Arctic Circle Trail Diary - Day 7 (Katiffik)
Jaw Dropping Scenery
Today was day 7 of our Arctic Circle Trail hike in Greenland, and we were set to travel from Kattifik to Canoe Lake. As I emerged from my tent in the morning, I couldn’t help but notice the flat calm water on Amitsorruaq lake. It was such a shame that we couldn’t use the old metal canoe we found yesterday to explore the lake.
The weather today was not on our side. The sky was cloudy, and it rained steadily throughout much of the day. The temperature was cold, but thankfully, there was no wind. We packed up camp on the beach. We were ahead of schedule, starting the day beyond yesterday’s planned finishing point at the Katiffik hut.
Our next stop was the Canoe Centre, which is the largest of the Arctic Circle Trail huts. The scenery continued to be magnificent, and I felt like we were now a very long way from home and deep into the wilderness. We followed the trail along a lake and eventually arrived at the hut.
Not long after leaving the Canoe Centre hut, we saw a large bull reindeer quietly grazing on crowberries. It was a breath-taking sight, and I couldn’t help but stop and watch the animal for a few moments.
The walking wasn’t too bad today, but my feet ended up being wet much of the day. I was using Salomon Quest 4D boots, which were light and comfortable, but not coping well with the boggy ground. I was now realizing that it would have been worth bringing boot gaiters to keep my feet dry. After walking for about seven and a half hours, we set up camp at another beach, this time alongside the Tasersuaq lake. Nearby, there was what appeared to be a native hunting camp, but no hunters were in sight.
We cooled off our tired feet in the icy cold lake by the campsite. The rain was on and off through the night, but we were happy to be off our feet and resting for the night. Today, we hiked 24km with 260m of ascent. Our trip subtotal now stood at 115.1km with 1909m ascent.
Despite the poor weather conditions, today’s hike was one of the most memorable I’ve ever done. The rugged and remote landscape of Greenland is awe-inspiring, and every step of the Arctic Circle Trail is a new adventure.
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