Visit the Greenland Ice Sheet and Russell Glacier

Visit the Greenland Ice Sheet and Russell Glacier

Visiting the Greenland Ice Sheet and Russell Glacier offers a unique opportunity to observe the country's infamous interior

The simple and lonely settlement of Kangerlussuaq in Greenland feels like the end of the world. Although it lies 50 km north of the Arctic Circle, there is little evidence of the spectacular scenery found only in the most extreme regions of the planet: the polar regions.

Just a short drive down a dry and dusty dirt road lie thundering glacial waterfalls, an arid Arctic desert, a colossal glacier and the edges of a gigantic ice sheet that envelops the world's largest island. Along the way, visitors witness one of the most dramatic landscape changes imaginable.

After my adventures trekking the Arctic Circle Trail, I took a half tour, half overnight hike from Kangerlussuaq to the Greenland Ice Sheet and Russell Glacier.

From the arid Arctic desert to a gigantic glittering sheet of ice, I found a remarkable, almost alien, but deeply beautiful world.

Visit the Greenland Ice Sheet and Russell Glacier

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Hiking the Arctic Circle Trail Packing List for the Arctic Circle Trail Tips for Hiking the Arctic Circle Trail Activities in Kangerlussuaq

The small but sprawling town of Kangerlussuaq doesn't have much to offer: around 500 residents, an international airport and a scattering of overpriced and uninviting accommodation. Founded in 1941 as an American military base during World War II, the airport is a major transportation hub for travelers heading to Ilulissat, Greenland's most popular tourist destination.

37 km east of Kangerlussuaq, along a dirt road built by Volkswagen in 2000 to test their cars in extreme conditions, is the edge of the infamous Greenland ice sheet. The ice sheet (or ice cap) is a huge body of ice covering 1,710,000 km2 - approximately 80% of Greenland's land surface.

The Greenland ice sheet is generally thicker than 2 km (3 km at its thickest) and is the second largest ice mass in the world. Only the Antarctic ice sheet is larger.

alt="activities in the Greenland ice sheet of Kangerlussuaq">Atlas & BootsThe Greenland ice sheet is the second largest ice mass in the world

The melting of Greenland's ice sheet has been widely reported, particularly after an unprecedented summer in the Arctic in which heat waves accelerated ice melt in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, a team of scientists revealed that Greenland's ice sheet has begun to melt even in winter.

Point 660, misleadingly named because it was originally thought to be 660 m (2,165 feet) above sea level, is actually no more than 525 m (1,720 feet) at its highest point. Here the dirt road ends and meets a band of frozen, rocky moraine that surrounds the huge ice cap.

To the west of the ice sheet extends the Russell Glacier, also known locally as the Reindeer Glacier. The active glacier advances about 25 m every year and is lined by fresh meltwater runoff from the adjacent ice sheet. Several more drains flow into the base of the glacier and form the Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua River further downstream.

Half tour, half hike

I took part in an Albatros Arctic Circle tour to the ice sheet. The off-road bus meets at the airport and travels up the Sandflugtdalen valley, stopping at a few viewpoints along the way. The route leads through the Aasivissuit – Nipisat Inuit hunting area between ice and sea, one of the newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

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• alt=“riesige Eishaufen, die man beim Besuch der grönländischen Eisdecke und des Russell-Gletschers gesehen hat“>
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At the end of the road, our group got out to make our way across the muddy moraine that led to the ice sheet. I soon encountered the largest ice bank I had ever seen (to be honest, there is only one bigger).

The sheer size of the white expanse was overwhelming. In front of me the ice stretched 400 km to the east, 1,600 km to the north and 800 km to the south. Standing on its edge, I felt very small indeed.

Where the ice met the moraine it was gray and muddy. I wanted to cross this and reach the cleaner, whiter ice on the horizon. After 15 minutes of crunching, I found myself floating in a sea of ​​ice. I was sweating from the exertion, but as I looked around it felt like I had barely moved, so vast was the scene.

Because I didn't want to lose sight of the group, I stopped. All around me, small streams made their way across the surface, carving canyons and tunnels in the ice. Above me, without a cloud in the sky, the sun beat down on the ice and reflected the heat upward. It was surreal.

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I made my way back to the moraine, stopping frequently to admire the frozen landscape. Back at the edge, our guide pointed out some excellent viewing spots where the pale ice rose above the dark moraine in a stark contrast of ebony and ivory.

Back on the bus, I asked our guide where would be a good place to leave the tour. I wanted to camp near Russell Glacier and had asked to be dropped off on the return journey.

On the way in I had seen a large rocky gorge with a waterfall next to a grassy ridge. Our guide informed me that it was near a rarely used picnic area called Israndsdalen. A few minutes later I enthusiastically waved goodbye to the group and walked across the grass towards the river.

alt="The Ice Wall when visiting the Greenland Ice Sheet and Russell Glacier">Atlas & BootsThe ice wall

The mighty waterfall comes from meltwater runoff from the ice cap. It cuts and winds into a deep gorge before the river widens alongside the Russell Glacier. I followed the river along the gorge until I found myself facing the glacier wall.

Here I pitched my tent on a grassy area above a rocky beach before dropping down to inspect the glacier from the river bank. The glacier meets the river like a cliff meets the sea: with a sheer wall cutting straight into the surface. Here, icebergs cut off from the glacier and make their way downstream, melting into the Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua.

I spent the rest of the evening watching the hues of the glacier change and glow warmly in the evening light. Occasionally I heard a crack as pieces of ice were torn apart deep in the frozen tomb. This was without a doubt one of the best campsites I have ever set up.

alt="One of the best campsites in the world when visiting the Greenland Ice Sheet and Russell Glacier">Atlas & BootsOne of the best campsites in the world

The following morning was just as delightful. I broke off and made my way back to the road to begin the 26km walk back to Kangerlussuaq. Along the way, I stopped at an extraordinary viewpoint at the head of a lake surrounded by the Russell Glacier just as I was leaving the UNESCO site.

Further down the road I passed the mangled remains of a US plane that crashed in 1968, and then the striking peak of Sugarloaf Mountain. A path leads back here for those who want to climb to the top of the 353 m (1,158 ft) peak. By now I was starting to get tired, so I continued on my way to Kangerlussuaq.

The valley widened dramatically as I approached the city and entered an area of ​​arctic desert. The valley floor was dry and dusty and lined with thickets of willows.

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• alt=“Die Straße zurück nach Kangerlussuaq nach dem Besuch der grönländischen Eisdecke und des Russell-Gletschers“>

The road back to Kangerlussuaq

My half-tour, half-hike to the Ice Sheet and Russell Glacier had been an outstanding mini-adventure and the perfect follow-up to my escapade on the Arctic Circle Trail. There are very few places on this planet - only two in fact - where you can see such sights.

The town of Kangerlussuaq, as reserved as it may be, is an excellent gateway to some of nature's most glorious wonders.

• alt=“der Wasserfall, den man bei einem Besuch der grönländischen Eisdecke und des Russell-Gletschers gesehen hat“>
• alt=“die Eiswand, während Sie die grönländische Eisdecke und den Russell-Gletscher besuchen“>
• alt=“Beobachten Sie die Wand, während Sie die grönländische Eisdecke und den Russell-Gletscher besuchen“>
• alt=“Camping, während Sie die grönländische Eisdecke und den Russell-Gletscher besuchen“>
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Visit to the Greenland Ice Sheet and Russell Glacier: the most important thing

What: Visit the Greenland Ice Sheet and Russell Glacier near Kangerlussuaq.

Where: In Kangerlussuaq, I stayed at the simple but clean Polar Lodge (795 DKK / 120 USD) on my arrival and camped at the nearby campsite for 60 DKK (9 USD) on my second visit. Other options include the Kangerlussuaq Hotel at the airport and the Kangerlussuaq Youth Hostel.

During my night hike I camped at a place called Israndsdalen next to a meltwater river next to the Russell Glacier. There is a picnic area nearby with a few eco-toilets along a path that leads back to the main road.

When: The best time to trek in Greenland is June to August, when the weather is best and the days are longest (sometimes endless). In August and September temperatures drop and snow arrives overnight.

However, Albatros Artic Circle tours to the ice cap at Point 660, which also stop at Russell Glacier, operate year-round (see here). Russell Glacier-only tours run February through November.

How: I joined a tour with Albatros Artic Circle to the ice cap at Point 660, only stopping briefly at Russell Glacier for photos on the way to the ice cap. I agreed with the driver to drop me off near the waterfall in Israndsdalen on the way back. From here it's a short walk along the river to my campsite for the night.

The next day I hiked the remaining 26km back to Kangerlussuaq, stopping at a number of sights along the way.

I flew from London to Kangerlussuaq via Copenhagen, Denmark. Air Greenland essentially has a monopoly on domestic flights. Book via Skyscanner.

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The Cicerone Guide to Trekking in Greenland is the ideal companion for visiting the Greenland Ice Sheet and the Russell Glacier. It contains a detailed route description, images and maps.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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