Greenland 2009 (East-West)
From 15.04.2009 to 15.05.2009 - Status: abandoned
Crossing Greenland
© International Polar Foundation
Two young ones from the Channel Islands, Steve Wright and Simon Elmont, will cross one of the largest ice caps in the world on Greenland, the worlds largest Island.
From mid-April to mid-May, the team will walk or ski approximately 600 km in temperatures as low as -40 degrees centigrade pulling a 100-kilo sledge. The expedition will go from the East coast, near Kulusuk to Sondre Stromfjord on the West, traversing the central ice plateau at approximately 2700m high.
The first half of the trip will be gradually uphill, and with their sledges being at their heaviest, this is where they envisage to having to work the hardest! They will attempt to make 10-12 miles a day at this earliest stage which doesnt sound a lot but will probably take 12 hours skiing to achieve! As they progress further onto the icecap, the weather will possibly worsen, dropping temperatures and fiercer winds, but with lighter sledges and their bodies getting fitter, they should be able to up their daily mileage until they eventually reach the summit at approx. 2700m. After this, the ice levels out and eventually starts to run slightly downhill. This is when they hope to put in big days of 18 - 20 miles until they reach the west coast at Sondre Stromfjord.
The team is experienced, having completed various polar challenges including skiing to the Magnetic North Pole in 2005, raising £30 000 for a local charity.
Steve and Simon have a passion for educating children about the Arctic, its people, and the effect of Climate Change on the planet as a whole. In addition they wish to motivate by example.
To this end an agreement has been forged with several schools within the Bailiwick of Guernsey in the Channel Islands, who are going to be directly involved in the expedition.
