A polar bear navigates the Arctic climes of Greenland. After the International Union for Conservation of Nature classified polar bears as a vulnerable species, Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia, and the U.S. created the Circumpolar Action Plan, a 10-year global conservation strategy to secure the long-term survival of polar bears.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
A stand-up paddleboarder cuts through the frigid waters of theGreenland Sea.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Greenland’s dramatic terrain inspires travellers to explore its jaw-dropping views atop floating icebergs and serrated mountainscapes.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
More frequently found on the eastern coast of the island, polar bears are known as tornassuk—the master of helping spirits by the Inuit people.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Remote cirques, narrow fjords, and sweeping valleys form the perfect backdrop for outdoor adventures such as hiking, snowshoeing, and ice climbing.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Mother Nature’s ice sculptures sprawl into the water, creating a stunning outdoor, interactive art exhibit for adventurers to explore.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Explorer Mike Libecki and rock climber Ethan Pringle traverse Greenland’s ice cap. Despite its verdant name, nearly 80 percent of Greenland is permanently sheathed in ice.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Just off the western coast of the island, Ilulissat Icefjord has the largest collection of icebergs in Greenland. In 2004, the area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
A fisherman casts a line off southeastern Greenland’s shore. The island’s rivers and lakes are fertile spots for arctic char, Atlantic wolffish, and salmon.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Sea travellers must keep vigilant watch for floating hazards including smaller icebergs, known as bergy bits and growlers.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Libecki approaches a swimming polar bear while paddleboarding in the Greenland Sea.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
It’s not uncommon to see a boat slowly weave through iceberg-ridden waters. With no road or railway system, most travel between cities is by boat, plane, snowmobile, or dogsled.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Libecki fills his water bottle from an iceberg’s pool of melted water. Despite floating in saltwater, icebergs that break off from a glacier contain freshwater.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Paddleboarding and kayaking are two of the most common ways for individuals to get close-up views of surrounding icebergs.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
In southeastern Greenland Libecki scales the rocky terrain Eastern Greenland has some of the island’s tallest mountains—including Gunnbjørn Fjeld, the tallest peak north of the Arctic circle.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Colourful, Scandinavian-inspired homes pepper the coast of a community in southeastern Greenland.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Each summer Greenland experiences nearly three months of endless sunshine. Thanks to this midnight sun, adventurers don’t have to put a stop to their explorations at nighttime.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Wooden crosses and bright flowers fill a cemetery on the outskirts of Tasiilaq, Greenland.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
None of Greenland’s land is private, which permits daring explorers to forge their own paths through the remote cliffs and fjords of the island.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
An arctic fox sneaks through the bushes near campsite, hoping to snag a scrap of freshly caught salmon.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Green flora sprouts up along the river banks on a small island in southeastern Greenland.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
Libecki keeps watch as his boat manoeuvres around icebergs in the Greenland Sea at dusk.
Photograph by Keith Ladzinski
