Best known for Ice cap crossings, Greenland is best known for hard and long pulk towing ski touring journeys. The Ice cap is extensive and featureless, home to very little at all and the perfect proving ground for the adventurous to pit their wits against the untamed forces of nature.
Unbeknown to most however, are the countless high peaks and deep glaciated valleys that surround Greenlands extensive coastline, an abundance of untouched steep faces, narrow couloirs, sharp spines and deep crystal powder await and for a few short weeks during April and May Greenland becomes a Freeriders idea of heaven!
After my first Snowboard expedition to Greenland back in 2008 I swore that I would return. A dog sled accessed Snowboard journey into the unknown, expedition life with a greater purpose than just climbing peaks, this was climbing peaks with the additional aim of riding down them, and with peaks stretching out as far as the eye could see in almost every direction, I could quickly see the potential offered by this incredible land.
2009 saw me run a fantastic trip to the Lyngen Fjord in Norway (a trip that I will run again as a splitboard trip next winter 2012). 2010 saw me run an exciting Snowboard trip to Kashmir but already the wheels were in motion for my next return to the frozen North.
A new destination to explore, a new mode of access (splitboards) and a whole load of new first descents to ride!
Liverpool land is a frozen mountainous peninsular located some 600km North of the Arctic circle. A small Inuit settlement of Scoresbysund is found to the south of the range and to the west the small airstrip of Constable point which, weather permitting, allows easy and direct access to the area from Iceland.
I first chose Liverpool land after seeing some amazing photo's of the mountains there, steep faces and couloirs, sharp ridges and peaks and what looked to be potentially amazing snow conditions. Access to the area also looked to be feasible and cost effective and so I picked an area and, set the dates and put it out there to see what interest I'd get.
Within a few weeks of it going on line the trip was already nearly fully booked and so I started to research the lay of the land, picking two potential areas for our camp and what looked like accessible, amazing riding terrain.
New to my winter calendar were my 'Chamonix Splitboard' courses which firstly enabled me to get used to the equipment and check out the potential and limitations, if any, and iron out any potential problems that I might be going to run into whilst out in the middle of knowhere, Greenland.
Secondly, running these courses, helped me perfect how to introduce the 'fine art of Splitboarding' to those who had, in many cases, never put on a pair of skis before!
We had some interesting times and some amazing days out and I could immediately see the massive potential that Splitboarding would open up both in and around the Chamonix massif, Greenland and further afield on future trips in years to come.
Towards the end of the season, before heading to Greenland, I had ridden my Splitboard for a total of 9 weeks and had explored a whole load of new areas, descents and tours that otherwise would have been, pretty much, inaccessible and so as the departure date for Greenland approached I now felt more than ready for the adventure to begin.
The spring season in Greenland had been plagued by high winds and bad weather from March through April, so we are releaved to see that our flight is from Iceland to Contable point is still on schedule. Fortunately for us, most of the bad weather has been further to the South and many of the seasons scheduled Ice Cap crossings have already been abandoned due to the massive Catabatic winds that can stream down off the inner Ice Cap.
Day 1: Constable point, Greenland, 23rd April, 2011.
Blue skies and clear views as we fly along the coastline of Greenland on approach to Constable point. Mountains fill the horizon as far as you can see and on every mountain the number of potentialy amazing descents is enough to make your head spin. the sea is frozen below and massive Icebergs stand out, locked in place until the Summer melts.
This is about the full extent of Constable point airstrip in perfect conditions.We land early afternoon to clear skies, no wind and moderate temperatures, not quite what we had been expecting. It has been snowing on and off the past week and the snow quality looks amazing, but potentially, might cause some access problems if it is too deep!
We are booked to stay the night at the small airstrip, but with the perfect weather spell due to end overnight and bad weather forecast for the next day, it looks like immediate departure for the mountains might be on the cards!
As we await our skidoo's that will take us into the mountains, I immediately start to study the mountains with my binoculars and orientate myself to the map and satelite images that I have of the area and try to choose a possible location.
Mid afternoon we are loaded and ready to go and begin our journey out into the wilderness.
Leaving the flat sea ice of the Fjords to begin the journey into the mountains.We are driven out by 3 local Inuit hunters, who excitedly point out a small herd of Musk Ox that we disturb as we enter the lower mountains en-route to our proposed base camps site high on the Hans Gletcher.
Very deep snow made the approach journey very interesting and our drivers did very well to get us on location.The snow is soon waist deep and to gain access to the higher mountains our drivers have to go ahead alone to break a trail before ferrying us and our equipment up the Glacier one at a time.
I pick a location far into the mountains, near the left bank of the glacier, somewhere that looks sheltered from the wind and out of danger from avalanche, in case of further snowfall, whilst being ideally located for accessing some amazing looking terrain.
Once all the team are in place, the skidoos have disappeared and silence has returned we begin the hard task of building camp.
Our camp high on the Hans Gletcher.Due to the deep snow, we have to dig our tents down in to deep pits rather than building block walls around them but soon we have a pretty good looking base camp and are ready to face the first of the bad weather that is due to come in overnight and settle down for our first night on in the mountains.
First impressions are that it all looks absolutely amazing!
Day 2: 24th April, 2011.
We wake up to Snow but not much wind and so after breakfast we decide to head out for a recce, this will give those who haven't splitboarded before the ideal practice time as we head out across the immense flat glacier heading towards the amazing looking North faces to be found over on the South side of the Glacier a couple of Kilometers away and soon to be named as the 'Evening sunlight ', 'Midnight sun' and Little Alaska' areas.
First exploration towards the South side of the Glacier in mixed weather!After about an hour of trail breaking through gradually deepening snow the wind starts to get up and within minutes visibility is down to zero and the wind is strong enough to blow you over.
A hasty retreat back to camp as the weather closes in.We haste a retreat to camp and settle in for the afternoon building re enforcement walls where necessary followed by the first of many team card games of 'shithead' in the communal mess tent.
Day 3: 25th April, 2011.
Fresh snow, faded sunlight and no wind!
Heading out for our first big day in the mountains.After breakfast we head up the South facing slopes behind the camp to explore around the immediate vicinity of the camp. We head up towards one of the higher peaks of the area, 'Morning glory peak' as it becomes known.
Amazing views and snow conditions! Nearing the 'Morning glory peak', our camp is way down on the flat Glacier some 5 km behind.As we skin up towards the summit we are amazed by the beauty of our surroundings, the quality of the snow and the potential of the terrain.
We make a simple descent starting off back the way we have climbed up before taking a variant that I have spotted straight down some rolling terrain with a steep exit couloir onto the glacier below.
My first turns in Greenland and easily some of the best snow of the season 2011!The snow is amazing and for most these will be the best powder turns of the winter so far, myself included!
Alastair tries his Jones solution splitboard in real powder for the first time! Conclusion, 'Amazing!'The descent is amazing and by the time we get back to camp everyone is buzzing about the offerings to come!
Simon and Alastair relax after our first big day, the 'Evening light walls' are in the background!Day 4: 26th April, 2011
Day 4 dawns bright and clear, well not exactly dawns as its been sunny all night!
Amazing views as we hike up and over 'Morning glory peak' making very good time!With blue skies and sparkling crystal light powder everywhere we set off back up our trail of the previous day knocking 30 minutes of our time up on to the summit of 'Morning glory peak'. From here, we carry on over the back towards a big face that we had checked out the day before.
Dropping into a first descent of the 'Northern light wall' the group look on as I drop the upper slopes, before it steepens up below!A beautiful first descent down what we named, 'Northern light wall'. Big open sweeping turns leading down into steepening terrain with a cliff band below, cut out right above the rocks, sneak through between a couple and charge out into the Glacial bassin below.
Getting ready to cut out right to avoid the cliff band below! Beautiful snow and an amazing descent!An unreal descent! One of the best lines I've ever ridden and as I look around this feeling is etched on the slope through the lines of the team following behind!
Simon charges the steeps on the 'Northern light wall'.
Mark cuts out right with cliffs over to the left. None of us thought the conditions would really be this good!We're about 5km from camp which is an easy ride straight down the Hans Glacier.
The end of a perfect day, from left to right: Al, Dave, Alistair, Simon, Mark, Matteo, Mike and Dev!A perfect day!
Day 6: 27th April, 2011.
A storm has come in during the night and we have more fresh snow. All our tracks from the previous days are covered over, the glacier and the peaks around us are virgin crisp again. Although there is obviously a lot of wind further up the glacier (we can see it blowing of the high peaks) down at camp the air is still.
We opt to hike and ride the slopes directly behind our camp, two short hikes that give us two very nice descents of around 300 to 400m vertical with a short hike back up the Glacier to camp.
The first run provides great snow and some real nice turns made a little tricky as the light is quite flat, well worth another tour though, the second run is equally good and finishes right at the camp.
Good weather is due for tomorrow though so we spend a lot of time eating, drinking and playing cards.
Al Fielding hard at work in the kitchen. The bag of snow to the right will provide water for drinks and food.Winter Camp craft is all about keeping on top of things, keeping things dry, organized and keeping hydrated. Al and Dave (from Pirhuk logistics) were in charge of our chief chefs for the trip
Day 7: 28th April, 2011
Another perfect day, clear skies and crystal fresh snow!
Far from camp, some 8km away we head up towards two high peaks but drop into a big face on route as it looks to good to miss.We break a new trail up the 'Morning glory' side and follow the high ridge around behind the 'Morning Glory peak' towards two more peaks hidden behind. Some of the hike is quite exposed above steep terrain and we get amazing views out onto the open sea Ice of the Danish Straights, of the valley behind us with the huge Pedderson Glacier and in the distance the ***** Ice cap.
Amazing views onto the Pedderson Glacier and the Ice cap in the distance.There are amazing peaks and lines everywhere we look and I'm already making plans in my mind for further trips to explore and ride more of this amazing landscape.
On route to the peaks behind we traverse above one of the most amazing looking walls which is just to much to ignore and so we opt to abandon the mission and ride this face instead.
Dropping into another amazing first descent, the 'Wall of morning light'.A beautiful wall, steep and open at the top, rolling into steeper rocky terrain with chutes, couloirs and windlips waiting below.
First descent, 'Wall of morning light'.Having checked my line from the overlooking ridge I drop in at full speed, powering some smooth powder turns down towards a rock outcrop. The slope below is hidden from view but if I'm in the right place and this is the right rocky outcrop, below me there will be a steep narrow chute through to a steep face with a perfect windlip over on the left. I charge over the roller by the rocks, perfect! the chute is right there and I charge through cutting out left to carve the windlip before dropping straight towards the Glacier below.
Carving out of the windlip on the lower face.Another Amazing first descent, 'the wall of Morning light' and again one of the best lines I have ever ridden!
Mike follows my line through the rocks in the middle of the face!
Dev charges the upper slopes of the 'Wall of morning light'.
Mike charging on the lower face!I watch as the team charge the face each taking their own line and getting their own fresh turns and for sure there's some stoked looking riders coming out of the bottom!
We head back down to camp, about 8km away but easy going and chill for a while in the new sun lounge extension for cheese and biscuits topped with Marmite and Tabasco chilli pepper sauce, hmmm nice?
Eating lunch in the new sun lounge extension, the evening descent can be seen behind!Kind of??
With 24 hour daylight we have now the option to go and explore the Southern side of the Glacier, the extensive North facing slopes there get beautiful evening and night time sun so we aptly name this side 'The Evening light face'.
Hiking across to the 'Evening light' faces. We zig zagged our way up the slope in the background to attain the upper Ice field above. Pretty hard going and further than it looks!It's quite a long way across the Glacier to reach the hike up onto the small Icecap that sits above and gives access to all the lines on the 'Evening light face' which stretches along, overlooking the glacier, for a good few kilometers with amazing lines through out.
Looking over into the Grete Glacier, amazing looking faces and chutes everywhere and definitely the sight of a future trip.
'There can be only one!' but there does always seem to be at least one! Al flies his colours whilst the rest of us check out the lines behind him.The hike up is hard going with deep and steep snow to break trail through, but once up there the views onto the Grete Glacier behind are amazing and again I make a note for a return trip!
It's now late, but the sun is obviously still shining so we drop into an easy access wide open face that we have been scouting out from camp.
Another amazing descent but unfortunately the light went a little flat just as we dropped in.Another amazing descent in great snow but unfortunately the light went a little flat just in time for our descent. By the time we're back at camp the midnight sun is once again blazing down and we can admire our tracks in the distance before we settle into the mess tent for drink, food and more shithead!
End of part 1...more to follow soon!
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