In 20 years, we’ll be more disappointed by the things we didn’t do than by the ones we did. With this philosophy in mind, Daniele Bonzi, Francesco Fumagalli, and I—friends from the province of Bergamo and fellow members of Italy’s Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico rescue team—embarked on an adventure in Greenland. Our goal: to explore the imposing gneissic walls of Fox Jaw Cirque.

The first climbers to visit Fox Jaw, accessed from the head of Tasiilaq Fjord, were Americans Dave Briggs and Mike Libecki, who named the area and climbed the Molar in 1998 (see AAJ 1999). Since then, many routes have been established on the cirque’s toothlike spires (search “Fox Jaw Cirque” at the AAJ website).

We set off on August 4 from Tasiilaq, where we’d been hosted by Robert Peroni, an explorer from South Tyrol, at his Red House hostel. After 70km by boat and three exhausting overland trips to transport 200kg of gear and supplies, we established base camp at 66°08’40.9”N, 37°01’42.0”W, 12km from our landing point. Daily life was tough: no comforts, rationed food, limited communication via satellite messages, and nights spent under the open sky, with only an old Russian rifle to fend off polar bears.

With favorable weather, we spent August 7–9 establishing Trident VI Orobica (1,000m of climbing, UIAA V+), a link-up of three peaks—Baby Molar (a.k.a. Milk Tooth Spire, 1,132m), Molar Spire (1,270m), and Incisor (1,360m)—moving west to east along the ridge. On day one, we climbed Baby Molar in 14 pitches, bivouacking on the summit with a breathtaking view. It’s possible our climb shared some terrain with Matteo Della Bordella and Riky Felderer’s 2009 route, Qui, nell’Universo (480m, UIAA VI), but it’s hard to know for sure; our route stayed right of the upper ridge but without coming onto the south face. On day two, after five rappels off Baby Molar, we followed unclimbed terrain up the west side of Molar for six moderate pitches and then four pitches on Incisor. We spent the second night on top of Incisor. On the third day, we descended via Tears in Paradise on Incisor, completing the link-up.

After a few days of rest and fishing, we set out for Cavity Ridge and its 700m south face. [The broad Cavity Ridge formation has had one known ascent, in 2000, by a Swiss party that climbed a pillar on the right side in 16 pitches (6a); see AAJ 2010. The left side of the face, attempted in 2024, has no known summit routes.] We set out on August 12 at 3:15 a.m., facing tough conditions: snow, rain, and slippery rock. Despite this, we covered 600 vertical meters in 12 pitches up cracks, slabs, and corners, coming within a few pitches of the summit before exhaustion forced a retreat. The descent lasted until 5:30 a.m., and we named the route to our high point No Me Moleste Mosquito (600m, 12 pitches, VII/VI+ obl.), after the area’s annoying mosquitoes and inspired by lyrics in the Doors song “The Mosquito.” On August 17, a boat came to take us back to Tasiilaq.  

This adventure taught us the importance of teamwork, trust, and living authentic moments. Greenland, with its vast spaces and endless light, made us feel small yet free. Returning home safe and sound from this raw place was, however, the greatest gift of all.

         —Thomas Triboli, Italy