Neil hunter's amazing Arctic expedition log

Greenland ice-cap crossing - April/May 2010

Date: Tuesday 6th April
Day: 1
Weather: Sunny, very little wind
Min day temp (Celsius): -3.6
Distance: 5.8km
Total distance: 5.8km
Height gain: 150m
Altitude: 150m
Sessions: 3 x 60 mins

BS at finish 6.3mmol
1930 evening meal – 9 units Novorapid
2030 8 units Glargine

Date: Wednesday 7th April
Day: 2
Weather: Sunny, no wind
Min day temp (Celsius): -7.2
Min night temp (Celcius): -12
Distance: 8.2km
Total distance: 14km
Height gain: 330m
Altitude: 480m
Sessions: 5 x 60 mins

0530 BS 7.7mmol
0600 breakfast – 5 units Novo
1625 BS 6.3mmol
1710 evening meal – 11 units Novo
1930 8 units Glargine

Date: Thursday 8th April
Day: 3
Weather: Sunny, light NW breeze AM, no wind PM
Min day temp (Celsius): -5.3
Min night temp (Celcius): -11.3
Distance: 10km
Total distance: 24km
Height gain: 320m
Altitude: 800m
Sessions: 6 x 60 mins

0530 BS 6.3mmol
0600 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1600 BS 6.8mmol
1745 evening meal – 11 units Novo
1930 8 units Glargine

Date: Friday 9th April
Day: 4
Weather: Sunny, occasional light cloud cover, NW breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): -6
Min night temp (Celcius): -13.2
Distance: 16km
Total distance: 40km
Height gain: 377m
Altitude: 1177m
Sessions: 7 x 60 mins

0545 BS 5.9mmol
0615 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1730 BS 6.8mmol
1830 evening meal – 9 units Novo
2000 8 units Glargine

Date: Saturday 10th April
Day: 5
Weather: Snow and NW breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): -2
Min night temp (Celcius): -3.6
Distance: 17.6km
Total distance: 57.6km
Height gain: 229m
Altitude: 1406m
Sessions: 8 x 60 mins

0545 BS 5.9mmol
0615 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1850 BS 6.1mmol
2000 evening meal – 11 units Novo
2100 8 units Glargine

Date: Sunday 11th April
Day: 6
Weather: Sunny, 60km/h NW winds
Min day temp (Celsius): -15
Min night temp (Celcius): -8
Distance: 17km
Total distance: 74.6km
Height gain: 67m
Altitude: 1473m
Sessions: 8 x 60 mins

0550 BS 5.2mmol
0700 breakfast – 4 units Novo
2000 BS 6.9mmol
2030 evening meal – 8 units Novo
2115 8 units Glargine

Date: Monday 12th April
Day: 7
Weather: Light snow, light SE breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): -8
Min night temp (Celcius): -13
Distance: 18.6km
Total distance: 93.2km
Height gain: 246m
Altitude: 1719m
Sessions: 8 x 60 mins

0600 BS 4.0mmol
0700 breakfast – no insulin
1915 BS 5.2mmol
2000 evening meal – 8 units Novo
2100 8 units Glargine

Date: Tuesday 13th April
Day: 8
Weather: Sunny, no winds during day, then 60 km/h NW wind during the following night
Min day temp (Celsius): -10
Min night temp (Celcius): -12
Distance: 17.6km
Total distance: 110.8km
Height gain: 128m
Altitude: 1847m
Sessions: 8 x 60 mins

0600 BS 8.6mmol
0700 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1900 BS 4.2mmol
2000 evening meal – 8 units Novo
2100 8 units Glargine

Date: Wednesday 14th April
Day: 9
Weather: Sunny, 80 km/h NW wind
Min day temp (Celsius): -10
Min night temp (Celcius): -22
Distance: 0km
Total distance: 110.8km
Height gain: 0
Altitude: 1847m
Sessions: 0 (Tent bound all day due to storm)

0830 BS 7.9mmol
0930 breakfast – 6 units Novo
1500 lunch – 7 units Novo
1800 BS 7.7mmol
1830 evening meal 12 units Novo
2000 8 units Glargine

Date: Thursday 15th April
Day: 10
Weather: Sunny, N breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): -18.2
Min night temp (Celcius): -22
Distance: 18.2km
Total distance: 129km
Height gain: 134m
Altitude: 1981m
Sessions: 8 x 60 mins

0500 BS 8.9mmol
0600 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1845 BS 3.8mmol
1945 evening meal – 5 units Novo
2030 8 units Glargine

Date: Friday 16th April
Day: 11
Weather: Sunny, very strong N/NW wind
Min day temp (Celsius): -18
Min night temp (Celcius): -20
Distance: 8.8km
Total distance: 137.8km
Height gain: 55m
Altitude: 2036m
Sessions: 4 x 60 mins (late start due to strong winds)

0500 BS 8.8mmol
0630 breakfast 4 units Novo
2030 BS 4.0mmol
2130 evening meal – 5 units Novo
2200 8 units Glargine

Date: Saturday 17th April
Day: 12
Weather: Sunny, strong N/NW wind
Min day temp (Celsius): -15
Min night temp (Celcius): -22
Distance: 17.8km
Total distance: 155.6km
Height gain: 70m
Altitude: 2106m
Sessions: 8 x 60 mins

0530 BS 7.3mmol
0615 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1900 BS 3.9mmol
2000 evening meal – 5 units Novo
2015 6 units Glargine

Date: Sunday 18th April
Day: 13
Weather: Sunny, strong NW wind AM, NW breeze PM
Min day temp (Celsius): -10
Min night temp (Celcius): -19
Distance: 16km
Total distance: 171.6km
Height gain: 75m
Altitude: 2181m
Sessions: 8 x 60 mins

0515 BS 8.1mmol
0700 breakfast – 3 units Novo
1900 BS 5.8mmol
2000 evening meal – 9 units Novo
2030 6 units Glargine

Date: Monday 19th April
Day: 14
Weather: White out first 2 sessions, then sun with some clouds and snow, W/NW breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): -10
Min night temp (Celcius): -18
Distance: 17.8km
Total distance: 189.4km
Height gain: 89m
Altitude: 2270m
Sessions: 8 x 60 mins

0500 BS 5.8mmol
0630 breakfast – no insulin
1800 BS 6.6mmol
1845 evening meal – 10 units Novo
2030 6 units Glargine

Date: Tuesday 20th April
Day: 15
Weather: Sunny, light W breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): -19
Min night temp (Celcius): -23
Distance: 18.7km
Total distance: 208.1km
Height gain: 107m
Altitude: 2377m
Sessions: 8 x 60 mins

0500 BS 9.2mmol
0610 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1800 BS 5.8mmol
1915 evening meal – 13 units Novo
2100 6 units Glargine

Date: Wednesday 21st April
Day: 16
Weather: Sunny, no wind
Min day temp (Celsius): -16
Min night temp (Celcius): -23
Distance: 21.6km
Total distance: 229.7km
Height gain: 56m
Altitude: 2433m
Sessions: 8 x 60 mins

0510 BS 9.1mmol
0600 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1730 BS 6.0mmol
1815 evening meal – 11 units Novo
2030 6 units Glargine

Date: Thursday 22nd April
Day: 17
Weather: Sunny, no wind
Min day temp (Celsius): -20
Min night temp (Celcius): -20
Distance: 21.6km
Total distance: 251.3km
Height gain: 51m
Altitude: 2484m
Sessions: 8 x 60 mins

0510 BS 7.6mmol
0600 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1800 BS 6.7mmol
1830 evening meal – 9 units Novo
2030 6 units Glargine

Date: Friday 23rd April
Day: 18
Weather: Sunny, no wind AM, S breeze PM
Min day temp (Celsius): -21
Min night temp (Celcius): Less than -25
Distance: 24.8km
Total distance: 276.1km
Height gain: 45m
Altitude: 2439m
Sessions: 8 x 65 mins

0500 BS 7.1mmol
0600 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1810 BS 7.1mmol
1845 evening meal – 10 units Novo
2000 6 units Glargine

Date: Saturday 24th April
Day: 19
Weather: Storm, 100km/h+ NW wind
Min day temp (Celsius): -20
Min night temp (Celcius): -20
Distance: 0km
Total distance: 276.1km
Height gain: 0
Altitude: 2439m
Sessions: 0 (Tent bound all day due to storm)

0445 BS 6.5mmol
0615 breakfast – 5 units Novo
1030 snacks – 5 units Novo
1500 snacks – 5 units Novo
1615 BS 8.0mmol
1700 evening meal – 13 units Novo
2000 6 units Glargine

Date: Sunday 25th April
Day: 20
Weather: Sunny, light SE breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): -20
Min night temp (Celcius): Less than -25
Distance: 28.8km
Total distance: 304.9km
Height gain: -75m
Altitude: 2364
Sessions: 8 x 65 mins

0500 BS 9.7mmol
0600 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1900 BS 5.8mmol
2000 evening meal – 11 units Novo
2030 6 units Glargine

Date: Monday 26th April
Day: 21
Weather: Sunny, strong SE breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): -18
Min night temp (Celcius): -22
Distance: 27.5km
Total distance: 332.4km
Height gain: -45m
Altitude: 2319m
Sessions: 8 x 65 mins

0500 BS 8.6mmol
0600 breakfast – 5 units Novo
1830 BS 6.1mmol
1920 evening meal – 9 units Novo
2030 6 units Glargine

Date: Tuesday 27th April
Day: 22
Weather: Sunny, 40km/h SE wind
Min day temp (Celsius): -17
Min night temp (Celcius): -19
Distance: 27km
Total distance: 359.4km
Height loss: -123m
Altitude: 2196m
Sessions: 8 x 65 mins

0500 BS 8.1mmol
0600 breakfast – 5 units Novo
1830 BS 5.6mmol
1915 evening meal 13 units Novo
2030 6 units Glargine

Date: Wednesday 28th April
Day: 23
Weather: Sunny, light SE breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): -17
Min night temp (Celcius): -21
Distance: 24km
Total distance: 383.4km
Height loss: -143m
Altitude: 2053m
Sessions: 7 x 65 mins + 1 x 30 mins

0500 7.7mmol
0615 breakfast – 4 units Novo
1815 BS 4.7mmol
1845 evening meal – 9 units Novo
2030 6 units Glargine

Date: Thursday 29th April
Day: 24
Weather: Sunny, light SE breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): -5
Min night temp (Celcius): -15
Distance: 31km
Total distance: 414.4km
Height loss: -51m
Altitude: 2002m
Sessions: 8 x 70 mins

0500 BS 6.8mmol
0600 breakfast – 5 units Novo
1850 BS 5.2mmol
2000 evening meal – 13 units Novo
2030 6 units Glargine

Date: Friday 30th April
Day: 25
Weather: Sunny, light SE breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): -4
Min night temp (Celcius): -18
Distance: 32.8km
Total distance: 447.2km
Height loss: -320m
Altitude: 1682m
Sessions: 8 x 70 mins

0500 BS 11.3mmol
0600 breakfast - 8 units Novo
1900 BS 5.4mmol
1945 evening meal – 13 units Novo
2030 6 units Glargine

Date: Saturday 1st May
Day: 26
Weather: Overcast, then wet snow PM, strong S breeze
Min day temp (Celsius): +2.5
Min night temp (Celcius): -9
Distance: 31.2km
Total distance: 478.4km
Height loss: -165m
Altitude: 1517m
Sessions: 7 x 70 mins + 1 x 30 mins

0500 BS 7.2mmol
0600 breakfast – 5 units Novo
1800 BS 6.2mmol
1830 evening meal – 10 units Novo
2000 6 units Glargine
2130 BS 7.2mmol
2200 breakfast – 4 units Novo
2300 start of night skiing

Date: Sunday 2nd May
Day: 27
Weather: Overcast, strong S/SE breeze
Day temp (Celsius): +8.1 (high) +1.7 (low)
Min night temp (Celcius): 0 (during night skiing)
Distance: 10km (night skiing) 24k (day skiing)
Total distance: 512.4km
Height loss: -266m
Altitude: 1251m
Sessions: 1 x 40 mins + 2 x 70 mins (night skiing),
6 x 70 mins (day skiing)

0400 BS 6.3mmol (end of night ski)
1120 BS 5.7mmol
1200 breakfast – 4 units Novo
2200 6 units Glargine
2215 BS 6.1mmol
2300 evening meal – 17 units Novo

Date: Monday & Tuesday 3rd & 4th May
Day: 28 & 29
Weather: Sunny, light SE breeze (day) and clear skies, no wind (night)
Day temp (Celsius): Not measured – very mild
Min night temp (Celcius): Not measured – very mild
Distance: 48km
Total distance: 560.4km
Sessions: 25 hours in total (including breaks)

0545 BS 14.6mmol
0700 breakfast – 11 units Novo
2030 6 units Glargine
2350 BS 7.7mmol
0830 BS 8.9mmol
1000 Finish
1020 BS 6.9mmol