The future of skiing takes shape in Nuuk

It is early morning, and in Sisorarfiit's café it is quiet – but only on the surface.

Behind the computer screen, ideas are buzzing. Digital trail maps fill the screen, while glances are exchanged, fingers are pointed, and the conversation revolves around the possibilities in the terrain.

Here, Chairman of the Board Peter Oluf Meyer and Operations Manager Qulu Heilmann sit, each turning a hill, each valley, each opportunity. They are not just planning for a season. They are planning for the future.

For them, the message is clear: If skiing in Nuuk – and in Greenland – is to survive and develop, it requires long-term action. Not small adjustments, but investments and visions that can lift both the alpine slope and the cross-country trails into a new era.

A facility with potential

Sisorarfiit's operating area includes both the alpine slope and the cross-country ski trails that wind through Nuuk. In winter, the area brings together families, exercisers and ambitious skiers – a regular point in the city's winter life.

The Sisorarfiit Foundation has its roots in the 1970s, and in 1979 the first lift was built with municipal support. Since then, both slopes and lifts have been added. But even the so-called new lift, the top lift, is now a quarter of a century old.

The development has been significant: from one snowmobile with a track calf to a machine park with no less than four large piste machines.

Still, it is not enough. While capacity has grown, time has not stood still. Shorter winters and more unstable snow conditions place new demands on operation.

– The gravel paths that were once laid at Nuussuup Manngua – or Ravnebakken, as most people call the area – hold great potential, says chairman of the board Peter Oluf Meyer.

He points out that the surface makes a crucial difference.

– Because the paths are even, we can start preparing with snowmobiles and subsequently piste machines with just 20 centimeters of snow. This means that we can open the cross-country skiing season earlier – even in winters with limited snowfall. These are the types of solutions we would like to build on, he says with a smile.

Today, approximately two kilometers of gravel paths have been laid in the area. But the ambitions go further: the goal is to expand the network so that a five-kilometer circular trail around the cemetery can be established as well as a 7.5-kilometer route that extends past Aanaas Hytte.

A new approach in winter

On the alpine side, parts of the infrastructure lag behind today's needs – both for local users and the guests that one wants to attract. Here is the message from operations manager Qulu Heilmann clear and without hesitation:

– Snow cannons. We need snow cannons, he says.

The foundation has previously invested in two snow cannons, which are no longer in active operation. The experience from the first trials has therefore also set the direction for further work, where the focus is now on finding more efficient and up-to-date solutions. The board has therefore set up a working group with a focus on that particular area. According to Qulu Heilmann, it is far from a simple investment.

– Snow cannons are almost a science in themselves. It is about capacity, water supply, electricity consumption and location. There are many factors that we need to control. The next step is to get a Norwegian consultant in so that we can prepare a project proposal, make the right decisions and seek support, explains Qulu Heilmann.

Peter Oluf Meyer nods next to him. For him, there is no doubt about the direction.

– The new snow cannons are coming. It is not a question of if, but when. And I think they can have an effect that goes far beyond Nuuk, he says, drawing a parallel to another development in Greenland.

– Think of the artificial turf pitches. They were talked about for decades before the first one came. But once the first one was there, they spread to the whole country. I imagine that the same thing can happen with the snow cannons. Not only here in Nuuk, but in the rest of Greenland. They can help ensure stable seasons and ultimately strengthen the skiing culture that was once our national sport, says Peter Oluf Meyer.

Overall, the plans point towards a more stable and future-proof skiing in Nuuk. Gravel trails can extend the season, snow cannons can ensure it – even when the winter becomes more unstable.

Visions of year-round experiences

It is clear that the two men have their eyes on the bigger picture. Nothing stands alone – everything must connect.

The trail systems that will form the basis for the longer cross-country ski trails are designed as recreational areas that can enhance the city's outdoor life all year round. The dream of a gondola lift to the top of Quassussuaq, better known as Lille Malene, which can operate summer and winter, is also a central part of the vision.

“It should make sense all year round. In the winter for skiing and in the summer for hiking,” says Peter Oluf Meyer with a calm conviction that emphasizes that the ambitions are anything but airy.

He lets his gaze slide out the window and onto the terrain.

“And we mustn't forget the café at the top,” he adds enthusiastically.

Here the vision is a café at the top of Lille Malene, where citizens, tourists, skiers and hikers can gather around the view of Nuuk.

That may sound big – and it is. But according to Peter Oluf Meyer, there is already interest in considering the project as part of a broader development of the area.

“Our future neighbours include no less than four future hotels, including the Aurora hotel and the PILU design studio. These are not only airport hotels, but also outdoor-oriented hotels,” he says.

The collaboration already goes beyond the idea stage.

– The potential for synergy between the airport, the hotels and Sisorarfiit is great. And the fact that the design studio PILU has already contributed visualizations says something about the support for the project, says the chairman.

Together, the plans point towards an area in motion – all year round.

The fight for the future

However, the path from vision to reality is far from without obstacles. Financing, prioritization and cooperation with both authorities and the business community will be crucial pieces that must fall into place before the plans can be put into practice. But in the café at Sisorarfiit, it is not doubt that counts most – it is will.

– We know it is ambitious. But the alternative is not acceptable. If we want skiing in Nuuk in 10 or 20 years, it is now that we must act, says Peter Oluf Meyer, letting his gaze fall back on the ski map on the screen.

The plans are taking shape and are approaching the point where they will be lifted out of Sisorarfiit's café and into the public. And there is much to suggest that they will not just be a topic for debate, but the start of a new direction for skiing in Nuuk – and perhaps far beyond the city limits.