Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
The opportunity continues every bit I trek across West Greenland’s colorful tundra on a trail that winds betwixt numerous glacial lakes. Bleached reindeer bones guide the way.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Packing/Logistics
DAY 4: Hundesø to Katiffik
Hiking Distance xx km (12.5 miles) | eight hours
Arriving at Hundesø inwards the middle of the night, I create upward one's heed to military camp nearby rather than wake whatsoever potential hikers/hunters that may live sleeping inside.
This cabin isn’t precisely “offical” similar others along the hike, but anyone is gratis to role it. Basically it’s simply an erstwhile camper amongst room for iv people, perched on a rocky colina overlooking the brackish Hundesø Lake.
Reindeer bones litter the expanse including piles of skulls, antlers, as well as hooves. Some of the bones nevertheless had flesh & fur attached. Fresh kills.
Hundesø lake is salty but completely rubber to drink. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few crumbling angling boats sit down on the shore. Sleeping on its sandy beach made for a comfortable night. I woke to the vivid orangish glow of an incredible sunrise around 4:30am.
Once I’d captured the colors on my camera, I went dorsum to slumber amongst the assistance of an eyemask. August inwards Greenland way there’s alone iv hours of darkness each night! Highly recommend one.
Crazed Rabbits & Wild Berries
Back on the trail for a few hours as well as my knee articulation began to ache. This happens occasionally when I’m loaded downwards amongst a lot of gear on long-distance hikes.
It tin acquire pretty bad, but I’ve learned how to bargain amongst it past times slowing downwards amongst long breaks every hour. It unremarkably heals upward past times the side past times side day.
On a remote opportunity similar this, you lot demand to live extra careful.
I entertained myself past times watching Arctic hares produce this hilarious “seizure jump” affair they do. They’d live chilling i minute, so of a abrupt leaping & twisting into the air for no argue the next.
It looks ridiculous. Tweakers I say ya!
Must live those wild arctic berries that brand them crazy…
The temperature rose to a toasty 65 degrees (F) every bit the Sun came out, as well as I constitute a overnice mossy expanse to nap in. Rolling over alone to snack on the tasty crack-berries the rabbits loved so much.
Landscapes morphed from moisture boggy areas into rocky mount trails. Occasionally the path would branch off inwards dissimilar directions, forcing you lot to guess. The most traveled route wasn’t ever where the marked cairns were.
Due to my aching knee, it took eight hours to finally accomplish the side past times side cabin when it should’ve been virtually v hours at my normal pace.
I hobbled inwards to detect 3 other hikers preparing dinner.
DAY 5: Katiffik to Kangerluatsiarsuaq
Hiking Distance 25 km (15 miles) | six hours
The Katiffik hut is located on the eastern shore of Lake Amitsorsuaq, a long as well as narrow trunk of H2O that stretches virtually fourteen miles. I come across my start hikers here. Lucas from Washington DC as well as 2 Germans — Hans & Hieko.
I shared the cabin amongst Lucas spell the Germans camped inwards a tent outside. In the middle of the dark nosotros detect ourselves amongst some other roommate. Frieder is a lxx yr erstwhile Danish guy who’s hiked the Arctic Circle Trail xi times.
He’s brought us a fantastic surprise too. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 canoe!
See, at that topographic point are 2 ways to locomote the side past times side department of the trail. Walking beside the lake all day, or paddling across it inwards a beat-up canoe.
It’s pure luck if you lot detect a canoe, rumor is there’s 10-14 scattered about. Most are bashed upward good, similar they’ve been dropped off a cliff. Holes patched amongst duct tape. Makeshift paddles carved from 2x4s.
Luckily Frieder was hiking inwards the contrary direction, West to East. He crossed the lake at dark inwards what was easily the best canoe available.
Lucas & I teamed upward to brand role of this gift as well as give our feet a rest.
Crossing The Lake
Heavy duty garbage bags are i of my favorite pieces of gear to pack on a trek. You tin role them every bit the world tarps, pelting covers, drybags, etc. They weigh & terms almost nothing.
We lined the bottom of our leaky canoe amongst plastic, threw our packs in, as well as laid out across the lake. One paddle was made of plastic, the other was a slice of treated forest wrapped inwards duck tape.
With no headwind, nosotros made neat fourth dimension inwards the vivid arctic sun.
Apparently there’s a lot of gold, diamonds, as well as rubies buried inwards Greenland. We paddled past times rocky cliffs decorated past times multi-colored layers of bedrock, wondering how many millions were hidden inside.
I noticed an H2O ice halo around the sun, a cool atmospheric phenomenon caused past times sunlight reflecting off of H2O ice crystals suspended inwards the air.
Amitsorsuaq Canoe Center
It alone took virtually iv 1/2 hours past times boat to accomplish the Canoe Center, the side past times side cabin on the trail. This is the largest shelter amongst infinite for xvi people. It was built every bit business office of a failed business, therefore the random canoes out here.
Shortly later on nosotros arrived the Germans joined us. They’d walked along the lake but laid out a few hours earlier. So traveling past times canoe was much faster than walking.
I was feeling wonderful later on giving my feet (and knee) a break.
Rather than rest at the Canoe Center I decided to force on solo farther downwards the lake using a 2nd canoe. But the air current had picked upward as well as it wasn’t easy. My arts and crafts was repeatedly swept against the shore.
A couple of reindeer on the hills higher upward the lake spotted me as well as ran off. However at that topographic point was no way to delineate out my photographic idiot box camera due to the strong wind. By the fourth dimension I reached the terminate of the lake, I was exhausted from the battle.
Walking for some other few hours, I halt to brand military camp every bit the Sun sets.
DAY 6: Kangerluatsiarsuaq to Ikkattooq
Hiking Distance xvi km (10 miles) | six hours
My camping ground spot is located inwards a valley simply higher upward Lake Kangerluatsiarsuaq. Packing upward the tent, I caput downwards to the lake for a tasty breakfast of mutual depression temperature muesli mixed amongst water, dark-brown sugar, as well as wild berries. Yum!
There are at to the lowest degree 3 varieties of arctic berries growing along the trail. Blueberries as well as dark Crowberries, summation some blood-red ones whose advert I’m non aware of. All are edible.
My favorite, as well as the to the lowest degree common, are the blood-red ones that sense of savor similar crispy sour apples. You tin assemble berries almost everywhere, as well as I ever accept a stash saved upward for breakfast.
Splashing ice-cold lake H2O on my human face upward I’m ready to start the day.
Loons express mirth from the H2O every bit I follow the winding path side past times side to the shore. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 abrupt screeching audio catches my attention. It’s a beautiful Peregrine falcon perched on a rock, alarm me to rest away.
Reindeer Hunting
An hr or so into the hike, the trail meanders upward & downwards a serial of rocky hills. Around a corner I uncovering a pristine fiddling beach on the border of the lake.
If the Sun was out, this would live the perfect spot to acquire a tan!
Past this lake the route gets real steep. While climbing upward a rugged cliff I spot a few reindeer who haven’t noticed me yet. Most reindeer volition run if they view you.
They primal to a decent photograph is staying hidden as well as stalking them similar a hunter would. Crouching low, upwind, as well as taking embrace behind some brush or large boulders. Then when the 2nd is right…
BAM!
What does i produce lone to transcend the fourth dimension on a long distance hike?
Hunt downwards wildlife amongst a photographic idiot box camera of course!
Into The Mountains
The trail climbs higher as well as higher until you’re walking on bare stone for most of the time. Darker clouds moved inwards as well as a lite pelting began to fall. I halt to lay on my pelting shell as well as view yet some other arctic hare inwards the bushes.
So far I’ve seen v of them now, along amongst v reindeer too.
The pelting of a abrupt picks up, becoming steady. Glancing at my map I tin say the Ikkattooq hut is non every bit good far farther ahead. I was planning to skip it as well as force on, but the crappy weather condition is giving me 2nd thoughts.
I finally acquire inwards to a fiddling blood-red cabin (it looks similar a garden shed) perched betwixt 2 mountains on a wide platform of rock. Peering inside, it seems I won’t live the alone i spending the dark here.
Two others are tucked away into sleeping bags. They wake upward from their nap & offering me hot tea every bit I develop an oily canned fish sandwich for dinner.
My novel Danish roommates accept some incredible stories to share… ★
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Packing/Logistics
Packing Guide
Check out my travel gear guide to assistance you lot start packing for your trip. Pick upward a locomote backpack, photographic idiot box camera gear, as well as other useful locomote accessories.
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Book Accommodation
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Protect Your Trip
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