Hiking and camping in Greenland is a must for anyone who wants to visit an alien world without leaving planet Earth! My very first camping trip ever and we decide to go camping on the ice sheet in Greenland! We started our trip in Kangerlussuaq, headed toward the Russell Glacier, and finally hiked onto the ice cap.
Hiking to the Russell Glacier
With poles in hand and crampons attached to your hiking boots get up close and personal with meltwater rivers, frozen lakes, and crevasses of the Russell Glasier. This hike and campsite are miles from anywhere, with no light or air pollution and some of the best weather conditions in Greenland. The views were incredible, and I still can’t believe that I was actually there. It was a surreal experience. For one, I know that I was fortunate to be able to go and see the Ice Cap, but also it was important because I got to see the effects of climate change first hand.
Finding our way to Russell Glacier – our campsite
The Russell Glacier, located in central-western Greenland, flows from the Greenlandic Ice Sheet at a rate of about 25 m per year. It is a ‘land-terminating’ glacier, meaning that it mainly loses mass through melting in contrast to the calving of icebergs into the ocean. The Russell Glacier area provides an excellent opportunity to view typical glacial erosional and geomorphologic features.
Hiking on the Ice – Fun but can dangerous
Making our way to our campsite. My husband, David, is dragging a sled. The Greenland ice sheet, covers 1, 710, 000 square kilometers, or roughly 80% of the surface of Greenland. The crampons took a little to get used to but an essential gear to hike on the ice.
Spinning on the ice sheet
This 360° spinning video was shot on one of our midnight hikes. Summertime above the Arctic circle, the sun never sets.
Greenland Ice Sheet Hike Route
Greenland Ice Cap Photo Gallery
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