We See Land & Mountain Ranges - Day 18

May 30, 2011

Day 18 - What a treat for the team today as they finally saw land and mountain ranges circling them after days of snow, snow and more snow! The day met them with ideal snow conditions and a mild 3 degrees Celsius and no wind. They did experience overcast skies which made the view appear flat with no contrast, but with such optimal temperatures, they only wore one layer for most of the day.

Eventually, the team took a right hand turn to ski alongside a fjord and then gave their legs a well deserved rest as they skied downhill 2 km outside of camp. Today's total was 34.5km! Great job team! Current location N65.48.902 W038.56.329.

Tomorrow the team will arrive in Isortok and fly out to Tasiilaq where they will have their final dinner as a group to celebrate their accomplishments. Check out the live webcam for Tasiilaq.

And, check back later for the teams final update as they end of their amazing expedition!

Sastrugi - Days 16 &17

The team breaking trail.

Dogs sleeping in snow drifts.

May 29, 2011

Day 17 - The team had ideal ski conditions today with blue skies and light winds. The temps remained at 0 degrees Celsius for the day allowing the team to remove their layers. Each member took a turn in the lead helping break trail. By the end of their 9 hour day they skied a kilometer down a slight hill and reached 30km. A total of 450km accomplished to date (and, keep in mind, Tony has a bit more mileage under his belt as he started his expedition from the coast). Current location N65.59.189 W039.27.396 and elevation 4,508 meters.


The team is getting close to the end, wrapping up their expedition in just a few more days!

Check out the audio update by Koen and the team sings "Hey Jude" for us!

May 28, 2011

Day 16 -  The team woke up to winds howling at 25 mph. The wind provided the team great views as they skied 28.3 km today. Known as Sastrugi, the winds form and harden the snow into various shapes, ridges and waves. 

Sastrugi, or zastrugi are sharp irregular grooves or ridges formed on a snow surface by wind erosion and deposition, and found in polar and temperate snow regions. They differ from sand dunes in that the ridges are markedly parallel to the prevailing winds.

Sastrugi are various surface irregularities resulting from wind erosion, saltation of snow particles and deposition. Smaller irregularities or this type are known as ripples (small, ~10 mm high), or wind ridges.

Larger features are especially troublesome to skiers and snowboarders. Traveling on the irregular surface of sastrugi can be very tiring, and can risk breaking equipment—ripples and waves are often undercut, the surface is hard and unforgiving with constant minor topographic changes between ridge and trough. Definition courtesy of Wikipedia.com

Listen to the audio update by Tony Hampson-Tindale!

Happy Birthday Keith! - Day 15

Keith Heger

May 27, 2011
Happy Birthday Keith! This morning the team enjoyed breakfast in the group shelter to celebrate the birthday boy! They opened gifts packed by Annie Aggens of PolarExplorers.


It was a clear and cold start to the day. The team faced katabatic wind from the north to northwest at 24 mph. The wind was basically over their shoulders for the entire day of skiing.


Again, to lessen the burden for any one team member, they swapped leads throughout their trek. They were privileged to witness the changing snow as the day began with firm and flat snow which transformed into soft windblown peaks before them as they skied. The team was mesmerized by waves of snow, a beautiful sight that very few are allowed the opportunity to witness. 


Breaking trail was difficult again today, the snow was deep! Winds were about 20 mph all day again from the northwest.


Tonight the team relaxed in their tents recovering from the days work. They successfully skied 27 km today. They're working hard out there!


Greenland Fact: Katabatic wind defintion: (from the Greek: katabaino - to go down) is the generic term for downslope winds flowing from high elevations of mountains, plateaus, and hills down their slopes to the valleys or planes below. Katabatic winds exist in many parts of the World and there are many different names for katabatic winds depending where they are located and how they are formed. 

Warm, dry katabatic winds occur on the lee side of a mountain range situated in the path of a depression. Examples for these descending,adiabatically warmed katabatic winds are the Foehn winds. 


Cold and usually dry katabatic winds, like the Bora, result from the downslope gravity flow of cold, dense air. Katabatic flows slumping down from uplands or mountains may be funneled and strengthened by the landscape and are then known as mountain gap wind such as the Santa Ana, mountain breeze or drainage wind. The gentler katabatic flows of hill slopes produce frost hollows. Mountain breezes are part of a local wind system. When the mountainside is heated by the Sun the mountain breeze will break down, reverse and blowing upslope. These winds are known as valley wind or anabatic wind.

However, katabatic winds might also reach gale force as an outblowing wind over ice-covered surfaces in Antarctica and Greenland, where the wind may be extremely strong and gusty near the coasts and less severe in mountain regions. 

Most katabatic winds (except the Foehn) are more or less the result of air in contact with upper level ground is cooled by radiation, increases in density, and flows downhill and along the valley bottom. For example radiation cooling during nighttime can cause a katabatic flow in the early morning when a pool of cold, high elevation air begins to descend beneath warmer, less dense air. This effect is enhanced during winter over snow covered surfaces and after dry, clear nights. These types of winds can reach velocities of up to 4 meters per second. The rush of cold air down the slopes rapidly decreases the surrounding air temperature as it speeds down the topography to the valleys and planes below it. Courtesy of http://www.weatheronline.co.uk.

Deep Snow & Wind - Days 13 & 14

Tough wind and snow for the dogs and expedition team!

Day 14 - May 26, 2011

The team started off the day at 9am with a little wind which faded turning into a fairly clear day with the slightest of winds from the west and overcast skies. Travel conditions remained tough due to fresh snow overnight. The snow drifts they encountered today were calf-high! Again today, each team member took a lead which allows the others to take less of the burden of creating tracks through the deep snow. This is hard work! Our youngest teammate Deeya took the final lead and push for the day taking on 4 km for the team!

By end of day, the weather had cleared significantly and the team was in great spirits and decided to celebrate Guide, Keith Heger’s birthday a little early!!! They all enjoyed some Japanese whiskey, bacon, sausages and bagels and cheese! It was an excellent pre-birthday party. 


Be sure to listen the the audio update by Lieve! The team sings us one of the songs from the trail that can't be missed! Current location N66.09.716 W041.17.402.

Day 13 - May 25, 2011

Today the team was met with 15-25 mph white out conditions. Absolutely, one of the most challenging days they’ve faced this expedition. The winds were from the southeast, so they were forced to travel head on with only 200 meters of visibility. The dogs stayed close the entire day which is great because if separation had occurred it’s not easy to find each other during white out conditions. Separation from the dog sleds and mushers could cause major problems for the team. We’re happy that we have our experience Greenland mushers, Salo and Ulrick!

Temperatures were at -10˚C all day, very chilly, but thankfully the wind was warmer. The snow conditions have continued to be challenging for the team. To lessen the burden, the team mates swap the lead throughout the day and managed to complete a total of  22 km for the day. Tonight after dinner everyone decided to relax in their tents for the next challenging day. Current location N66.12.452 W041.49.998 and elevation 2,164 meters.

Greenland Fact: The History of Greenland during World War II reflected the fate of the Danish motherland. After the Invasion of Denmark in April 1940, its colony Greenland was left on its own. Britain and Canada had plans to occupy the island, but the United States, even though still neutral, disagreed. The Governors of Greenland, Eske Brun and Aksel Svane, via the 1925 law concerning the ruling of Greenland, declared Greenland a self-ruling territory, believing this to be in the best interests of the colony as Denmark was occupied by the Germans, and in consideration of the Monroe Doctrine.

Germany had occupied Denmark in 1940 and although the Danish government was still in power it was heavily influenced by the German occupation force. After failed attempts by the new Greenland government to secure support from the United Kingdom, they turned to the USA. On April 9, 1941 the Danish ambassador Henrik Kauffmann, against the instructions of his government, signed an agreement with the US government, allowing the presence of American troops and making Greenland a de facto US protectorate. The cryolite mine in Ivittuut was an asset and made it possible for Greenland to manage fairly well during the war. The United States supplied the island and sent patrol boats to survey the east coast of Greenland although this was limited by the ice and bad weather. Eske Brun, reluctant to ask America for large scale help, set about creating a "Greenland Army" known as the North-East Greenland Sledge Patrol, consisting of fifteen men. Their task was to patrol the coast line to discover a possible German landing. The sledge patrol was at the same time an effort to show the Allies the willingness of the Danes to fight against the Axis. Stay tuned for more in our next blog post.

Time to Feed the Dogs - Day 12

Dog musher, Ulrick feeding the dogs.

May 24, 2011

Today the team struggled with the snow at the end of the day. For the past two days, the snow surface has been deteriorating by 4pm. This forced the team members to ski ankle deep for 17 kilometers through crusty snow which slowed them down considerably. Even with the added challenge, they successfully accomplished 30 km. Their current location is N66.14.300 W042.18.965.

We have a really great audio update today of the dogs at feeding time. Be sure to check it out and notice the sound of wind in the background. It's almost like we're there with them!

Making tracks.

Greenland Fact: Today's fact is courtesy of wikipedia.com The Greenland Dog (Danish: Grønlandshunden, "The Greenland's Dog"; also known as Greenland Husky) is a large breed of husky-type dog kept as a sled dog and for hunting polar bear and seal. This is an ancient breed, thought to be directly descended from dogs brought to Greenland by the first Inuit settlers. Check it out here.

Chirp, chirp - Day 11

Deeya reflecting the day.

May 23, 2011
The team, now on their descent from the summit, had another calm, beautiful and clear day of skiing. The weather was cold though at -15 C. Faced with deep, fluffy snow, breaking a trail was more work today for both the team and dogs as they dropped down in elevation.

At lunch they were met by chirping birds who decided to stick with the team for most of the afternoon.

Camp

It was another 30km day! They are now at 2,400 meters elevation and have accomplished a total of 300km. By 6:45pm, the team set up camp and settled into their tents to relax for the evening.

Listen in on the fun in the audio update as Koen and the team sing us a quick song! Be sure to check it out and send in your messages or questions for the team.

And, Rick Swietzer sent a nice message to the team today:

“Huge congrats to the entire team on reaching the half way point! You guys are rocking the icecap.
 

Special regards to our youngest team mate ever, Deeya Bajaj, and our oldest???? ever, Tony-Hampson-Tindale, the first Belgian husband-wife team, and the first Indian Dad to make this incredible expedition.… I am envious of what I know is a really special time together with new friends and mates for life.

Go TEAM GREENLAND!”

Greenland Fact: The Greenland climate is known for high winds on the icecap and represents the most violent climatic phenomenon. 100 mile an hour winds have been registered. Temperature of -40º Celsius (also -40º Fahrenheit) is normal during winter. Annual accumulation of ice and snow is approximately 3 feet.

Major Milestones - Days 9 & 10

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Day 9 - The team had poor visibility to start today with slight winds out of the west and temperatures at -15 C. As the day went on the sun burned off the cloud cover raising the temps to -8 C allowing the team to shed their layers once again. They’ve accomplished another 30km day! Dinner tonight was enjoyed in the group shelter savoring sweet and sour pork and a little bit of Japanese whiskey.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Day 10 – The expedition team had another great mileage day with a total of 30km skied in just eight hours. The weather was more challenging as it was quite cold with cloud cover and temperatures at -15 C. The winds were from the south blowing at 15 mph.

The team layered up and had to wear their goggles and mittens today to stay warm. Breaks were short.

Congratulations to the team, they’ve made it half way a total of 265 km and are currently at the summit (elevation 2,495 meters, roughly 8,000 ft.). Tomorrow they will begin their descent. They are currently located at N66.21.379 W043.37.337.

A few messages from team member Ajeet: Best of luck and congratulations to Annie, Dirk, Lola and Piper! And, a hello to Laurie and Richard Goldsmith, Bob Douglass and Anna Kulpeck. These are folks Ajeet has traveled with to the North and South Poles.

Be sure to listen to the audio updates below. On Koen’s audio update we get to hear how the team howls and greets the dogs each morning.

Greenland Fact: The first Europeans to settle on Greenland were Vikings from Iceland. Around 875, the Viking Gunnbjørn discovered the island and called it Gunnbjørnland.

Great Weather & Great 30km Pushes - Days 7 & 8

Ajeet and Deeya, father and daugher team with Swiss chocolate.

The morning of the eighth day, the team woke up at DYE-2 and was readily on their way.  As they headed out on their journey away from DYE-2, they had the opportunity to witness two large Hercules planes descend, bringing in new scientists and taking home others. An awesome site!

The weather was perfect for skiing, clear, no wind and about -5˚ Celsius. They pushed hard today and accomplished 30km.

The following day (Day 8), the team started out around 10am with really great weather again. The day was beautiful, right at 0˚ Celsius. They skied in their base layers, with sunscreen and baseball caps. Eventually, they were met with some wind and snow from the west and had to layer back up. By 6:20pm, the temps dropped down to -15˚Celsius. One of the coldest evenings they’ve had in awhile. They once again pushed hard and accomplished another 30km! Teammate Tony has now reached his halfway threshold since beginning his expedition at the coast. Tony has reached 340km! Congratulations Tony! The rest of the team has reached their 200km mark!

The team is still singing! And, I’ve learned today that Deeya really enjoys starting the days out with song. Deeya and the team welcome all your requests, so please send them in so we can pass them on.

Tonight the team was settling down to enjoy fried bacon, pasta primavera and bagels. They’re currently located at N66.45.822 W44.57.418.

Be sure to check out the audio blogs below and please do send in your comments, questions and song requests. Check back again tomorrow, we expect to have more photos!

Arriving at DYE-2 - Days 5 & 6

Approaching DYE-2 by dog sled.

Tuesday, May 17 and Wednesday, May 18

The team is moving along now. Yesterday they had a glorious day with no wind and temperatures at -10 Celsius. They saw a lone bird soaring above enjoying the blue skies. By end of day, at camp the group enjoyed a slice of very special banana bread that Keith Heger’s wife made for the team (she baked a total of 12 pounds for the expedition!).  The team made it past 100km and today they pushed another 20km getting them to DYE-2.

Excited to be at this half-way point, the team set up camp around 4pm not far from the DYE-2 radome. They unloaded the dog sleds and then traveled by sleds the rest of the way to DYE-2. There, they took a walking tour around this magnificent, six-story high dome which is an amazing site to see in the middle of Greenland. After skiing for days with only the expedition teammates to talk to, they welcomed the opportunity to see new faces at the radar station. This evening they were hanging out with the scientists and swapping stories. They also found out there will be air planes arriving tomorrow to pick up and drop off new scientists. Many of the scientists are stationed at the dome at lengths of 40 days to take ice samples and do significant research.

Close up view of DYE-2.

Inside the radome.

Doorway to get in to DYE-2.

Thank you for sending in your messages to the team! They really love hearing from you, so please keep sending in your comments and questions. 

Liev Wittevrongel

Greenland Fact: DYE-2 is situated on 2583 acres of ice cap territory leased from Denmark. This Auxiliary Radar Station is located approximately 100 miles (160.9344 kilometers) inland from the west coast of Greenland about 90 miles (144.84096 kilometers) south of the Arctic Circle at an altitude of 7600 feet above sea level. The ice cap is a relatively featureless, flat, plain-like expanse of ice and snow. The actual terrain is buried under the 10,000 foot thick ice cap. The most significant topographical feature at DYE-2, aside from the vast plain of ice and snow is the black clad Composite Building. This structure, crowned with a huge plastic radome is 6 stories high and is hung 30 feet above the snow on 8 support columns.

Bonus Fact of the Day: A radome (radar dome) is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a microwave or radar antenna. The radome is constructed of material that minimally attenuates the electromagnetic signal transmitted or received by the antenna. In other words, the radome is transparent to radar or radio waves. Radomes protect the antenna surfaces from the environment (e.g., wind, rain, ice, sand, and ultraviolet rays) and/or conceal antenna electronic equipment from public view. They also protect nearby personnel from being accidentally struck by quickly-rotating antennas.

Radomes can be constructed in several shapes (spherical, geodesic, planar, etc.) depending upon the particular application using various construction materials (fibreglass, PTFE-coated fabric, etc.). When used on UAVs or other aircraft, in addition to such protection, the radome also streamlines the antenna system, thus reducing drag.

Braving the Elements - Day 4

Wind Camp

The team spent the day braving the elements for which Greenland is notorious. It was a cold day with temperatures     -10˚ Celsius. Heavier winds, between 20-30mph, blew directly from the east creating a continuous spray of snow in their faces as they traveled. They were forced to take a moment to organize their wind gear and face masks. The team covered 18 kilometers and is now just 47.7 kilometers from DYE-2. Today’s coordinates are N66.41.042 W047.15.016.

Dog Musher Salo and his Crew

At 5pm they stopped for the day and partnered up to set up shelter in the blowing wind. Tonight’s dinner menu included “vegetarian lasagna with chicken.”

We received two song requests which we’ve passed on to the team, A Fool on the Hill and A Day in the Life both by the Beatles. Get your requests in soon, the team would love song ideas that will force them to howl louder than the wind. The team is also ready to answer any questions you may have about weather, wind, bonding with strangers from across the globe, you name it. You can send your messages easily by clicking here. 


Greenland Fact: Greenland’s sparse population is confined to small settlements along the coasts. Human settlements are located in the east, south and west of Greenland. A total of only 57,000 people live on the biggest island in the world of which 15,000 live in the capital Nuuk. Greenlanders, descendants of the Kalaallit (a subgroup of the Inuit), make up 88% of the population.

Overcast and Snow with a few Beatles Tunes Mixed In - Day 3

It was another great day of skiing for the team even with overcast conditions and only 1 to 2 kilometers of visibility. The team woke up to 3 inches of fresh snow which looked like a palette of white and no wind. This kind of weather makes it hard to make out the horizon causing the skiers a bit of stumbling. They accomplished about 6 kilometers every hour and a half totaling 26 kilometers today and have now covered a total of 76 kilometers. They are at an elevation of 1,720 meters which is roughly 5,000 feet.

Today the team sang Beatles songs and a few songs from the High Fidelity soundtrack during their trek. They are taking requests, so please send in your favorite songs!

By end of day, the team received a break in the sky with sun shining through a patchy clearing of clouds adding back some contrast to the terrain. The team’s current location is N66.46.434 W47.35.498.

Congratulations to Annie Aggens on the birth of the newest polar explorer! Annie had a baby girl, weighing in at 7.7 lbs. Mother and daughter are doing well!

Be sure to send in your favorite song requests and check back later for another update from the icecap. And, check out the audio update below from team member Ajeet.

Greenland Fact: Geographically Greenland belongs to the arctic North America, however, politically it’s an autonomic part of the Danish kingdom. Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute regarding stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament. The law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs.

We Have Photos! - Day 2

Koen Wittevrongel

Team member Koen phoned in, Saturday, May 14^th to give us a narrative of the day’s events. They were up and skiing by 10:20am and pushed really hard to cover 25.5 kilometers totaling 49 kilometers in just two days. Although skies were clear, the wind ranged between 8-10mph. They saw more scooter tracks in the snow, planes overhead and in the distance to the south they could make out a camp. Later in the afternoon the winds quieted back down to a light southeast breeze with just a thin layer of cloud cover. They set up camp at 6pm and sausages were served for dinner (they were quite hungry after their second full day of skiing).

All is good and the expedition team is coming together and getting into a nice rhythm.

Greenland Fact (Ice continued): The inland ice isn’t a result of today’s world climate. Rather, it’s what remains of the last Ice Age, which ended about 10,000 years ago. Worldwide global warming, however, is also noticeable in Greenland. In recent years, the layer of inland ice melts quicker than before and decreases each year by around 240 square kilometers.

See the slide show from The Washington Post regarding arctic ice melt, one of the many topics being discussed at the eight-nation Arctic Council meeting we mentioned on May 13^th. 


Listen to Koen's audio update:

Koen and Tony Hampson-Tindale

Camp, Friday, May 13th at 11:00pm

TGIF... Party on the ice! - Day 1

The team was up and moving by 7am this morning. Starting the day out with a breakfast of oatmeal and skillet bacon. They filled up the dogsleds with equipment and gear with plenty of room to spare. Efficient and organized.

They began skiing at 11am with 2-hour pushes covering a total of 24 kilometers in just 7.5 hours! It was a clear, beautiful day with blue skies and light, wispy clouds. The wind ranged from 10-15mph until late afternoon when they settled to 5mph. They discovered snow mobile tracks and saw seven airplanes pass overhead.

By 6:30pm they set up camp and enjoyed hot drinks. Dinner followed shortly after with our dog mushers, Ulrik and Salo, joining the team in the community tent. Everyone is well, physically tired and a little sore from working muscles they haven’t used in a while. Their current location is N66.59.658 W048.36.093.

Greenland Fact: The biggest part of the country is covered by the great inland ice. This layer of ice is the second biggest connected mass of ice in the world and is on average 1,500 meters thick. In some places the ice is up to 3,500 meters thick. Only about 16% of the island is free of ice. 


Listen to Guide Keith Heger's call from the icecap:

The Whirlwind that is Greenland! (May 12th)

A lot can be accomplished in just a few hours! The morning began at 9:30am as Keith met up with team members Ajeet and his daughter Deeya, followed by Koen and his wife Lieve at 10:30am. The team organized kits, repacked luggage and had a light lunch. They managed to squeeze in time to take keepsake photos around town in Kangerlussuaq which we’ll post in tomorrow’s blog. And by 3pm, they were whisked to the icecap by Twin Otter plane (a 45 minute flight) and dropped off at dog camp. Dog Camp is generally located around 1,000m altitude and approximately 30 km from the edge of the icecap, beyond the crevasse zone. The team’s exact location is N67.05.974 W049.03.586.

Teammate Tony also joined the group at dog camp. Tony’s adventure began last week as he trekked from the west coast, over land and up a heavily crevassed glacier, to the edge of the icecap. Now that everyone has joined forces on the icecap the expedition truly begins.

At dog camp the team was busy setting up tents and went on a 3.8 kilometer ski to orient themselves to their gear and the snow. They’ve set up a group shelter and will enjoy their first dinner together on the icecap under blue skies with a beautiful half moon hanging overhead in the east. Temperatures are mild at 35 degrees Fahrenheit with a slight wind from the southeast.

Congratulations to the team for being on task and organized! And, a big thank you to our blog followers. Be sure to send the team your questions, comments or messages and we’ll respond to them right here on the blog.

Back on the west coast: Today U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attended the Arctic Council’s ministerial meeting in Nuuk (Greenland’s capital). Our guide Keith mentioned seeing a U.S. airplane while he was at the airport which peaked our curiosity. It looks as though they planned to discuss many important topics concerning Arctic resource development and are looking to agree on sustainable methods for developments concerning offshore exploration of oil and gas. You can read the article here.

**We're having some Blogger technical difficulties, but be sure to check back later for photos!

It's Official!

Our Greenland team has arrived in Kangerlussuac and is preparing for their departure to the icecap tomorrow afternoon, May 12th. Our Guide, Keith Heger, spent the day organizing and coordinating with the pilots for the team’s flight and purchased the last remaining grocery items. The plane is loaded and waiting!

The expedition’s official kick off begins tomorrow morning at 11am! The team will go over gear, repack luggage and finally transport all items to the Twin Otter plane flying them to the icecap. They will reach the icecap late tomorrow evening.

Today, the temperature in Kangerlussuac is about 32 degrees with overcast skies and light snow.

Prior to arriving in Kangerlussuac, team members Koen and Lieve spent time in Ilulissat exploring the sights on a big hiking tour and enjoyed a boat tour that took them between the icebergs!

Spirits are high and everyone is excited to get the expedition underway. Be sure to check back again tomorrow for additional updates.

Greenland Fact: Greenland covers more than 2,175 million square kilometers (more than six times the size of Germany or slightly more than three times the size of Texas) which makes it the biggest island in the world! It’s around 2,650 kilometers long (north-south) and up to 1,000 kilometers wide (east-west).