Explorer Mikael Strandberg

Report 7: Greenland Icecap Crossing-The Nansen Route  

Hi my name is Eva, Mikaels daughter. My dad is in Greenland for a month and a half to ski across the icecap. When he is gone both me and Hannah will be writing his posts for him so you know how he is progressing. He will be calling by satellite every 3 days and I will write what he says from his perspective.

It was a wonderful day, and we made it just over 20km. It has been sunny and with great visibility, but the going is tough. The temperature has been -20 degrees C, with a wind chill of -35, so it’s freezing. Yesterday too, but then it was bone freezing since there was no sun just a complete whiteout. Not a great joy at all. It is such a wonderfully suggestive, almost insanely hard landscape, and to not to see anything most of the time is not a lot of fun.

I have lots of feelings of meaninglessness when it’s only hard work. The two previous days were all whiteout. It makes me miss the kids and Hannah and to just want to get off the ice.

22 days, but I think we won’t get off the ice as quick as we thought. 30 days more. It is like we are traveling on a huge open sea with a variety of [rippling frozen] waves, which are called sastrugi. They are hard to pass, but beautiful.

Weather reports from the master weatherman, who sends us daily analytical updates, say temperatures will rise during the night and warm days with whiteouts are ahead. On Friday, we expect 30 m/s wind which will nail us down in the tent and give the first full rest since the start. But hard cumbersome days ahead! But this beautiful day today made all the difference and with the [distance] gain gives me that privileged, amazing feeling. After three hours of cooking, now bedtime. – Mikael Strandberg

Edited by Hannah Pierce-Carlson

Images:
Photo by Mikael Strandberg, Sweden training outing, 2022
Location of Greenland Expedition on Sept 2nd, 2024

This is a Kensington Tours Expedition

Here´s a link to the map, where you can follow dad and Anders. https://share.garmin.com/EXPLORERGLOBAL

Thanks to

@kensingtontours @asnes1922 @taiga.se @boldrsupplyco @jemtlander @hilleberg_the_tentmaker @helsport @alfasko @brynjeofnorway @nordiclife @polder_sport @stanley_brand @ledlenserglobal @soto.outdoors

 

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