The Arctic Circle Trail (ACT) is 170 kilometers long Long-distance hiking trail at the West Coast Greenland. It owes its name to the arctic circle around 50 km to the south, to which it runs almost parallel. It runs on the ice-free coastal strip of Greenland, which has its greatest extent here, and connects the city Sisimiut with the close to Ice sheet located international airport location KangerlussuaqThe ACT is often done in a westerly direction, but nothing speaks against it.
The construction of a gravel road between Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut has been discussed for many years, which should run roughly parallel to the ACT and replace the hiking trail for 50 km (in the Nerumaq valley). The hiking trail should then be relocated to the difficult-to-pass southern variant. The plan is to initially build only one road for all-terrain vehicles (Quods, in Greenland called "ATV" = "All Terrain Vehicle"). There is currently no funding for the construction of an unpaved gravel road. In July 2020, the construction of the ATV road in Kelly Ville began. However, there have been major problems with the construction. At the end of 2020, less than two kilometers had been completed. The completed ATV road would not completely destroy the hiking trail. The variant south of the Nerumaq valley would only be passable for well-trained mountain hikers. And on the rest of the way, the ATV road running parallel to the hiking trail would devalue it and deprive it of its uniqueness and the experience of walking through the wilderness far away from civilization.
Since the road would cross the World Heritage Area "Aasivissuit - Nipisat. Inuit Hunting Ground between Ice and Sea", 2019 became a Request addressed to the WHC (UNESCO) to put it on the list for endangered world heritage. The application was referred by the WHC to the Danish Ministry of Culture, which has so far ignored it and has allowed a fait accompli to be created with the start of construction of the ATV road.
Route
From Kangerlussuaq, the Arctic Circle Trail follows the road to the Kellyville research settlement. This is where the actual Arctic Circle Trail begins. It now runs parallel to the fjord for about 25 km to the first hut Katiffik on the banks of the Amitsorsuaq. It is possible to cross this lake with abandoned canoes. In the summer of 2015, however, there were only 4 canoes left on the entire lake, most of which were in an extremely deplorable and hardly navigable condition. Only canoe No. 6 was in good condition.
Alternatively, the trekking route leads along the southern edge of the 25 kilometer long lake. This passage is connected with a few meters of altitude on the eastern section, as the bank there is very steep. Four kilometers before the western end is the Canoe Center, a formerly managed hut.
The next 40 kilometers to the Ittineq Valley, the route leads through an increasingly hilly environment to Lake Tasersuaq (green: large lake) and over a high plateau. A wooden bridge was built over the Ittineq (Ole’s Lakseelv) in 2008 so that crossing it is no longer a problem, even when the water level is high. The bridge is located 3 km west of the ford, but is not shown on any of the current maps. With a little attention, it can be spotted with binoculars when walking from Kangerlussuaq to Sisimiut before descending into the Ittineq valley. In good weather and moderate water levels, however, the ford is recommended as the bridge is difficult to find and difficult to reach.
The path now leads further into the coastal mountains. 20 km before Sisimiut, the route briefly runs along the Kangerluarsuk Tuuleq fjord. The last hut on the way is also located here. The path is the entire route with Cairn marked with a red semicircle as a symbol of the ACT.
history
The ACT was set up as a long-distance hiking trail in 1990. At that time, piles of stones were piled up and the markings made. Over time, paths have developed in many places, so that one does not have to rely on the marking alone. Nevertheless, it is advisable to be on the road with a map and to carefully follow the markings, as the trodden paths are not always clear.
getting there
The ACT can only be reached at its endpoints. There are regular direct flights from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq and Kangerlussuaq to Sisimiut. Sisimiut is also the station of the Arctic Umiaq Line, the shipping company on the West Coast of Greenland.
hike
The Arctic Circle Trail is free of snow between mid-June and mid-September, and many hikers recommend mid to late August as the ideal travel time. In late summer, not only are the water levels at their lowest, but there is also a chance that some of the many wetlands have dried up. Another advantage of the late travel season are fewer or hardly any mosquitoes. If there has already been the first night frost or if the summer was particularly warm, the otherwise numerous mosquitoes have been greatly decimated. The trail is easy to hike in nine to fourteen days.
accommodation
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There are a total of seven huts on the trail, which are spaced between 12 and 22 km apart, are available to hikers free of charge and are not managed. The huts vary in size and have at least three beds. Some huts are equipped with Refleks kerosene stoves, which can be used if there is still fuel from the winter season. However, this must be done with great caution, as the ovens have already burned down several times due to incorrect use. Despite the huts, you should always have a storm-proof tent with you when hiking on the trail. The distances between the huts are very uneven and the huts are not always free. Walking the trail as a pure hut tour is only recommended for experienced and well-trained hikers.
Both in Kangerlussuaq and in Sisimiut there are designated places for camping, as well as hostels and hotels in various price and quality classes. The campground in Sisimiut is located east of the city near the sled dog area and has no facilities such as toilets, washrooms, etc.
variant
A more southerly variant leads via the fishing village of Sarfannguit, where there is also a grocery store. However, this trail is no longer recommended as it passes through an important reindeer hunting area[1] and in parts it is difficult to walk on. In addition, to get to Sarfannguit, which is located on an island, you have to rely on the ferry services of local fishermen, which are difficult to plan.
An ascent of the 1400 m high Knieqqaq Saqqaa is possible as a day tour in good weather. The camping site between the Eqalugaarniarfik and Innajuattoq huts, marked on the map, is ideal as a base camp. There is no well-trodden or marked path up the mountain.
Tourist Attractions
- Ice Cap (Point 660 and Russell Glacier)
- Nasaasaaq (600m)
- Sugar Loaf (200m)
security
The ACT is not a particularly technically demanding route. Due to the remoteness, however, help is always far away and self-sufficiency is the only solution you can rely on, even in difficult situations. Polar bears and other predators that are dangerous to humans do not exist in this area , a mosquito net and mosquito repellent are essential.
Through the inland ice, foehn winds occur again and again, some of which blow with hurricane force towards the sea. These winds can pose a threat to tents, so it is recommended to dismantle the tent in the event of a foehn and wait in a sheltered place.
miscellaneous
- There is no way to buy groceries or fuel along the way on the Arctic Circle Trail.
- A big ski race takes place at the ACT every year in spring, the Arctic Circle Race
- Campfires should be avoided at all costs. In recent years there have been several peat fires that have destroyed large areas.
- There are many opportunities to fish on the ACT. You can get the necessary fishing license at the post office in every location.
Flora and fauna
Large herds of musk ox and reindeer live near Kangerlussuaq. There are no trees, only a few bushes. There are trout and char in the lakes and rivers. Arctic foxes and hares as well as around 200 species of birds can also be observed. However, due to intensive hunting in recent years, musk oxen have retreated further south and sighting in the immediate vicinity of Kangerlussuaq is unlikely. However, there is a radar station above Black Ridge, where a brackish lake is located in a valley to the southwest. There is a no-hunting zone there and musk oxen come there to lick salt in the mosses. Reindeer usually retreat to the inland ice in summer and raise their young there. Therefore, they are less common on the ACT in summer.
Individual evidence
- ↑Lonely Planet Publications (Ed.): Lonely Planet Iceland, Greenland & the Faroe Islands. 2001 (4th edition), ISBN 978-0864426864 , P. 464. English
literature
- Paddy Dillon: Trekking in Greenland - The Arctic Circle Trail; Cicerone Press 2010, ISBN 978-1852846244 , (English)
- David Kuhnert, Oliver Schröder: Greenland: Arctic Circle Trail; Germany 2004 (Conrad Stein Verlag), ISBN 3-89392-537-6
