Upcoming Expeditions Spring 2024

Check out our next projects and WindSled Polar
Expeditions in Greenland for 2024

GREENLAND WINDSLED EXPEDITION SOS ARCTIC

May 2nd - June 20th
Greenland
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GREENLAND UNEXPLORED

April 16th - May 6th
Greenland
Go to expedition

Greenland WindSled Expedition SOS Arctic

This expedition is a new challenge for the Inuit WindSled project, in which the largest
and most advanced wind sled ever built to date will be tested. A collaboration of
Greenlandic, Italian and Spanish scientists and explorers.

May 2nd - June 20th

South - North Greenland

1500 Km

This scientific expedition will cover the South-North crossing of Greenland (1500 km) with the most advanced WindSled built to date. An evident innovation in its handling, habitability, resistance, that include a self-charging electric motorcycle.

Since the WindSled project began 25 years ago, the Arctic and Greenland have changed: decreasing sea ice, rising temperatures and melting permafrost; it has also affected ocean currents and their impact on animals, decreasing the ice cover in Greenland with the consequent rise in sea level.

The new sled will be 20m long and 3m wide. It will carry a team of eight people with a load of 3,000 kilos. This test will serve to determine its maximum load capacity for future scientific explorations, which will be key to increasing its activity as a regular scientific platform in Greenland and Antarctica.

SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS SOS ARCTIC 2024

1. MICROAIRPOLAR Project. Microorganism studies in the air. Antonio Quesada, Ana Justel, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain.

2. Monitoring and detection of PFAS. Paul A. Mayewski, Climate Change Institute (CCI), University of Maine, USA.

3. PIONEER Project (EU funded). Ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter measures with an advanced low cost portable sensing apparatus. Federico Dallo, CNR Institute of Polar Sciences, Italy.

4. Impurities in snow: black carbon, mineral powder, microplastics. J. Ignacio Lopez Moreno, Pyrenean Institute of Ecology-Higher Council of Scientific Research Spain, IPE-CSIC.

5. Snow sample analysis for:

  • - trace metals, mercury and emerging contaminants identification (CEAC)
  • - the study of microbiological features, including abundance and diversity of cold-adapted prokaryotic communities.

Nicoletta Ademollo, Warren Cairns, Angelina Lo Giudice, CNR Institute of Polar Sciences, Italy

Download Science plan

The team will carry out five data collection activities: two Spanish, two Italian and one North American study.

The Team

Ramón Larramendi

Ramón Larramendi

Spain, Greenland

Project Leader

Jens Jacob Simonsen

Jens Jacob Simonsen

Greenland

Captain, Explorer, Polar Logistics

Marcus Tobia

Marcus Tobia

Venezuela

Mountaineer, Explorer

Aka Simonsen

Aka Simonsen

Greenland

Arctic Guide, Archeologist

Roberto de Pieri

Roberto de Pieri

Italy

Electrical Engineer

Bo Kleffel

Bo Kleffel

Greenland

Polar Logistics

Felipe Ruiz de Gauna

Felipe Ruiz de Gauna

Spain

Mountaineer, Camera

Enrico Gianoli

Enrico Gianoli

Italy

Greenland Guide

Inuit WindSled

In its 25-year history, the WindSled has evolved with each of the 11 expeditions it has undertaken. Although its concept and efficiency are well-defined, the 2024 expedition will study its limits in capacity and load to improve it.

The WindSled Project aims to enhance research, from an ecological system, on the changes in the Greenland ice sheet, one of the critical points with the most significant impact on climate change and the near future of the planet. The sled is unique in the world and has found a surprising solution from a local perspective. It incorporates traditional Inuit knowledge along with advanced technology, creating a zero-emissions vehicle in every sense, even from its construction (materials, energy, duration, logistics), deploying the simplest and most sustainable vehicle possible.

The need to move away from fossil fuels poses a great challenge to humanity. The WindSled, through the WindSled zero Polar Society, wants to be an active part in the search for solutions in this huge and imminent change.

Explore the Inuit WindSled

Greenland Unexplored

Discovering newly emerged Nunataks in an Electric Challenge.
Ascension and exploration of pristine new mountains uncovered by climate change in
the southern layer of Greenland while testing self-charging electric vehicles.

April 16th - May 6th

South Greenland

500 Km

The Team

Ramón Larramendi

Ramón Larramendi

Spain, Greenland

Project Leader

Jens Jacob Simonsen

Jens Jacob Simonsen

Greenland

Captain, Explorer, Polar Logistics

Miguel Ángel Vidal

Miguel Ángel Vidal

Spain

Mountain guide, Alpinist

Joorut Knudsen

Joorut Knudsen

Greenland

Sheep farmer
South Greenland

Juanma Sotillos

Juanma Sotillos

Spain

Journalist, Mountaineer

The Expedition

The team will cross the southern ice cap of Greenland, an area that is virtually unexplored.

During Ramón Larramendi's expeditions in 2022 and 2023, the emergence of new mountains among the ice layers was confirmed, making their exploration feasible. The challenge for 2024 and this expedition is to explore this area in depth, to map and document the new mountain massifs and ranges, and to ascend some of their peaks.

But also, it is the first time that self-charging electric vehicles will be tested, exploring the possibilities of sustainable transport with a zero carbon footprint.

Sponsors

Sella
Sella SGR
Banca Patrimoni Sella
Mas Management and Sports
Istituto di Scienze Polari
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Programma di Ricerche in Artico
Life Cycle Engineering
Terre Polari
Tasermiut