The trip I booked was a hike on the Greenland Ice Sheet. But, the trip I got was a hike on Russell Glacier which ended up being so much better than I could have imagined.
Imagine being the only person on a tour. For some people, that may not sound very appealing, but experiencing it will probably make a believer out of you. And there are so many positive things I have to say about it.
How It Happened
I was the only one on the tour. It was the summer of 2021, and visiting Greenland wasn't that simple at the time. So, my chances for being the sole person on the tour were pretty good. Also, Albatros, the tour company, is known for running certain tours even if there is only one participant which is great! It means you don't have to worry about it being canceled because there aren't enough participants. I got lucky in more ways than one though.
My tour was supposed to be a hike on the ice-sheet. I had done that as part of camping experience on the ice sheet in the past. I knew that I wanted another chance to hike on the ice sheet, but I also knew I wasn't prepared to camp at the time.
The Route: Scenic View & Lunch
I had been on this road, and I had even seen this unnamed waterfall before. But then I was on a tour with several other people, and we didn't stop.
You can imagine how nice it felt to stop and actually have this as the backdrop for the lunch which I like to call a picnic. My guide, Adam, set everything up and we sat and enjoyed the view. Not only could we see the waterfall but also views of Russell Glacier.
Taking a Detour
I honestly can't remember if it was before the stop near the waterfall or after, but I do remember the conversation. Adam told me that if I was open to it, he could show me something really special. He said, "You've been to the ice sheet before. And if you go now, it'll be full of other tourists. But if you're willing, I can take you to a special spot.
on the glacier." He was referring to Russell Glacier of course. He also said that I'd have it all to myself because typical tours don't go where he would take me.
He said it was a 45-minute walk. I said ok though I worried I might be in for an unpleasant surprise.
As we drove along, we spotted a muskox. He slowed down and stopped the car; he then opened the window and did a "call" I guess in hopes of getting a better glimpse of it. Adam is also a photographer, so that made the trip extra special for me. I knew I was in a "will stop for photos" kind of situation.
As luck would have it, he shoots with a Nikon which meant we could share lenses. He had a 200-500mm while I only had a 70-200mm for my camera. I was using his lens when I got this shot which I was pretty happy with.
The Hike to Russell Glacier
Soon we had parked the car and were headed toward the glacier. We got all our gear and began our trek. It wasn't too bad though I kept worrying, for no reason. The glacier was close enough that I knew I had to keep going. When we got to the spot in the photo below, I noticed what looked like a lake; I knew I wanted to see that.
I told Adam about it, and he assured me that he would check for a safe path to the lake. I was super excited at that point.
As we made our way onto the ice, it was time to get our crampons on. I was worried because my only prior experience with crampons didn't go so well. Adam told me that I didn't have to worry because I would be safe with him. He has been out on the ice there over 3000 times. He knows the ice and simply what he's doing.
Guess what?! My crampons never loosened or came undone the entire time we were out on the ice. I had been told before that my hiking boots were the problem in the past, that the softer shell made it harder for them to stay on. False. What I needed was the right guide to assist me, and I had that in Adam.
So what was it like actually being out on the ice? Imagine being in complete silence with only the sound of ice crunching beneath your feet and the sound of running water.
As he said, it was special. We filled our bottles with fresh water from the flowing streams on the glacier while breathing crisp, fresh air. I still can't believe I was there. This one experience made all of the hoops I jumped through to get to Greenland worth it.
We got to see two lakes, the one in the above video and a larger one in the picture below. The larger one was the one I noticed before we actually reached the glacier. And it was the one I was most interested in. But we were fortunate enough to see both.
As beautiful as it was to be out on the glacier, it was also sad and scary to think of how much the glacier has retreated and melted. Even though it was my first time on the glacier, it wasn't my first time seeing it. And I could see the difference.
Have you ever hiked on a glacier? Feel free to share and/or comment.
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