EYOS is excited that Bode & Chris will join us again in Greenland as special guest guides — a unique book-by-cabin departure where individual cabins will be available. As Chris’s images show, this is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to ski with world-class champions in Greenland’s backcountry. Contact [email protected] to learn more about heli-skiing in Greenland in April 2024!
“Between the ability to get off the grid and fully immersed in a landscape, heli-skiing provides an experience unlike anything else. Remote heli-skiing locations I’ve been to in the past like British Columbia and the Rockies are the stuff dreams are made of: off-piste, pristine, with the freedom to explore. But none of those moments could truly prepare me for the type of skiing that we experienced with EYOS in Greenland this spring. There, in the soft light of the high Arctic, we found runs from summit to sea that were unlike any other.”
“The trip began in Sisimiut, Greenland’s second-largest city with a population just 5,500. Most of the skiing for the trip would take place 18 hours to the north at Disco Island, but we took the time to spend a few days here before the trip. As we prepared to leave the port, Captain Timo invited everyone to the ship’s bridge to watch her sail past the multicolored houses of Sisimiut stacked among the mountains. With every wave against the hull, we all knew we were that much closer to the mountains and the excitement built.”
“For our first day, we had good weather. But with no hard pack to be found, snow conditions were unfortunately not cooperating. So our expedition team did what they do best and adapted quickly. Our plans turned into a stunning afternoon of ice cruising with a polar plunge, both from the pack ice next to the ship and even from the ship itself. There is so much to do with a home base like Nansen Explorer.”
“We also made a stopover in Ilulissat, where Bode spoke for an hour to the local school children about ski racing and life. I was surprised that there’s a little ski area here and a race program. Kids even brought racing suits and helmets for Bode to sign.”
“Soon, though, the conditions came together and our first heli-skiing operation was underway. There is something magical about carving tracks above the Arctic Circle. It is like no other place on earth: cold, dry, quiet. It doesn’t even make a sound when you’re blasting turns. We were high in the Arctic Circle and this time of year, there’s sunlight from about 4:30 in the morning until ten at night. That allows for some really epic shots like this one.”
“Typical runs were about 2,000 vertical feet. And occasionally, runs would go right to the coast!”
“We had a whole mix of skill onboard. You don’t need to be an expert skier to comfortably ski on this expedition– there are amazing runs and epic opportunities for skiers of all abilities. Part of what was so fun on this trip was working with the group to improve our skills, and just have a great time doing it. The camaraderie was awesome.”
“The cold night sucked the moisture out of snow and there was 8 inches of cold smoke on top of harder snow. The stability was excellent and there was hardly any avalanche danger at all, so you could ski with a lot of confidence. And we had hero snow that you could do anything on: Slash, spray, make big turns or little turns.”
“We’ve only been back a few months, but we’re already planning our return to Greenland with EYOS in search of more alpine adventure without lifts, without lines, and without limits.”
To join Chris Davenport and Bode Miller on an Arctic heliski adventure, contact EYOS at [email protected] to inquire about upcoming trips to Greenland.
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