Ultrarunner to Attempt Greenland Ice Sheet Crossing
Even in the 21st century a crossing of the Greenland ice sheets is a significant undertaking. At more than 2400 km (1500 miles) in length, the ice sheet is the second largest body of ice in the world, behind only Antarctica. Traversing such a wild and challenging place requires stamina, skill, and determination on par with skiing to the South Pole. But now, a Finnish endurance athlete is hoping to complete such a crossing on foot, running the entire way. Adventure runner Jukka Viljanen has announced that he will attempt to run across the ice sheets eschewing the use of skis to travel on foot instead. If successful, he'll become the first person in history to accomplish such a feat. In doing so, he hopes to shine a spotlight on the impact that climate change is having in the polar regions of our planet, including Greenland where rising temperatures is already starting to have an impact on the lives of the individuals living there. Viljanen intends to set out on this jou...