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Setting out in the middle of winter, a dogsled team patrols northeastern Greenland.
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In terrain where six miles an hour is fast, a sled team makes quick time over Shannon Sound. When the elements conspire, covering a mile a day is a feat—with occasional stops to dig out the sled.
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Rotating their arms to stay warm, Jesper Olsen (at right) and Rasmus Jørgensen ski beside a sled full of supplies: rifles, a radio, first aid, a tent, sleeping bags, a big map, and plenty of dog food.
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Their lives spent outdoors, reserve dogs at Station Nord are chained far enough apart to avoid fights. Sanne, perched atop a doghouse, gets a hug from base leader Søren Engkjær Hansen.
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Sled dogs become passengers on a flight to Greenland's remote northern coast. Station Nord crew member Troels Guld positions himself in the middle of the pack—as alpha dog—to maintain order.
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The coastline near Daneborg is steep and rugged. Although it may seem counterintuitive for sled teams to patrol in the winter, the calculation is simple: It's easier to travel on frozen sounds and fjords.
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Obedient but with a wild streak, the sled dogs are actually eager to be harnessed and start patrolling. They've been specially bred by the Danish military during the past 60 years to thrive in Greenland's Arctic desert.
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As the sun sets, the team drives toward an iceberg in Hyde Fjord near the top of Greenland. After two years with the dogs, "you know them better than high school friends," Rasmus says.
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As a cold dusk settles over the camp, patroller Jesper Olsen inspects the dogs one by one for any injuries they might have sustained after pulling the sled across packed snow and ice for six hours. As the "outside man" for the night, Olsen performs this duty in the team's shared heavy down coat.
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The Danish flag flaps on the sled as the dogs huff across a flat and frozen sea near Station Nord. The patrollers must lead their team, and in whiteout conditions that often means relying on GPS and a compass.
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Being the alpha dog requires confidence and intelligence, and the black-coated Johan has both. If any dangers loom—like weak ice or polar bears—he'll be the first to recognize them. Hansen, the other dog up front, might have what it takes to one day become the team leader.
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