Sisimiut to Kangerlussuaq Ice Road
Greenland's frozen highway across the polar desert.
When the sea ice locks up solid in February, this becomes Greenland’s most reliable overland connection between settlements. The route follows frozen fjords and crosses the polar desert between Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq Airport, passing the abandoned DEW Line station at DYE-2. Most drivers use this road to haul supplies and fuel drums, but overlanders tackle it for the sheer Arctic experience of crossing Greenland’s empty interior on ice thick enough to support heavy trucks.
Moderate difficulty when conditions are right, but weather can turn this into an expert-level nightmare in hours. You need a heated diesel 4×4, survival gear for -40°F, and GPS backup since whiteouts erase the trail markers. Best traveled February through April when ice is thickest. No fuel stops between towns, and cell service dies after 20km. The payoff is driving where few humans have ever set foot, with views of the inland ice sheet that’ll stick with you forever.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Overland Route |
| Surface | Ice |
| Features | Arctic, Extreme Weather, Historic, Remote |
| Length (miles) | 103 mi / 165 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 1969 ft |
| Best season | February-April |
| Minimum vehicle | 4WD with winter equipment |
| Nearest town | Sisimiut, Greenland |
| Land manager | Government of Greenland |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
What's the minimum vehicle setup to drive the Sisimiut to Kangerlussuaq Ice Road?
You need a 4WD with proper Arctic winter equipment — studded tires or tracks, redundant heating systems, and cold-weather fuel. A stock 4Runner or Land Cruiser with summer or all-season tires will get you killed out here; this is not a casual winter trail.
When does the ice road open and close each year?
The route is typically drivable February through April when the ice is stable enough to support vehicles. Outside that window, the surface is either too unstable in early winter or actively breaking up in spring — both are life-threatening conditions.
Do you need a permit to drive the Ice Road?
There's no formal permit system currently in place, but you must notify local authorities in Sisimiut before departing — this is a legal safety requirement, not a suggestion. The Government of Greenland takes rescue liability seriously in the Arctic.
What's the hardest section of the route and what makes it difficult?
The mid-route polar desert crossing is the crux — flat, featureless, and brutal in a whiteout where visibility drops to zero and navigation becomes entirely GPS-dependent. Sastrugi (wind-hardened snow ridges) can also batter vehicles and slow progress to a crawl for extended stretches.
There's no cell service — how do people call for help if something goes wrong out there?
They don't call — they bring a satellite communicator like a Garmin inReach or SPOT device, full stop. The nearest rescue resources are in Sisimiut or Kangerlussuaq, and response times in Arctic conditions can be measured in days, not hours.
Trail track
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