CALEDONIAN ALPS GLACIER TRAVERSE

From the summer tundra and alpine plants of the shoreline to tidewater glaciers, high alpine ice-fields and the mountains of the Interior. 

ARRIVING IN EAST GREENLAND

We'll meet you at the gravel airstrip and walk 30 minutes over tundra back to our lodge, with kit transferred by ATV. With an evening flight, we'll discuss plans, forecasts, and do what packing we can before dinner and a comfortable night at the lodge.

In the morning, we'll work through a kit check and group equipment, and finish packing before loading our powerful expedition motorboat and travelling north, looking out for icebergs and whales (humpback, sei, fin, minke, cachalot, orca). We set out on foot from Tasiilap Nua.

ARCTIC CHAR STREAMS AND TUNDRA

Heading inland, we’ll make a brief crossing of a dry, or bare-ice, glacier before descending onto land and the lush banks of an arctic char stream that drops to a bay and our first night’s camp. Next day, looking into the high mountains of the range, we’ll find our way through an area of moraines to gain the glacier tongue providing a gently angled ascent inland. There will be time to learn or refine crampon-, axe- and rope- use before we reach the snow line when this kit will be necessary for safe travel.

HIGH GLACIERS AND CAMPS

At the high point of our traverse, surrounded by mountains, we'll set up camp.  From here, we hope to ascend a snow summit, something we've previously timed to catch the midnight sun.

THE KARALE GLACIER AND CALVING FACES

Following broad ice fields that link through to the huge east-ward flow of the Karale Glacier, we camp under the 2000m spire of Rytterknoegten. The following day, dropping below the snow line, we skirt around crevasse fields, losing height towards Sermiligaq Fjord and the ice faces of the Karale and other unnamed glaciers that break into the ocean. Reaching the shoreline, we'll aim to set up camp, high enough to be safe from calving events, but with a view of the calving face. We will continue east, following the shoreline and crossing several glacier snouts where meltwater rivers may block our way. If time allows, we aim to cross the headland that leads to Nunartivaq, a day of mountain travel with wild views.

Our boat Aqqaluk will meet us the on last morning for the journey back to Kulusuk for hot showers and lunch before packing bags and walking back to the airstrip for the evening flight out to Keflavik.