The Rough. Real. Remote. fieldnotes part 5

Hey, it’s Arne again, and this time writing from my home turf: The mountains!

I’ve skied mountains all over the world, but there is something about skiing in Greenland that is unrivaled. I think it’s the feeling of silence and space…and then breaking the silence and conquering the space. I couldn’t wait to show Stefan MY mountains!

Our basecamp for heliboarding was the settlement of Kangaamiut, which is below the Arctic Circle, just south of Sisimiut. This is remote Greenland – there are 355 people here, no cars, and not all houses have running water. Hunting, fishing and a growing adventure tourism market keep this place alive.

Settlement life
Normally the only way to get here is by boat, but since I had a certain hotshot snowboarder with me, we sprang for a charter helicopter. But I have to confess, I also love flying in helicopters, the world just looks different from that height; as you hover over the jagged peaks or the rim of the glacier you really understand how vast and remote this country truly is…and how small you are.

Remember, there are no cars here, so when we landed at the heli-pad, a yellow tractor took our luggage in for us. There is also no hotel in Kangaamiut – so we stayed with Jensine who often host tourists. There is no better way to understand the lives of Greenlanders than to stay with them.

In many settlements around the country, where no hotels are available, homestays are offered by welcoming locals. Once you share a cup of coffee, the hospitality will put you at ease instantly, and you will be welcomed as part of the family.

Heading into the mountains
The next day, we were ready to hit the slopes. Pilots in Greenland play a really important role in society. The settlements rely on them for transport, food, and mail and they often work in tough conditions and harsh weather to reach those waiting for them.

We had Air Greenland’s Bjorn Pileskog from Norway flying our AS 350 helicopter, and in a challenging environment, like the mountains, it’s important to have someone like Bjorn who can really read the weather, the mountains and riders. For me, as a mountain guide in charge of the safety of my guests, a solid guy like Bjorn is a godsend.

The Kangaamiut heliskiing zone is home to Western Greenland’s highest mountains, and the backcountry has amazing runs that go from the pristine peaks and right down to the beach by the fiord.

Stefan and I had the whole range as our private playground, and Bjorn dropped us off at around 1800 meters, so we could start making the first tracks.

We managed to get six great runs done and a great day ended with the sunset before we touched back down in Kangaamiut exhausted and happy.