Upcoming Expeditions Spring 2024
Check out our next projects and WindSled Polar
Expeditions in Greenland for 2024
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). Atmospheric Sciences, air monitoring in remote areas. Federico Dallo, Foscari University of Venice, CNR Italian Institute of Polar Sciences.
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 characteristics, including prokaryotic microorganisms and cold-adapted bacteria.
Vito Vitale, CNR Institute of Polar Sciences (ISP), Bologna.
The team will carry out five data collection activities: two Spanish, two Italian and one American study.
The Team
Ramón Larramendi
Spain, Greenland
Project Leader
Jens Jacob Simonsen
Greenland
Captain, Explorer, Polar Logistics
Marcus Tobia
Venezuela
Mountaineer, Explorer
Aka Simonsen
Greenland
Arctic Guide, Archeologist
Roberto de Pieri
Italy
Electrical Engineer
Bo Kleffel
Greenland
Polar Logistics
Felipe Ruiz de Gauna
Spain
Mountaineer, Camera
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.
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
Spain, Greenland
Project Leader
Jens Jacob Simonsen
Greenland
Captain, Explorer, Polar Logistics
Miguel Ángel Vidal
Spain
Mountain guide, Alpinist
Joorut Knudsen
Greenland
Sheep farmer
South Greenland
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
