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Update from the Greenland Expedition Team: Day 12

Today marks day 12 of our expedition in Greenland. After a well-deserved rest day, we set out again. The rest day was much needed to catch up on sleep, allow muscles to recover, and perform some equipment maintenance. I repaired my glove and fixed a zipper on one of the sleds. The rest day was also timely due to the heavy snowfall. This morning, we were surprised by a temperature of minus 16 degrees. Until now, we had only experienced temperatures around plus 16 degrees, so this was an adjustment. Fortunately, we are well-prepared with the right clothing. We were ready to depart at a quarter past five, but after just 100 meters, I had to inform the team that trudging through the snow was tough and that we needed to come up with a plan.

A new strategy

We decided to walk for fifteen minutes each. This proved effective: instead of seven shifts of an hour, we now walked six times for an hour and fifteen minutes, totaling seven and a half hours. Today, we covered between 4 and 25 kilometers, bringing our total to 232 kilometers.

Clothing in extreme conditions

During this expedition, clothing is crucial. This morning, I set out with multiple layers: boxer shorts, long underwear, windproof pants, socks with vapor barrier liners to prevent sweat, and four layers on my upper body: a merino wool shirt, wool sweater, Rab down vest, and a GORE-TEX jacket. For my hands, I use mittens while skiing and gloves when setting up the tent. On my head, I wear a buff and a hat that covers my ears. In the afternoon, I switch the hat for a desert cap that protects me from the sun. During breaks, I put on a thick down jacket to retain warmth.

The question about underwear

A frequently asked question is how many pairs of underwear I bring. For this expedition, I brought four pairs; normally, I manage with three. Additionally, I have one extra long-sleeved shirt with me. That was today’s update, Monday, day 12 of our expedition. Tomorrow, we hope the snow will have hardened a bit so we can reach our next milestone. More on that tomorrow!