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Splitboard First Ascents in Greenland

A record-breaking expedition in the Stauning Alps

Published Apr 20, 2022

Photographer The Adventure Photographers

Hannah Bailey Hannah is an award-winning photographer and journalist who works tirelessly to shine the spotlight on women in action sports. She shows the real faces, telling genuine stories of those involved in the niche culture to inspire others to get involved and society as a whole.

A team of environmentalist endurance athletes, including Founder of The Adventure Photographers Charlotte Workman, are attempting a record-breaking journey of over 300 miles by splitboard across the Stauning Alps in Northeast Greenland.

BASE Collective member Hannah Bailey spoke briefly to Charlotte via SatPhone from the team’s camp.

At the top of Scoresby Sound, the world’s largest fjord system, equipped with splitboards and touring skis, Charlotte Workman, Tom Reynolds and James Van Der Hoorn of Zero Impact Adventures set off on the sea-ice of Greenland’s east coast. Dragging sleds weighing up to 100kgs, they’ll traverse fjords, glaciers and mountain passes, as they attempt to make two first ascents whilst gathering environmental data for ongoing climate studies.

With no splitboard expedition of this length ever completed before, the journey is the first of its kind. They’ll face 60mph arctic winds, temperatures as low as -30ºC, glacial instabilities in a warming climate, and polar bears as they document their journey and environmental findings as part of an adventure film Split.

Founder of The Adventure Photographers, Charlotte Workman.

It’s cold enough to freeze whisky!

What’s it like out there?

It’s cold enough to freeze whisky! Harder than we had all imagined. It’s absolutely beautiful with no other humans for hundreds of miles.

We changed our route to prioritise two first ascents and we’re all feeling a bit battered today, so we’re taking a rest day to fix things. We’re all really excited to reach the Stauning Alps, ditch our pulks and get climbing and splitboarding the mountains!

What are you hoping to achieve with the trip?

We’re hoping to inspire environmental action with our film, Split.

If successful, the expedition will set a world record for its length via splitboard, but in creating their documentary, the team hope to inspire action in a world where uncertainty and challenge faces us all.

You can follow the team’s journey on The Adventure Photographers’ Instagram stories, and through the Zero Impact Adventures website.

Feeling inspired? Check out the article Terra Incognita by Lukasz Warzecha for more untrodden paths and unchartered terrain.