Arctic Circle Trail by Ski

“The expedition's difficulty was exactly at my level and I found my hidden reserves with the guide's help. The guides were like mother and father to me and are beyond any criticism. It was a great adventure and a lot of hard work. I will remember most the huge energy reserves and mental resources of our guides.”

Arctic Circle Trail

The Arctic Circle Trail is a classic trail on the west coast of Greenland that is highly regarded for its remote beauty and access to Greenland’s remarkable terrain. Travelled mostly in the summer by experienced trekkers we will be among the few expeditions to traverse the trail by ski and pulk. This exciting route runs 165 km (103 miles) from Kangerlussuaq, which is at the end of a long fjord and close to the edge of the Greenland icecap, to Sisimiut which is a picturesque coastal town where modern and traditional culture exist side by side. We are above the Arctic Circle for the duration of the expedition and our most likely companions will be muskoxen and reindeer - and hopefully some aurora borealis! During the expedition we will traverse the Aasivissuit - Nipisat UNESSCO World Heritage Site, home to important hunting grounds for more than 4,200 years. Expect temperatures from +10 degrees Fahrenheit to -20 degrees Fahrenheit, and lots of wind. We’ll be ready for anything as we traverse this treasured trail.

Dates & Rates

Tentative 2025 Dates:

March 13-26, 2025

Tentative 2025 Price:

$8,500 USD per person

Participants receive a discount on our 6-day Polar Shakedown Training. Click here for more details.

Inclusions:

Includes all group equipment, guide(s), permits, communication & safety gear, dinners and breakfasts while on the ice.

Itinerary

Pre-Expedition

Arrive in Kangerlussuaq.

DAY 1 & 2

We will meet in Kangerlussuaq and kick off the the expedition by spending the first two days in town preparing, packing and reviewing expedition skills.

DAY 3-13

Get ready to start skiing! Heading west out of Kangerlussuaq we start the ACT 17 km west of Kangerlussuaq and for the next 150 km we’ll be navigating our way over lakes and hills, around mountains and along rivers. The weather in Greenland can be fickle and we can expect clear cold days with blue skies or windy days that block our visibility with blowing snow - sometimes both in the same day! We plan to ski every day unless the weather dictates that we stay in our tents. With 12 hours of sunlight we will make use of every minute. This means waking during twilight hours after 6 AM and breaking camp before 9 AM and skiing for 7-10 hours as necessary before setting up camp and making dinner before nautical twilight ends around 9:30 PM. Then it’s time to crawl into our sleeping bags for a good nights rest. Keep your fingers crossed that we will get some good aurora borealis! We plan to arrive in Sisimiut on or around the 11th day of skiing.

DAY 14

End of the expedition. Depart for home or stay a day or two and enjoy this awesome town, the second largest in Greenland!

Qualifications

This expedition is for people who are in good shape, and who are eager to push themselves physically and mentally. You need the mental toughness to wake up every morning ready for a challenge each day, likely without a rest day. Though the skiing can be quite demanding, it does not require significant skill. You will need to have very good cardiovascular endurance and the ability to pull a heavy sled for multiple hours with only short pauses every hour or so. Most importantly you need to be able to regulate your body temperature and energy so that you do not get too cold, or too hot, or "hit the wall" with fatigue. Towards the end of the day it is critical that you have the energy reserves to set up camp and help out with the basic necessities of camp life including making water, cooking, etc.

This expedition will encounter extreme conditions including potentially high winds, limited visibility, snow, possibly rain, and cold temperatures. Living in such cold conditions 24 hours a day can be very challenging. This expedition demands that you stay well-fed and hydrated. You need to be proactive about keeping yourself healthy and free of injury. An evacuation from this expedition is very costly and logistically difficult.

You do not have to be a world class athlete to participate in and enjoy this expedition, but every ounce of training and preparation will help to make the expedition more enjoyable and safer.

Please contact us with further questions!

Equipment

Upon registration, you will receive a comprehensive gear guide that explains the importance of each item as well as gear recommendations from our past participants. Please contact us for more information about your personal gear and group gear for this expedition.

Several items on our equipment checklist are available from our store.

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