Newfoundlander to ski across Greenland ice cap

Paradise native Rene Ritter will be heading out on an adventure of a lifetime as he prepares for a three-to-four week trek across the Greenland ice cap.

Taking only what he can pull in a sled, Ritter will be skiing around 550 kilometres, across icy terrain, up to 1.5 kilometres above sea level. 

"This is something I wanted to do for quite a while," the outdoor enthusiast told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show on Friday. 

Ritter now lives in Baffin Island, Iqaluit where he operates a wilderness education and first aid training company called Boreal First Aid. Although he is experienced in Arctic exploration, he is not without fear. 

"The biggest thing for me is probably injury," he said, reflecting on the trek's potential dangers. "There is no bailout for this type of journey. You can't just go home." 

For a good cause 

For Ritter, the journey is about more than just a personal challenge. 

He hopes to bring awareness to a St. John's charity, The Gathering Place, which aids the less fortunate by providing them with food, clothing, and a number of other services. 

"I have had an opportunity to volunteer there. I've seen the amazing work that goes on there," he said.

By skiing across Greenland, Ritter hopes others will learn about this cause and get involved.

"Any contribution that can be made to The Gathering Place certainly helps somebody to get medical care, and to get the basics that we all take for granted." 

Ritter departs for Greenland on Aug. 13. 

You can follow his journey on Twitter.