard to build compatible teams. Whilst many folk have skied with us before, for those who haven’t, we ask that you are a strong backcountry skier comfortable making daily ascents of 1200 – 1700m (at up to 400m/h) – we normally take some shorter or rest days but it’s important that we can make use of weather windows, which may involve multiple big days. You should be comfortable with all aspects of touring, especially on hard surfaces.  In descent, you should be able to safely ski variable snow on ground up to 40-45 degrees. Efficient use of a mountaineering axe and boot crampons is essential.  We will lead a detailed avalanche training exercise and handle any rope work required whilst on glaciated terrain. Please contact us if you have any questions about your suitability for this trip.

GUIDING

Matt is an internationally qualified IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide and passionate skier who specialises in exploratory skiing around his home mountains in East Greenland. He and the small group of guides that make up Pirhuk have developed a unique set of skills to access the mountains via the ice and water of the fjords whilst managing the risks this arctic environment presents. Our safety record is a result of this focus. 

 

Whilst this trip is aimed at experienced skiers, Matt is happy to help you in refining technique or learning new skills. 

East Greenland Ski Touring, Mountaineering & Trekking Specialists

SNOWPACK AND CONDITIONS

The prevailing weather system in the mountains to the north of Kulusuk oscillates between long periods of high pressure, bringing stable, colder, clear conditions, and low-pressure storms driving in snow from the NE.

 

Straight off the ocean, these systems are relatively warm and can bring high winds, leading to high volumes of snowfall that stick to the steepest faces. When high pressure returns, this moist snow is dried out.  Our maritime snowpack tends to settle quickly due to moisture content. Persistent weak layers are uncommon. By late April, the nights no longer get dark. Daytime temperatures are likely to be from -2 to -10 degrees Celsius. For all our trips, we recommend a versatile touring set-up suitable for European alpine winter conditions, with the addition of some warmer layers.

GETTING TO GREENLAND

To come visit us on this remote coastline, we’re best reached via Iceland, only 1 hr 40 mins away by turbo prop-plane.

 

Keflavik, Iceland’s international airport is a hub for North America and Europe and also the starting point for flights to our local airstrip in Kulusuk.

 

Seats on these Icelandair-operated flights are in short supply and book out early. Whilst we don’t organise flights ourselves, travel agent VR Travel aims to reserve tickets for all our trips and can assist with international connections. You can also book direct with Icelandair.

 

East Greenland Ski Touring, Mountaineering & Trekking Specialists

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First Descents Ski Expedition

 
 
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