Travel to/from and within Greenland, Hotels:

• What are the departure cities from the USA?
• On the return leg to the states we have to stay in Iceland. What about hotels? What is there to do?
• What can we expect from the hotels in Greenland if we elect not to camp?
• How do we get to other places in Greenland?

Clothing:

• Should we bring heavy winter coats?
• Do layers make sense?
• What other things should we be aware of in the clothing department?

Camping:

• What kind of tents work best?
• What kind of sleeping bags are recommended?
• What about black tents?
• What kind of backpack should I bring?
• Should I bring a camp stove? Can we make a campfire?
• What about tent heaters?
• What about a portable generator? Is there one available?
• Camp or Hotel?
• Do you have any hints/tips for campers in Greenland?

UV Lights and Lamping Techniques:

• How will we be able to lamp rocks during the 20 hours of sunlight?
• I’m always having trouble with my SuperBright connector - what can I do?
• Should we bring LW UV lamps?
• What kind of UV lamp should I bring?
• What happens if I break my filter on my UV lamp?
• What kind of rocks should we focus our attention on?

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Batteries:

• How many batteries should we bring?
• Charging for your 12v packs in the field?
• What’s the difference between lead/acid and NiMH batteries?

Other Tools, Equipment and Supplies:

• Packing material/ bubble-wrap: do we need to bring that? Or can we get some there?
• Are kneepads useful?
• What are the proper field collecting tools and equipment for Greenland beyond the UV lamp and battery pack?
• “Rocks are falling on my head” - what about hard hats?
• I’m a techie nut - what kind of gadgets are useful in Greenland?
• Is there a place in town where we can buy supplies?

Carrying your finds and Shipping them home:

• Carrying rocks: nowadays I take along a plastic bucket, fill it up and then carry it back to the camp or car, etc, in addition to putting them in a backpack.
• How do we get our finds of the mountains?
• How much should we plan to carry in our backpack?
• We can ship back only 15 kilos. Is that + or - a kilo? Or exactly 15? (sneak in just under one more kilo OK?) Are we limited because of law? Can we also carry out separately from the stuff we ship back? If so, how many ounces/pounds can we take in our carry on or pockets??

Greenland - Topography, Flora, Fauna, and Weather:

• I heard there were diamonds in Greenland?
• Tell me a little about the food in Greenland
• What can you tell us about the beryllium/uranium content of the base camp water supply? Not too bad, is it?
• How can I find out how to pronounce the names of these rocks? How about the Greenlandic names of cities and mountains?
• How big is this place? How far will we be hiking?
• What kind of wildlife can we expect to see?
• What kind of weather/temperatures can we expect?
• How do we cross the stream to get to the Taseq Slopes?
• What if I decide to extend my stay and do some of my own exploring and hiking?

Miscellany:

• Who is MinerShop?
• Who is Jewel Stones of Greenland?
• Can we ship supplies and equipment to Greenland before we arrive?
• What if there is a medical emergency?

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Travel to/from and within Greenland, Hotels:

What are the departure cities from the USA?
There are 19+ departure cities for Iceland.

On the return leg to the states we have to stay in Iceland. What about hotels? What is there to do?
There are local hotels near Keflavik to stay at. Renting a car is the easiest way to get around. Some hotels offer shuttle services for pick up (at very limited times). The easiest, cheapest thing to do is book a hotel room at the hotel above the airport in advance. These rooms book up fast. The second easiest thing to do, is rent a car in advance. Keep in mind, car rentals are very expensive in Iceland.

Take the shuttle bus during the day to Blue Lagoon and spend a few hours there.

What can we expect from the hotels in Greenland if we elect not to camp?
“Still planning to camp, but am curious about the hotel. $50 to $75 per person for MULTIPLE occupancy? Or, can we save by buddying up? “

Hotels - $50 to $75 per person is about right. We have three rooms rented in the event of an emergency (simply could not risk stranding y'all in a famous Greenland storm). If you wish to buddy up in those rooms we can do that. I would ask that you help defray the expense of the rooms if you use them just for creature comforts, rather than emergencies (around $35/nite). They are also rented so we can take showers. If you prefer your own private room, they can be had for around $90-$100 (up to $114) per night (depending on exchange rates).

On all three of my first trips I stayed in hotels. I enjoyed my time immensely. This time I want to try camping as the BEST time I had were the times I collected at night and simply stayed "on the rocks". Plus, I enjoy the outdoors. I worry about showering. I don't worry about sleeping as you are sooooo tired, you can sleep anywhere. I don't worry about food, as I don't eat very healthy no matter where I am, and Howie taught me the extreme value of peanut butter and "marmalad" - I practically lived on that (along with canned spaghetti and canned hot dogs. 

If we want to go somewhere else (instead of collecting rocks), how do we get there?
Once you arrive in Narsaq you can only travel out of Narsaq by boat, helicopter, or on foot. Often tourists will charter a boat to the Icecap, or hire a helicopter for a one-hour tour. The Narsaq tourist office can arrange many of these tours for you.

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 Clothing:

Coats:
Always wear layers with an outer shell jacket (something like an arctic parka). The coat does become baggage as you are hiking, you work up a sweat. Nighttime though it is needed. Warm socks keep 'em dry and be happy.

Layers:
It's important to stay as dry as you can. Do not use clothing that will hold in sweat/vapor. Breathable layers.

“I always do layers now. Got rid of the down for thermolite and other types of fleece. Have a watertight and wind tight layer that lets water vapor out too. If down gets wet, it's not too practical. This new approach has been warmer and drier for me too. My feet get cold easily, so I'm thinking of bringing my insulated boots....not just hard-rock hikers. “

Nighttime hunting can get chilly and you’ll put your coat back on.

Three layers of clothing are recommended; the inner layer must be able to transform perspiration to outer layers; the middle layer must insulate against cold and outer layer must be wind and rain proof.

Other clothing tips
“Also, FYI, In 2002 I packed a lot of my clothes in the large Ziplock bags (2 gallon size). This kept them dry and also I squeezed all the air out of the bag and clothes inside making it almost vacuum packed for added space. To save space on socks I bought a few pairs of sock liners (much thinner) and then put my thicker wool/synthetic socks on top. This way I brought much fewer thick pairs of socks and I could wear them the whole trip and just change the liners.”

If someone needs to, clothes may be laundered at our partner’s house... - but it’ll cut into your rock collecting time! 

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Camping:

Tents
“As for the tent, I do not have any direct knowledge about Sierra design tents. That tent packs small and is light (~3lbs) which is good, but it is also a 1 person model. Again my recommendation would be to go see the floor model at the store and try to get in and out of it and image you in it with your gear, lamp and anything you want to keep dry. A 2-man tent weights about twice as much ~6lbs but gives you much more room to live, sleep and stay dry. Additionally, we are not going to be traveling long distances (on foot) with these tents, so weight is a little less of an issue in my mind. I have read some reviews about the North Face RoadRunner 2 and the Kelty Raptor 2, both were reported to do well in Alaska and in windy and rainy conditions. However, with any tent in windy conditions its performance is highly dependent on being well secured to the earth and in Greenland about the best you can hope for is a thick layer of moss on top of rocks which still makes securing tent stakes nearly impossible. As for the tent, I think 2-man is the way to go. This tent seems to be one of the lightest 2-man tents available without getting into serious $$. One minor thing about this tent that may make it good or bad is that it is not free standing. This means it may be a little harder to set up, but if blown down, it will just be blown down and not blown away like a free standing tent could. Well any gear inside the tent should be enough to keep any tent from blowing away too far. I would recommend checking the tent stakes that come with your tent and consider upgrading if they seem inadequate. Plastic and metal "coat hanger" type wire stakes will likely not work too well in the rocky areas of Greenland. I recommend the aluminum angled type ("L" shaped) which are stronger and can be pounded into the rocky ground by a rock hammer. They generally cost about $1 a piece. metal tent poles are superior to fiberglass”

Our only experience in a tent was at Kangerlussaq. We pitched a small dome shaped tent, lines taught and well secured. The wind started to pick up and the tent was obviously in danger. We found a large piece of plywood and set it up as a wind break - but to no avail. When we had returned the fiberglass poles had snapped and the tent flattened. We all found a nice comfy rock to curl up behind and slept wonderfully ‘till the morn.  We are convinced that low tents, aluminum poles are the way to go.

Sleeping Bags
“A 20 degree bag is fine. One thing you will want to do is actually try out the sleeping bag in the store. They make sleeping bags in regular (<6ft)and long for people over 6ft, but the long bag can also give you a little more room, but the trade off being extra weight & size to carry and a little more space that your body has to warm up. If you are over 6ft, then you definitely want the long. Some new bags now have pockets on the bottom side of the bag for an air mattress or pads like the one you purchased. Others sleeping bags have tie loops so that those that already have a mattress or pad can strap them to the sleeping bag. Same idea anyway.”

We spent one night atop Taseq using a sleeping bag someone from Miami had brought (down - $9.99 Walmart special). It started drizzling and without a tent, we were in trouble. We used our UV tarp as a “rain fly” but by morning the bag was soaked. We still slept like babies! Another time we spent atop KV only in sleeping bags - but this time the “mummy” type, well insulated and waterproof - wonderful evening.

Get a good, synthetic insulated, waterproof bag - don’t skimp here.

Black Tents
“I'm researching tents, in particular Black Tents. Lots of good reasons; it would be easier to sleep in Greenland sunlit nights, might help for lamping the day's haul of specimens and lastly, it should be warmer.

The problem with anything black that you crawl under turns into an oven in about three minutes. You will be using black tarps, BBQ grill covers, etc for UV viewing tents during the day and will find that it becomes unbearable after just a few minutes. A black tent would probably be suffocating! But then again, it might be pretty cold, especially at night - ????

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What kind of backpack should I bring?
“I brought 2 packs, but this is just how I decided to do it. One large pack and one day pack.

The large pack was about 5000 cu inches with a lightweight internal frame for about 40 to 50lb load. This large pack I used for my clothes, food, supplies, tent etc. For travel purposes I purchased a large duffel bag (~$20) which are made for back packs, a circular zipper at the end of the bag, like an old army duffel bag. This insured than nothing fell out of it during travel and made the airline happy because all the straps were contained.

The second smaller pack, a Lowe Alpine Attack 40 was about 2500 cu inches (I showed a picture of this pack with hammers previously) and I used this for strictly collecting. I carried this on the plane with all my personal and fragile stuff in it. My second piece of checked luggage was actually a pelican waterproof case that I had made up for my SuperBright and 2 battery packs, but I am not sure if I will bring that this year (see photo). “

Our choice for a hiking pack is one with well padded shoulder supports (adjustable), good waist belt, very strong bottom and lots of straps and pockets. It doesn’t have to be too large as you will be stuffing it with 20 kilos of rocks (which doesn’t take a lot of space) and then the rest of your gear. Make sure it has pockets for water bottles so you can reach them easily. We like to tie our sleeping bag on the outside (and hopefully tent), along with the UV viewing tarp.

Camp Stoves
“I also brought my camp stove once, but I never used it because I only camped one night at a time. I will likely bring it again this year and I plan to use it. If anyone else is considering buying/bringing a camping stove, be sure that it can run on multiple fuels because you have to buy your fuel in Greenland, fuel can not go on airplanes for obvious reasons.

Tent Heaters and Campfires
Candle lantern gets pretty hot, and can also be used as a “beacon” to find your tent at night. There are catalytic heaters which run off propane cylinders and use up very little oxygen and can take the chill off at 3am (bedtime).  Campfires are pretty much out of the question in the Kvanefjeld/Taseq Slopes area (no wood) but perhaps a charcoal fire would be a nice substitute to gather around? 

On Kangerlussaq you can typically find firewood (nice and dry!) that has washed up on the shore (driftwood). Makes a roaring fire.

Portable generator
“The portable generator system was something I looked into, mainly for recharging batteries at our campsites. (and maybe for making coffee....well, if had enough power we could run a small electric coffee pot theoretically - at least we'd have that luxury without resorting to camping stoves). But I gave up on the idea. Someone mentioned it again yesterday (forgot who).
Wouldn't that solve a lot of problems IF we could get one there and it was portable enough to bring on some of the longer camping forays? We'd always have charged batteries, even at the remote site. “

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Hints for campers:

• “Stoves, lighter, waterproof strike anywhere matches. I brought all 3 of these items in my checked luggage in without any problem and will again this summer.
• I will also be bringing some MREs, I also brought some powdered Gatorade and some energy bars.
• I only bring one backpack, and a duffel sack. Framed backpack (have to get a new one - my old one has been torn apart by the Mts). Leave the big bags at base camp (or even in one of the hotel rooms and we can get fresh clothes when we shower).
• Take a thing ONLY if you will really use it. From experience, I know what I use and don't use. You can always practice in the back yard. Ziplocs are a gift from God. Bring them!
• This is NOT Arizona, Buckwheat, or any other flat country. We will be hiking about 1km everyday from 300m to 500-600m altitude. Every ounce you carry up will be an ounce you hate. And you will have to carry it back down with the rock you find. WEIGHT WEIGHT WEIGHT - lose it! “
• I plan on taking a portable shower bag with a foot powered pump (to be left at base camp). No trees to hang a shower from for gravity feed, so the foot power will provide the pressure, solar power the heat. From my experience under the BBQ grill covers, the water should heat nicely after 12 hours in the sun.
• Coleman propane tanks are sold in town, plus they even have the big BBQ tanks. Don't worry about those at all - no need to carry that weight. The local store is stocked with almost anything you need. Camping in the summer time is a big hobby by even the locals. You'll see tents pitched everywhere.
• Packing: Ziplock bags have been pointed as God’s gift to campers. Pack socks, clothing, etc - squeeze out all the air and you have a compressed pack which is water proof. Another method is to take plain old (strong) plastic bags, pack them individually with what you’ll be using, suck the air out with a vacuum cleaner, and twist the top shut. Reduce volume by as much as 75%. They also sell large vacuum bags for sleeping bags - might be nice to reduce volume in the field.

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UV Lamps

How will we be able to lamp rocks during the 20 hours of sunlight?
BBQ grills cover, plastic landscaping fabric (opaque), viewing box, a white (but opaque and non FL) blackout cloth. There are many options. Black vinyl BBQ grill covers seem popular - they do a great job of blocking the light, allow you to get under them with some head room, and generally work well. I find them a little heavy and difficult to “get dark” - all the corners have to be “sealed to the ground so no light gets in. 

Problem with all these solutions is they are black. After ten minutes the heat is unbearable and you have to get out. I’ve seen painters drop cloths that are white and also opaque and non FL. That might work better, but they are also pretty heavy!

UV Lamps
Flashlights and Field lamps from Engenious Designs will work perfectly.

We brought 1 High Powered Shortwave torch, 1 High Powered Midwave, 1 FyrFly and shortwave field lamp. Bring tons of extra batteries.

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PROTECT YOUR FILTER! You have been warned. It would be foolish to travel thousands of miles and end up without a light because you tripped while lamping a hot spot and used the lamp to break your fall (it WILL happen). We simply put two 1/8” steel rods as an “X” across the filter - screwing the ends down with the existing screws in the rubber feet. We bent the wires out a little (away from the filter glass) and they act as a great guard. It seems that chicken wire flat against the filter plate may not prevent breakage in a serious fall.

What kind of rocks should we focus our attention on?
“Generally we agree that what works best has been to trust our rock collector instincts modified by our local experience, bring back everything that catches our interest, and then study back here. There are enough fascinomas that make there way back to keep us busy until the next year, "tugtulite" being the perfect example. Look at how much unknown and partially unknown stuff we're still working on! We've always done well collecting by speculating on where rocks like to hide, and in being prepared to adjust to the tricks they like to play on us.”

Do not expect to find great rocks your first time out. EVERY person we have brought out has been disappointed that first time. This is not Buckwheat where the rocks have been hammered, split, turned over by a backhoe, etc. This is nature. Rocks erode, weather, and turn into mung. Typically the outside of a brilliantly fluorescent piece of tugtupite will not even glow. The weathering seems to have a pronounced effect of the FL. You just have to learn to recognize what rocks are worth “cracking” - and do a lot of cracking. Sodalite is usually recognizable from the outside (but not always), tugtupite - just ‘cause it’s a white rock, doesn’t mean it won’t glow a bright red. You will learn after a bit what signs to look for.

Tips:

• Sodalite will be everywhere - not indicative of much
• Ussingite - an indication of other rare minerals. Ussingite is a nice purple “quartzite” like rock. Sometimes FL orange, sometimes green, sometimes not at all.
• Chkalovite - a white (milky quartz) rock, glows green - the mother of all rare FL minerals it seems - keep looking
• Polylithionite - it appears anywhere, but is a good hint.
• Eudialyte - so far, extensive red deposits of eudialyte have proven to be lacking in FL minerals
• Analcime - good hunting grounds.
• White rocks more often glow than darker rocks.
• When a rock is split and you see an initial purple color that fades pretty quickly that is a good indicator of FL. It does not mean it is tenebrescent too. The purple color is often a “one-shot” deal.
• WANES! WANES! WANES! Look for the white veins - that’s where the good stuff is. Look for intersecting veins.
• Keep crackin’

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Batteries

How many batteries should we bring?
6 back up batteries for each flashlight should be sufficient. You can try a lithium battery solar charger while out in the field.

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Other Tools, Equipment and Supplies

Packing material/ bubble-wrap: do we need to bring that? Or can we get some there?
Bubble wrap may be purchased in large 100’ x 5’ rolls. Newspapers are rare. It might be wise to bring a roll of stretch wrap (the stuff like saran wrap) to use for your more delicate specimens. I often wrap them in dirty clothes and then seal the package with the plastic wrap.

Are kneepads useful?
 “I tried kneepads too but found them clumsy to use; I busted one pair and discarded the other.”

They can be depending on the type of pair you buy.

What are the proper field collecting tools and equipment for Greenland beyond the UV lamp and batteries?
“Pack LIGHT. with each years trip more is learned about what is essential for good collecting and what is a luxury item or not needed. What tools do other experienced adventurers recommend to be in your ideal Greenland collecting "day/night pack"? Maybe there are some things that would make life easier that others use when they go field collecting?

We would recommend a pack definitely with the belt option for weight distribution. We are going to overload these packs with rocks and descend slopes! An adjustable strap between the 2 shoulder straps at the chest level is also helpful for weight distribution. I also used the ice ax loops, available on many packs, to attach my cracking hammer and rock hammer (see photo).

Our packs include:

1. 4lb extended handle cracking hammer
2. Chisel, with oops guard for hand
3. Safety glasses ( We did not want to worry about a rock chips in our eye in the wilderness of Greenland)
4. BBQ Tent
5. Food
6. Water bottle or plastic water bladder, they comes in various sizes 1, 1.5, 2 liter (The bladder I used slid into a pouch in my pack along the rigid back "spine" of the pack and did not really use up any of the space for rocks in my pack and had a drinking tube)

Other optional items

1. At night, a LED head lamp (made it easier to navigate in the dark, less twisted ankles)
2. Cargo pants (good for temporary storage)
3. Rain poncho
4. Bug net for head
5. Fisherman's Type vest for easy access storage

Big advantage to the Fly Fishing vest are the pockets. Two large pockets can carry two sets of batteries (distributing the weight). The smaller pockets handle cameras, GPS units, small but delicate rock specimens, etc.

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“Rocks are falling on my head” - what about hard hats?
Anyone who wants to bring one along should. There are none available in town, and there have been times that someone is swinging a sledge hammer a ways up the cliff while we are down below.

Remember guys - you're on your own. Our partner is around to show you where you can go, what rocks to find, and hopefully help steer you in the right direction. But ultimately, your safety is up to you and your limits. Caution is, and should be, the key word! This is mountains, remote, slippery rock, and lots of unknowns..... We avoid dangerous situations and will do our best to keep y'all out of them too.

But it's hard to watch everyone all at once. (One guy got lost once - it took us days to find him! <joke> (he was missing for 15 minutes before we figured out where he was). He was grounded for a week after that for leaving the group/

I’m a techie nut - what kind of gadgets are useful in Greenland
For those of you who love techie gadgets, another traveler and I spent most of our time playing with our Garmin GPS and FRS/GMRS walkie talkie while hanging around the airport in Iceland for seven hours. They are really neat!

Our GPS is invaluable - once when we were descending Taseq into the fog. With out it we would not have found the bridge (easily). Another time we had to use it to get back to our campsite from which we had wandered without paying any attention to landmarks (all these rocks look the same!)

What if I forgot something? Is there a place in town where I can buy camping stuff?
Narsaq has two stores which sell almost everything you might need from backpacks, shoes, to medicines and other supplies. For really major items (tents, picks, sledge hammers etc.) you have to travel to one of the larger cities - not easy to do.

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Carrying our finds off the Mountains and Getting them Home

Carrying your finds thru the mountains of Greenland requires a good sturdy backpack with plenty of support. Forget about buckets and bags - you need your hands for balance. Plan on carrying all your weight on your back. You’ll spend all day at the top of a mountain/slope and hike down at the end of the day with your rocks. It’s not possible to make several trips as time would not allow it, even if your body were willing (which it won’t be).

How do we get our finds off/down the mountain?

The reality is that you will be carrying them down in your backpack. That is why weight is so important - not only will you have to carry up your lamps, batteries, hammers, etc - you will add 10 - 15 kilos of rocks to that to carry back down. Then, once back at base camp you will be trimming and selecting the best of the best for shipment back home.

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Camping atop a mountain and carrying down two days worth of rocks
As we have been discussing this camping stuff, on and off the list, one more thought came to me: On previous trips I made my way up the mountains, down the mountains, and felt like a pack mule at the end of the day. But - at the end of the day I had hauled all my rocks off the mountain and got them back to the hotel.

If we spend three days in a row on top of Taseq we will have collected three days worth of rocks. Impossible to haul back down in one trip. Two trips up the mountain are out of the question (you will die) and most likely you would need to do four trips given the amount of time we'll have to collect rocks. For me it is not a problem as I plan on leaving caches for my partner to retrieve at a later date (won't he be happy to hear that?). I won't be hauling a lot of rock around the mountains.

Perhaps the idea of spending more than one night on the mountain is not reasonable because you guys have to get your rocks down (as opposed to getting your rocks off). Or, you could relegate yourself to finding that “monster” specimen at each spot we visit.

How much should we plan to carry in our backpack?
“After your first trip UP a mountain trial/slope/rock gully you will eagerly remove everything from your backpack that is not absolutely essential - and I mean everything.”

“Amen, brother. If you guys are not careful I may appear this year in speedos. Okay, that ain't gonna happen, but believe me there will be nothing in my pack I don't absolutely, positively HAVE to have. I left a lot of my "great ideas" behind the second time I hiked up top. Woof. Real work for this slug. (But damn fine fun.)”

“My own sense is that all the fuss really boils down to manpower for rock transport, not gadgetport. I think the techie stuff is fun, must be especially so for you non-biosci guys, but its ultimately man vs. mountain. I'd hate to see the mountain armed with tech support! My plan is for Superbright SW only, grill cover, whatever the lightest batteries are, hammer, food and drink, tent and sleeping bag, camera, and that's all (did I say "all"?). Attention focused on clothing and food, and as you correctly point out, on the proper backpack, and then working out to get into proper physical condition is where our efforts best lie.”

The local Greenlanders will laugh at you if you have anything less than 50 kilos on the way down the mountain. On the way up you have to plan for 10lbs of hammers and chisels, 4 pounds of batteries, 10lbs of camping equipment, food and water - I figure that’s about 30lbs - 15 kilos. Not a bad load to carry up considering that often we have to carry up 30 kilo drills, drill rods, and the like. The hardest part will be to not pick up rocks on the way up! Wait until you get up there - if you don’t find anything (LOL) you can always pick them up on the way down.

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We can ship back only 50 kilos. Is that + or - a kilo? Or exactly 50? (sneak in just under one more kilo OK?) Are we limited because of law? Can we also carry out separately from the stuff we ship back? If so, how many ounces/pounds can we take in our carry on or pockets??
As all rules are, these are guidelines. MinerShop is in the business of selling rocks. When MinerShop decided to also run tours we realized the risk of guiding the competition to the goldmine. We also realize the risk of individuals wanting to ship 100 kilos of rocks back - obviously far beyond a collector's needs. So we had to set a limit.

First - an export license is required to ship rocks out of Greenland. Jewel Stones of Greenland has the only one in Narsaq and is limited to a certain tonnage.

Basic common sense and fair play is all we ask; collect REALLY NICE rocks. If you find a honker that weigh 15 kilos and want to ship it back as the centerpiece of your collection you won't find me standing in your way (especially as you're carrying it off the mountain). And it only seems fair that you still have a bunch more to collect - after all, that's only one rock! But, if you try to ship back 20 kilos of green sodalite (20 pieces of the same rock- if there were any left) obviously it's not all just for your collection and we will frown on that. If y'all find 30 kilos of DIFFERENT rocks than that's collecting, and the rules will be bent. .

We DO NOT expect anyone to compete with us on Ebay, at rock shows, etc. We DO expect to see people trading (as we all do), and maybe selling a rock or two at shows to try and recoup some of the cost of the trip. Previous tour participants will back us on this we believe as they have followed the "rules", and seem happy about it.

One interesting note: One fellow asked last year if it would be OK for him to sell one big showpiece to recoup some costs. When he got back, he refused to part with even the smallest pebble. After carrying those rocks off the mountain you get attached to them!

Your finds will be put in a cargo container with your name on it and shipped along with our next regular shipment (usually within a couple of weeks after we leave). The charge for shipping is $300.00 flat rate per person.

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Greenland - Flora and Fauna +

Tell me a little about the food in Greenland
“My experience with Greenlandic foods:

• Seal: I would not try seal, hard to get over its smell, but I support their hunting of seal and no parts are wasted.
• Whale: I had it once and was told I had the best part. I had it with vegetables and potatoes, which they grow in Greenland now, but they are no bigger than a baseball, more like golf balls because of the short growing season and thin soil cover. The whale was chewy and eatable, but I would not say that I crave to eat it again. Shoe-leather comes to mind.
• Musk Oxen: I agree with Mark, a little stringy though
• Reindeer: very good
• Smoked Salmon: Outstanding (lox)
• Arctic Char: Very good and fresh, you can visit the fish market in Narsaq
• Cold water shrimp: Very good, but you can not find them here in the states, most are exported to Europe. The main industry in Narsaq is a shrimp processing facility.
• Lamb: I did not try it, but the lambs are truly free-range during the summer.”

Two stores in town carry almost any food you might want to buy. Fresh meat, vegetables, canned food, etc. Drinks, liquor, beer, snacks are all available. On lucky days, premade sandwiches offer a great lunch in the field. There’s also a great little Danish danish shop/bakery.

What can you tell us about the beryllium/uranium content of the base camp water supply? Not too bad, is it?
“I work as a geologist in the environmental consulting industry so I can provide some incite in response to the potential for Be/U in the water. No risk that I can see. I do not know if any testing has been done, but the Narsaq River and/or Taseq Lake supply the drinking water for Narsaq. Locals probably have to worry more about elevated mercury in their blood. A recent study which planned to use Greenlanders as a "control" for testing mercury blood levels, found surprisingly elevated mercury levels in their blood, presumably because of all the fish, seal and whale meat that they eat. Additionally, the Narsaq River, at least in the summer, is mainly composed of glacial melt water straight from the small alpine glaciers around Ilimaussaq, not so much ground water that may have been in contact with the Be/U rock. So dilution would also be in our favor as well. This is probably some of the purest water you will find. I think any risk would be from the sheep, as Howie mentioned, not Be/U. If you suppose there was Be/U dissolved in the water it likely would only amount to a chronic risk not an acute risk and we are only going to be there 10 days. I know that health based standards are very low for Be and U but I think that in Greenland it is locked up in the rock, not like the mercury, selenium, lead, arsenic, and chromium problems we see in water here in California and around the US. Ground water chemistry and solubility are not my strong point though. Chemistry background anyone?”

How can I find out how to pronounce the names of these rocks? How about the Greenlandic names of cities and mountains?
Go here to get mineral pronunciations: (Gaidonnayite shown for example) http://www.webmineral.com/data/Gaidonnayite.shtml

How big is this place? How far will we be hiking?
Another thing that should be pointed out - distances are extremely deceiving in the complex. What looks like a short hike is a very long climb. 1 1/2-2 hours to get up to Taseq West from lower base of the mountain - more if you're carrying more than you should be.

I heard there were diamonds in Greenland?
“Here's some of the details of the "Greenland Diamond Rush - http://www.infomine.com/press_releases/fm/oct15-97gmsr.html
You can also read about on the Greenland department of mines, don't have that link handy at the moment.”

There’s also a gold mining operation on the southern tip of Greenland - and I would not be surprised to find gold even in Ilimaussaq.

What if I decide I want to go off hiking on my own?
This section was posted on a long since forgotten web site but carried good common sense info:
Hiking outside inhabited areas in Greenland is mainly for experienced hikers and it is necessary that your physical condition and sense of direction are good and that you know how to use a map and a compass.

On long tours you will be able to enjoy untouched nature far away from an inhabited place. Always assume that you will be left completely to your own devices and that only very limited assistance is available for the hill walker, such as marked paths, designated routes, sign posting, bridges, etc.

When you have planed the route on the map carefully, you must inform the police, family, friends, hotel or the tourist office of the planned route, estimated duration etc., and remember to notify them when you have returned safely. The planned route should be followed as closely as possible as this is where a search will be initiated in case of emergencies. If you are too far away from the planned route, there is a risk that you will not be found. It is recommended to bring clothes with loud colors that can be seen from far away.

• Don't start off on long walks without some previous training and planning.
• Let someone (the tourist office of the place where you are staying) know where you are heading and when you expect to be back.
• Pay attention to the weather and the weather reports.
• Follow the advice of experienced hikers.
• Be prepared for bad weather and accidents, even on short walks.
• Always remember a map and a compass.
• Never hike alone.
• Turn back before things get critical.
• Be aware of your strength; look for shelter while there is still time.
• Always take along the necessary emergency gear.
• Always bring warm clothes - even on short day tours.

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What kind of wildlife can we expect to see?
In the mountains you will often find Arctic Terns circling you if you get to close to their nest. They have been known to swoop down and take chunks of hair and scalp - so be aware. You may see an Arctic fox, many different types of birds, lots of fish, seals, and if really lucky a small beluga whale. There are no snakes, lots of mosquitoes. Polar bears rarely reach this far south (but have been seen). Reindeer run wild, as do Musk Oxen. Sheep are everywhere.

What kind of weather/temperatures can we expect?
Weather: The coldest it ever got was a night we slept atop Kvanefjeld. 50 to 60 average in the day, 40's in the nights. It can often rain but it's more just a drizzle. Any last year we found that even though they were complaining about the weather in town, on top of the Mt it was bright blue skies (with dense fog below). The fog can get so dense you can't see 3' in front of you. GPS required to find your way down. Rain ponchos good idea I think.

There also can be very strong winds -a fohn - which wreaked havoc with some campers first year I was there, but only lasted one day. We will not be affected as we are too smart for that :-)

Climate: The weather in Greenland changes a lot faster than in other countries. In 10-15 minutes it can get foggy, or a storm can rise. Foehn is a dry and warm wind. It arises from a high pressure area on the ice cap. A sure sign of a coming foehn storm are tall cumulonimbus clouds. The foehn can last 1-2 days and can occur several times during the same month.

How do we cross the stream to get to the Taseq Slopes?
“Crossing the stream: maybe someone already has a pair of rubber boots, everyone in Alaska has a pair, at least. If he did, we could ask to borrow them and just take turns crossing the stream with 'em. It would save time. I'd be happy to get a pair and even leave them there for next year.”

Rubber boots work when the river water level is not too high - but that’s not been the case for the last two years. This year we will bring two pairs of size 11 and size 12 hip waders. There is a footbridge in the middle of the slopes so there really is no problem getting across - it’s just so much handier if we can cross closer to the east or west side instead of having to trek all the way from the bridge.

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Medical Emergencies (and not emergency)
Narsaq has an excellent hospital in town, staffed by resident nurses (my partner’s wife is one of them). A doctor is also available and major trauma centers are located in the larger cities. Narsaq has a Heliport and can transport victims to other areas as needed (as well as rescue from the mountains).