NGWE 2026: Lessons Learned from the Greenland Ice Sheet
After several weeks in Northwest Greenland, the North Greenland Windsled Expedition 2026 (NGWE 2026) has come to an end. Although we ultimately did not reach the East Coast as initially planned, the expedition achieved several important objectives and provided valuable insights for the future development of the Windsled concept.
Reaching the Ice Sheet with Minimal External Support
One of the primary goals of NGWE 2026 was to demonstrate that access to the Greenland Ice Sheet could be achieved with a high degree of autonomy.
Unlike many modern polar expeditions, no helicopter support was used to transport personnel or equipment onto the ice cap. Instead, the logistics chain relied on a combination of local fishing boats, a hydrocopter, and snowmobiles.
After several days spent at the glacier front awaiting final administrative clearance, the team was finally able to begin its ascent toward the interior of the ice sheet.
The journey to Base Camp 2 covered approximately 135 kilometers by snowmobile and involved a climb from around 400 meters to over 2,100 meters above sea level. Most team members had been awake for more than twenty-four hours by the time we arrived on the ice cap in the early morning.
Recovering the 2025 Cache
Upon arrival, one of our first tasks was to recover the equipment cache left in place by the 2025 expedition.
Over the course of a year, nearly 1.6 meters of snow had accumulated above the depot. Several hours of digging were required before the stored equipment could be retrieved.
This cache recovery operation forms an important part of the long-term logistical strategy developed by Ramón Larramendi and the Windsled team, allowing future expeditions to reduce both costs and environmental impact.
Assembling the Heaviest Windsled Ever Tested
The following days were dedicated to assembling the expedition’s Windsled system.
For NGWE 2026, the configuration included a steering module, cargo module, habitation module, solar panels, battery systems, scientific equipment, and even a towed snowmobile.
With an estimated total weight of approximately 3,400 kilograms, it represented the heaviest Windsled configuration ever attempted.
Weather conditions, however, proved challenging. Persistent easterly winds prevented departure for several days. During this waiting period, a snowstorm deposited nearly 60 centimeters of fresh snow across the camp, requiring extensive digging and equipment checks.
Eventually, a favorable weather window allowed the Windsled to leave Base Camp 2 and begin its journey across the ice sheet.
Discovering the Limits of an Extreme Configuration
The initial stages of the traverse demonstrated that the concept was capable of moving such a heavy load.
However, several limitations quickly became apparent. Steering loads were extremely high, overall performance remained limited, and a number of kites were lost or damaged during operations.
As the expedition progressed, it became clear that the current configuration was operating near the limits of what had previously been tested.
Following a careful assessment of the technical situation, the team made the decision to abandon the attempt to reach Greenland’s East Coast.
While disappointing, the decision reflected a fundamental principle of polar travel: safety must always take precedence over objectives.
Scientific Operations in the Arctic Environment
Despite the change in plans, the scientific program continued successfully.
One of the key projects involved the deployment of an ImpulseRadar Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) system. My role was to operate the instrument and use it to identify crevasses and weak snow bridges along the routes being explored.
This first operational use of the system in Greenland demonstrated its value not only as a scientific instrument, but also as a practical tool for route finding and safety in remote glacial terrain.
Additional scientific activities included:
Snow sampling for microplastic research;
Continuous atmospheric measurements conducted in partnership with the Italian National Research Council (CNR);
Environmental sampling supporting PFAS research programs;
Collection of glaciological data using Ground Penetrating Radar.
Together, these datasets will contribute to ongoing scientific studies and help improve future field operations.
A Major Logistical Success
Beyond the geographical objectives, one of the most significant achievements of NGWE 2026 was the validation of a largely autonomous logistics chain.
The expedition successfully demonstrated that it is possible to access the Greenland Ice Sheet, operate for extended periods, and return to the coast without helicopter support.
The return journey confirmed this capability. After descending from the ice sheet under our own means, the hydrocopter once again proved effective for coastal operations before a local fishing vessel transported the team back to Upernavik.
This logistical validation may ultimately prove to be one of the most important outcomes of the entire expedition.
Learning for the Future
Polar expeditions are not measured solely by the achievement of geographic goals.
NGWE 2026 provided an opportunity to test new concepts, identify technical limitations, validate innovative logistics solutions, and collect valuable scientific data in one of the most challenging environments on Earth.
Every challenge encountered now serves as a lesson for future campaigns.
The Greenland Ice Sheet once again reminded us that humility remains one of the most important qualities in polar exploration.
NGWE 2026 was not the end of a journey, but another step forward in the development of the Windsled project and in the pursuit of increasingly autonomous and environmentally responsible polar exploration.
The adventure continues.
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