Greenland: Arctic Circle Trail

Hi Caroline,

I have not done this particular trek so I can't help you with the specifics (you may want to google "Arctic Cicle Trail Greenland" for some useful websites), but I did spend a couple of months in the Disko Bay area several years ago. To answer your questions:

1) It's pretty bad -- they are referred to as the "Greenlandic Air Force" for a reason. They are huge, there is a fantastic number of them. and they are VERY active during the brief Arctic summer. Fortunately, their bites don't seem to itch as badly as the species on the US mainland or Europe, at least in my experience. The swarms were pretty ridiculous during June and July (clouds of them, literally), and then, after the first overnight freeze they all dissappeared, just like that. This was during the first week of August; they may hang around longer further south, but late August/September should be relatively mosquito-free. Still, I wouldn't underestimate them. Headnets and strong bug repellant (90%-100% DEET) are an absolute must..
2) It's always advisable to carry a means of communication, especially if there are only two of you. I wouldn't count on renting equipment in Greenland, although again, the trek you are planning on will probably have better tourist infrastructure than areas further north. My advice would be to arrange everything in advance -- Greenlandic tourism is still very much in its infancy.
3) Absolutely no grizzlies. Polar bears.. possible, but not likely. They are generally not found in-land and especially not that far south (only in Greenland is the Arctic Circle considered the "south" :). Their natural habitat is the sea-ice up North; although every spring a small number tend to become stranded when ice starts breaking up and float down south. Needless to say, they usually end up on the business end of a hunting rifle. I can't imagine that you'll encounter a polar bear during your trek, but I would definately check with the tourist office there. Also, I believe that there is a large musk oxen population around Kangerlussuaq, and they can be dangerous (in the same way that a bull or a moose can be dangerous), but I don't think you'll need to carry any weapons aside from common sense (although gun laws in Greenland tend to be rather lax; I've seen a rifle casually leaning against a doorsill of an elementary school :)..

Hope that helps.

PS, here is another useful forum: http://www.greenland.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi

I just returned from doing this trip. I went Sept 26-Oct 5. There were no bugs what so ever, but it was below freezing the whole time. For me, that was a good trade, as I hate constant bug attacks.

If you bring a radio, make sure someone might be listening on the other side of it. Your basic radios might not give you the range you need. A VHF will be better. Don't think cell phones work back there, but I've seen stranger things happen. I was solo and had no radio, though when I registered with the police office in Kangerlussuaq, they did ask for a radio ID. The office did mention the year before that Germans contacted twice, the second time when a party member had broken a leg due to ice. Your call.

There weren't any traditionally dangerous animals. The musk ox were easy to shoo away and the reindeer/caribou are skittish at best. Although, this snowshoe hare did look at me funny. It was great to be in a place where no animals was out to kill me and I could drink the water straight from lakes & rivers.

The knee deep snow was a little rough, but all part of going this time of year. At the cabin above Kangerlussuaq Tulleq, one team wrote that they were snowed in for 2 days on September 16, 2007. I did hit two really bad snow storms, but I didn't have a choice but to keep going.

I've now posted my experience on the Greenland Arctic Circle Trail here:

Greenland Arctic Circle Trail Story

In it you will find my experience with bugs, animals, weather and the land. No bears here!