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In March 2024, I ran an all-new winter dog sled expedition to eastern Greenland in search of Arctic wildlife and stunning winter landscapes. Eastern Greenland is one of our planet’s most remote and pristine areas. In Winter, it is a hostile, frozen world with temperatures that frequently plummet below -40º. Frozen oceans, glaciers, and precipitous mountains are more akin to a scene from George Lucas’s planet Hoth (from The Empire Strikes Back) than the earth we know. It is a stunning, dramatic, epic landscape that makes for other-worldly photographic possibilities for photographers looking for an adventure outside their comfort zone.

For this adventure, we utilized local Inuit guides and Greenland sled dogs. With incredible stamina and power, a team of twelve sled dogs can pull over a thousand pounds for hours across the sea ice, making them the ideal means of transportation in Winter. The essence of this expedition was to capture the elusive Arctic wildlife in its winter habitat and to immortalize the breathtaking beauty of Greenland in its winter glory. Greenland, a place seldom explored in Winter, is a testament to the untouched Arctic Nature, a rarity to be found anywhere around the Polar Circle.

For this expedition, we flew from Reykjavik in Iceland to Constable Point in Greenland on a small Dash-8 plane, where we made camp for our first night. Our small group spent our first night in small mountain tents close to the ice runway of Constable Point to acclimate to the cold and exposure of the Arctic in Winter. This experience was a baptism by ice for the group, many of whom had never slept on sea ice in Winter. We ventured into Jameson land from our first camp, searching for Musk Ox – the prehistoric bison-like beast that survives and inhabits this region of eastern Greenland.

We only had to travel briefly (perhaps 10km) before our local Inuit guides spotted a small group of Musk Ox on a distant ridge line. Parking the sleds and dogs, we grabbed our cameras and long lenses and made our way stealthily across the landscape in the hope of some dramatic photographs. Fortuitously, the wind was blowing and catching both the loose spindrift and the woolly coats of the Musk Ox. These were ideal conditions to photograph these creatures. Skittish from decades of hunting, Musk Ox can be notoriously difficult to approach and, when agitated, can be more dangerous than Polar Bears. Maneuvering into position for the ideal background, we spent around an hour capturing images of these impressive animals in cold, windy and dramatic conditions before they finally tired of us and headed up a nearby mountain valley. Encounters like this are rare and a real photographic treat in the Arctic in Winter.

Our second and third nights saw us overnighting in an old hunter’s cabin. Although cold, the cabin afforded more protection than a tent and made for a more comfortable night. These hunters’ cabins typically consist of little more than four wooden walls and a roof, but they protect from the wind and some semblance of normality. Setting up cooking stoves inside the hut and removing the warm outer jackets that protect from the biting cold outside is possible. Of course, there are no facilities, and when nature calls, it is necessary to venture outside and find somewhere out of the wind to take care of personal business. Likewise, there are no showers or running water, and it is necessary to melt snow and ice for cooking and drinking.

From Jameson land, we turned south and headed out of the fjord across the frozen sea ice on our dog sleds to another hunter’s cabin approximately thirty kilometres south. We had spectacular views across the frozen sea ice from this location and excellent photographic opportunities with Ptarmigan in their winter plumage. Ptarmigans are usually quite approachable if you take your time and move slowly, and all of the group captured images of these beautiful birds. From this location, we could easily spot any approaching Polar Bears. Unfortunately, the sea ice remained empty, with no sign of bears from our high vantage point. Such is often the way with the King of the Arctic. With tens of thousands of square kilometres of habitat and perhaps only a few thousand bears inhabiting this region, an encounter is never guaranteed.

Continuing our journey across the sea ice to Cap Hope, we established our next camp in an old hut in the small abandoned settlement. We had our first and only encounter with a Polar bear here during this expedition. Spotted by one of our Inuit guides, the bear was quite some distance away on the sea ice (perhaps 5-6 kilometres, but visible through my binoculars), strolling away from us. Hurriedly, we headed down to the sea ice, hoping the bear would become curious and approach our position. Unfortunately, it was not to be, and the bear continued, disappearing into the distance as the sun set across the sea ice. While it was a fleeting encounter, it reminded us of the untamed wilderness we were exploring and that wildlife photography has no guarantees. It has been my experience that typically, one in seven Polar Bears provides a significant photographic encounter that yields tangible images. Most encounters are generally sightings only that rarely result in keeper photographs.

With a change in the weather forecast and a winter storm approaching, we decided to break camp and head back to the small village of Ittoqtoqitormet rather than stick to our original plan of heading to Cap Tobin. Although both were roughly the same distance from our current position, the town of Ittoqtoqitormet would offer us better accommodation, a hot shower and the chance to have a bed. The storm arrived a few hours earlier than predicted, giving us a real taste of what the Arctic can be like in Winter as we arrived in town. Our local guides’ experience proved correct, and shortly after we arrived, the storm intensified into a full winter blizzard that would last the next two days.

During the expedition, temperatures hovered around -20 to -36Celsius + wind chill. We had predominately excellent weather, with only our last two days and the storm’s arrival reducing visibility with strong winds and blowing snow.

We took the opportunity to photograph the Arctic Snow Hares in and around town. These Hares live around the old cemetery, providing fantastic opportunities in the blowing snow. Over the two days in town, we had several sessions with the Hares in what I would describe as ideal winter photographic conditions. The Hares are somewhat used to people, and it was possible to approach them within just a few feet.

At the expedition’s conclusion, we planned to take a helicopter from Ittoqtoqitormet to Constable Point to connect with our return flight to Reykjavik in Iceland. However, the helicopter was cancelled at the last minute due to the consistent blizzard conditions and near-zero visibility, leaving us stranded in town (Winter travel in the Arctic is never certain and always exciting). The cancellation would have meant a two-day delay in returning to Iceland, assuming the flight would go as planned from Constable Point. Rather than get stuck for two days, I quickly organized four locals with snowmobiles and sleds to take us from town to Constable Point across the sea ice. The journey should take around an hour and a half in good weather conditions. But, due to the blizzard and abysmal visibility, the journey took nearly three hours and proved quite the adventure. Our local Inuit guides showed their incredible skills, successfully navigating without GPS in what was effectively zero visibility to transport us to Constable Point.

Thankfully, I could rebook our group at the last minute on a return twin otter flight from Constable Point to Reykjavik, and we made this connecting flight with literally ten minutes to spare. Our long day of travel concluded in Reykjavik, where we wrapped up our winter expedition.

I sincerely thank our local guides and all who participated in this remarkable expedition. The success of these winter expeditions hinges on group dynamics and local knowledge. They require teamwork and cooperation from all. Our group aced this expedition, working together and ensuring a safe and successful outcome.

I will return to Greenland’s East Coast again in September 2024 for a more luxurious Autumn, ship-based expedition to Scoresby Sund. This expedition focuses on the incredible landscape and icebergs that drift as silent sentinels through this incredible fjord system. In addition, there will be a chance of wildlife, including Musk Ox and Polar Bears. We will be based on a comfortable, warm ship for the duration of this expedition that will serve as both our home and our photographic platform. Just two places remain now before this expedition is sold out. If you are interested in travelling to one of the world’s last untouched regions of the Arctic alongside a small group of like-minded, passionate photographers, please drop me an email to register your interest.

I will also return to Greenland in the Winter of 2025 to lead another dog-sled expedition across the sea ice in search of wildlife and dramatic landscapes. This expedition is already sold out, but I will soon be taking expressions of interest for 2026. If the idea of an adventure outside your comfort zone appeals and you feel you have the right stuff to explore Greenland in Winter via dog sled, then please reach out to register your interest – no obligation at this point.