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83-593: Sisimiut ( Greenlandic: [sisimiut] ), formerly known as Holsteinsborg , is the capital and largest city of the Qeqqata municipality , the second-largest city in Greenland , and the largest Arctic city in North America. It is located in central-western Greenland , on the coast of Davis Strait , approximately 320 km (200 mi) north of Nuuk . Sisimiut literally means "the residents at

166-470: A liquid fuel distribution company, is headquartered in Sisimiut. It employs 70 staff and operates 70 stations in Greenland. The headquarters were moved from Maniitsoq to Sisimiut in the late 2000s. In 2010 KNI announced plans to also move the operational base of Polaroil from Maniitsoq to Sisimiut, causing protests in the former community already experiencing depopulation. Other facilities include two banks,

249-474: A 611 m (2,005 ft) trabant overlooking Sisimiut. To the east the ridge gradually falls to nearly 300 m (980 ft), before turning east-north-east towards the Aappilattorsuaq massif. The southern wall of Nasaasaaq falls directly to Amerloq Fjord. The northern wall is not a uniform surface, dissected by ledges, dihedrals, and ramps. The main access route to the summit leads through one of

332-494: A collapsible tent with provisions for air conditioning and heating. Camping is a popular form of recreation which often involves the use of tents. A tent is economical and practical because of its portability and low environmental impact. These qualities are necessary when used in the wilderness or backcountry. Tents are often used in humanitarian emergencies, such as war , earthquakes and fire . The primary choice of tents in humanitarian emergencies are canvas tents, because

415-529: A conference centre. The other restaurant of note is the Misigisaq Restaurant , located at the harbor. It is the only Chinese restaurant in the country and it uses Greenlandic ingredients cooked in the Chinese style. The town has a heated open-air swimming pool, which is supported on stilts so that the heat does not melt the permafrost. Several camping sites are located in Sisimiut valley and near

498-609: A cotton canvas tent allows functional breathability while serving the purpose of temporary shelter. Tents distributed by organisations such as UNHCR are made by various manufacturers, depending on the region where the tents are deployed, as well as depending on the purpose. At times, however, these temporary shelters become a permanent or semi-permanent home, especially for displaced people living in refugee camps or shanty towns who can not return to their former home and for whom no replacement homes are made available. Tents have been increasingly used as shelter for homeless people in

581-525: A large number of historical artifacts it is currently listed as a candidate for the UNESCO World Heritage Site , with the application received in 2003. There are no signs of Norse settlement in the region. At the time of Hans Egede 's establishment of the first Danish colonies, Dutch whalers dominated the area and swiftly burnt down his Bergen Company whaling station on Nipisat Island , approximately 30 km (19 mi) to

664-509: A library, a Post Greenland office and a small hospital/health centre with 19 beds. There are advanced plans for the Alcoa aluminium smelting plant. Maniitsoq , the second-largest town in the municipality, is another proposed location alongside Sisimiut. The plant would provide employment for 600–700 people, or more than 10% of the population. As it is a vital decision for the town, wide public consultations were carried out in 2008–2010 by both

747-401: A more modern approach, also used. Transport within a town is usually done by foot, although both private cars and the city bus – which drives loops through town – are popular. In the 2000s construction of the 170 km (110 mi) road to Kangerlussuaq has been discussed for several years. The road would be the first of its kind in Greenland, connecting two far-away settlements, and reducing

830-610: A reservoir under Alanngorsuaq. Water is also pumped to the waterworks from another lake around 2.5 kilometers away in the mountains. The water mains are preinsulated and electrically heated to supply the residents during the winter months. The water supply network is capable of producing some 882,000 cubic meters of water per year; two water-supplying lakes by the town have a combined annual minimum capacity of more than 7.2 million cubic meters. Tourist facilities in Sisimiut include several youth hostels and hotels, such as Hotel Sisimiut with Restaurant Nasaasaaq , and Seaman's Home , and

913-457: A short, 799 m (2,621 ft) runway suitable only for STOL airplanes. Travel outside of Greenland is routed with a change of planes at Kangerlussuaq Airport . Air Greenland operates scheduled services to Nuuk, Maniitsoq , and Ilulissat . Taxis as well as an infrequent town bus service connect the airport with the centre of Sisimiut. For most of the year, Sisimiut is served twice-weekly by coastal ferries of Arctic Umiaq Line which link

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996-535: A similar length of time. Some very specialised tents have spring-loaded poles and can be pitched in seconds, but take somewhat longer to strike (take down and pack). Over the past decade, tents have also been increasingly linked with homelessness crises in the United States , Canada , and other regions. Places of multiple homeless people living in tents closely pitched or plotted near each other are often referred to as tent cities . A form of tent called

1079-450: A slow chemical breakdown caused by ultraviolet light. The most common treatments to make fabric waterproof are silicone impregnation or polyurethane coating. Since stitching makes tiny holes in a fabric seams are often sealed or taped to block these holes and maintain waterproofness, though in practice a carefully sewn seam can be waterproof. Rain resistance is measured and expressed as hydrostatic head in millimetres (mm). This indicates

1162-422: A state-owned chain of all-purpose general stores in Greenland, are based in Sisimiut. The Pilersuisoq chain operates in all small settlements in the country, as well as smaller towns which are not covered by supermarket chains. A range of shops operate in Sisimiut, from chain supermarkets of Pisiffik and Brugsen to independent outlets, also serving supplies to the smaller settlements in the region. Polaroil ,

1245-816: A teepee or tipi , noted for its cone shape and peak smoke hole , was also used by Native American tribes and Aboriginal Canadians of the Plains Indians since ancient times, variously estimated from 10,000 to 4,000 years BC. Tents were used at least as far back as the early Iron Age . They are mentioned in the Bible ; for example, in Genesis 4:20 Jabal is described as "the first to live in tents and raise sheep and goats ". The Roman Army used leather tents, copies of which have been used successfully by modern re-enactors. Various styles developed over time, some derived from traditional nomadic tents, such as

1328-698: A very limited number of suppliers. Much like a bicycle tube and tire, airbeams are often composed of a highly dimensionally stable (i.e. no stretch) fabric sleeve and an air-holding inner bladder. However, other airbeam constructions consist of coated fabrics that are cut and manufactured to its intended shape by a method such as thermal welding. Depending on the desired tent size, airbeams can be anywhere from 2-40 inches in diameter, inflated to different pressures. High pressure airbeams (40-80 psi) that are filled by compressors are most often used in larger shelters, whereas low pressure beams (5-7 psi) are preferred for recreational use. The relatively low pressure enables

1411-466: Is twinned with: Sisimiut has friendship links with: Qeqqata It consists of the previously unincorporated area of Kangerlussuaq and two former municipalities of western Greenland, Maniitsoq and Sisimiut . In the south and east, the municipality is flanked by the Sermersooq municipality, although settlements and associated trade are concentrated mainly alongside the coast . In

1494-471: Is a waterproof layer which extends down to the ground all round. One or more 'inner tents' provide sleeping areas. The outer tent may be just a little larger than the inner tent, or it may be a lot larger and provide a covered living area separate from the sleeping area(s). An inner tent is not waterproof, but allows water vapour to pass through so that condensation occurs only on the exterior side. The double layer may also provide some thermal insulation . Either

1577-551: Is also notable for its special unit, the Women's High School ( Greenlandic : Arnat ilinniarfiat ) added in 1977, and focusing on traditional arts. During summer, the school building is used as a hostel. In autumn 2002, the school was responsible for erecting a series of stone sculptures around Sisimiut: near the airport, in the municipal building, at the Gertrud Rask Minde children's home, at Arnat Ilinniarfiat and around

1660-552: Is located approximately 320 km (200 mi) north of Nuuk, and 75 km (47 mi) north of the Arctic Circle , on the eastern shores of Davis Strait , perched on a series of rocky outcrops at the western end of a large peninsula bounded from the north by the Kangerluarsuk Tulleq fjord and from the south by the wide Amerloq Fjord . Immediately to the north of Sisimiut a small inlet of Davis Strait,

1743-586: Is located in the eastern part of Sisimiut, on the shore of the Nalunnguarfik lake. The centre often hosts traveling theatre troupes, as well as concerts, from classical to folk music. The Sisimiut Culture Day on 21 November is also celebrated at Taseralik. Greenlandic handicrafts, created in a workshop located in an old warehouse on the old harbor, are sold in the Greenland Travel Incoming's Arts n' Craft , and in several small shops along

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1826-490: Is no true polar night in winter time. With 5,582 inhabitants in 2020, Sisimiut is one of the fastest-growing towns in Greenland, with migrants from the smaller settlements reinforcing the trend. Apart from Kangerlussuaq, it is the only settlement in the Qeqqata municipality exhibiting stable growth patterns over the last two decades. The gender imbalance is evident in Sisimiut, with men consistently outnumbering women during

1909-510: Is part of an outdoor exhibition. The exhibition includes the remains of a kayak from the 18th century and the Poul Madsen collection, a collection of handcraft, art, house items and ethnographic objects compiled over fifty years. The Greenlandic stone exhibition is housed in the Bygge og Anlægsskolen building. The modern Taseralik Culture Centre ( Greenlandic : Taseralik Kulturikkut )

1992-563: Is still expanding, with the area north of the port, on the shore of the small Kangerluarsunnguaq Bay reserved for a modern suburb -style housing slated for construction in the 2010s. Several professional and general schools are based in Sisimiut, providing education to the inhabitants of the city and to those from smaller settlements in the region. The new Taseralik Culture Centre is the second cultural centre to be established in Greenland, after Katuaq in Nuuk. The city has its own bus line, and

2075-401: Is the international hub for Greenland. Other settlements are served by boats. A simple road for terrain vehicles exists between Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut and was built in 2020-2021. Tent A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over, attached to a frame of poles or a supporting rope . While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to

2158-413: Is the northernmost year-round ice-free port in the country, a shipping base for western and northwestern Greenland. Supply ships head from the commercial port towards smaller settlements in more remote regions of Uummannaq Fjord , Upernavik Archipelago , and as far as Qaanaaq in northern Greenland. Sisimiut Airport , the town airport is served by Air Greenland , providing connections to other towns on

2241-644: Is the operative word. Experience indicates that camping may be more comfortable if the actual number of occupants is one or even two less than the manufacturer's suggestion, though different manufacturers have different standards for space requirement and there is no accepted standard. Tent used in areas with biting insects often have their vent and door openings covered with fine-mesh netting . Tents can be improvised using waterproof fabric, string, and sticks. There are three basic configurations of tents, each of which may appear with many variations: Single skin (USA: single wall) : Only one waterproof layer of fabric

2324-416: Is the principal industry in Sisimiut, although the town has a growing industrial base. KNI and its subsidiary Pilersuisoq , a state-owned chain of all-purpose general stores in Greenland, have their base in Sisimiut. Architecturally, Sisimiut is a mix of traditional, single-family houses, and communal housing, with apartment blocks raised in the 1960s during a period of town expansion in Greenland. Sisimiut

2407-427: Is used, comprising at least roof and walls. To minimize condensation on the inside of the tent, some expedition tents use waterproof/breathable fabrics . Single skin with flysheet : A waterproof flysheet or rain fly is suspended over and clear of the roof of the tent; it often overlaps the tent roof slightly, but does not extend down the sides or ends of the tent. Double skin (USA: double wall) : The outer tent

2490-651: The Disko Bay region, while the further to the south, the poorer the finds, disappearing completely on the coast of Labrador Sea in southwestern Greenland. The Inuit of the Thule culture —whose descendants form the majority of the current population—arrived nearly a thousand years ago, with the first arrivals dated to approximately 13th and 14th century. The Thule people were more technologically advanced than their Dorset predecessors, although they still relied on subsistence hunting, with walruses , reindeer, and particularly

2573-472: The Occupy movement , an international protest movement which is primarily directed against economic and social inequality. Occupy protesters use tents to create camps in public places wherein they can form communities of open discussion and democratic action. Generally, the interior of an enclosed tent is about 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the outside environment (not accounting for wind chill ), due to

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2656-518: The fur seals constituting the base of the economy in the early period. The shoreline was still at a higher altitude than today, with the Sisimiut valley east of the Kangerluarsunnguaq Bay , partially under sea. Many artifacts and graves from the several centuries of permanent settlement remain scattered in the region. Rich in fauna , the coastal region from Sisimiut to Kangaamiut was particularly attractive for migrants, and due to

2739-535: The marine mammals providing subsistence for the early hunting societies. The population of modern Greenlanders in Sisimiut is a mix of the Inuit and Danish peoples, who first settled in the area in the 1720s, under the leadership of the Danish missionary , Hans Egede . Today, Sisimiut is the largest business centre north of the national capital of Nuuk and is one of the fastest growing cities in Greenland . Fishing

2822-818: The yurt . Most military tents throughout history were of a simple ridge design. The major technological advance was the use of linen or hemp canvas for the canopy versus leather for the Romans. The primary use of tents was still to provide portable shelter for a small number of men in the field. By World War I larger designs were being deployed in rear areas to provide shelter for support activities and supplies. Tents are used as habitation by nomads, recreational campers, soldiers, and disaster victims. Tents are also typically used as overhead shelter for festivals, weddings, backyard parties, major corporate events, excavation (construction) covers, and industrial shelters. Tents have traditionally been used by nomadic people all over

2905-413: The 1960s, Danish authorities began construction of communal apartment blocks in most towns in Greenland, including Sisimiut. Unlike in Nuuk, the modern environmentally friendly construction technologies have not yet arrived to Sisimiut, and in 2010 the existing communal-block district remained in a state of partial disrepair. The Qeqqata municipality however is planning the town expansion in the 2010s, with

2988-731: The 1970s and 1980s anti-nuclear peace camps spread across Europe and North America, with the largest women's-only camp to date set up outside the RAF Greenham Common United States airbase in Newbury, England to protest the deployment there of cruise missiles during the Cold War . The 1990s saw environmental protest camps as part of the campaign for the Clayoquot Sound in Canada and the roads protests in

3071-677: The Danish College of Missions in Copenhagen which underwrote and directed the missionary work in the colony. At the time of its founding, the Kalaallisut name of the place was Amerlok , after its fjord. The colonists formally established several villages in the region, of which only two remain to this day: Itilleq and Sarfannguit . Under the Royal Greenland Trading Department , Holsteinsborg

3154-547: The Kangerluarsunnguaq Bay ( Danish : Ulkebugten ), separates the town from the Palasip Qaqqaa massif in the north, at the southern foot of which the town airport is located. The 544 m (1,785 ft) high twin summit commands a wide view in all directions, with the majority of the coast of the Qeqqata municipality visible in good conditions. The bay is navigable in its entirety, protected from

3237-594: The Kangerluarsunnguaq bay. During winter, a ski lift operates at the foot of the Alanngorsuaq mountain, at the base of the northern slopes of Nasaasaaq . Tourism is becoming increasingly important, with several outfitter companies based in town. Year-round operations offered include dogsledding , heliskiing , guided hiking, mountaineering , kayaking , and boating. The tough, 160 km (99 mi) long Arctic Circle Race takes place each winter, with

3320-675: The U.S. , especially California , Oregon , and Washington . Encampments spiked in the mid-to-late 2010s. These tent cities housing many homeless and travelers/ vagabonds have also, are also commonly found in major cities in the South, including Austin, Texas , which had passed a restriction on homeless encampments in May 2021. Tents are also often used as sites and symbols of protest over time. In 1968 Resurrection City saw hundreds of tents set up by anti-poverty campaigners in Washington D.C. In

3403-577: The UK. The first No Border Network camp was held in Strasbourg in 2002, becoming the first in a series of international camps that continue to be organised today. Other international camps of the 2000s include summit counter-mobilisations like Horizone at the Gleneagles G8 gathering in 2005 and the start of Camp for Climate Action in 2006. Since September 2011, the tent has been used as a symbol of

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3486-448: The administrative centre of the new unit, consisting also of the former Maniitsoq Municipality and the previously unincorporated area of Kangerlussuaq . The municipal council, seated in the town hall and headed by Mayor Hermann Berthelsen , consists of 13 members, including the mayor and his deputies, and representatives of the four primary political parties of Greenland: Siumut , Atassut , Democrats and Inuit Ataqatigiit . Sisimiut

3569-496: The ancient Saqqaq culture settlements near the town, offering an insight into the culture of the region of 4,000 years ago. The museum also hosts a collection of tools and domestic items collected during 1902–22, an inventory from the Old Church with the original altarpiece dated to approximately 1650, and paintings from the 1790s. The peat house reconstruction of an early 20th-century Greenlandic residence with domestic furniture

3652-422: The area north of the Kangerluarsunnguaq Bay reserved for real estate. The new neighborhood will bear the name Akia. Fishing is the principal industry in Sisimiut, with harvested stocks of shrimps , salmon , halibut and cod . The Royal Greenland fish processing plant at the port is the largest within Greenland and is amongst the most modern shrimp-shelling factories in the world. In 2008, supplied by 8 boats and

3735-415: The bottom edge of the fabric. These tents are usually so heavy (25 to 80 kg) that it takes a rather strong wind to blow them away. Flexible poles used for tents in this section are typically between 3 and 6 metres (9.8 and 19.7 ft) long. Cheap poles are made of tubes of fibreglass with an external diameter less than 1 cm ( 1 ⁄ 3  in), whereas more expensive aluminium alloys are

3818-474: The changing settlement pattern, exhibiting transition from the single-family dwellings to tiny villages of several families. The types of dwelling varied from tent rings made of the hides of hunted mammals , to stone hearths , with no evidence of communal living in larger structures. In contrast, there is evidence for reindeer hunting as a coordinated effort of either villagers or groups of more loosely related individuals, with gathering places in proximity of

3901-473: The communities of the western coast. There is also a weekly Royal Arctic Line ferry to Itilleq and Sarfannguit . The port in Sisimiut is the northernmost year-round ice-free port in Greenland, serving as the country's primary maritime base north of Nuuk. Supply ships from the port head north, serving the entire coast, from the Uummannaq Fjord region, through Upernavik Archipelago , to Qaanaaq in

3984-483: The construction of a shipping port, and a fish processing factory of Royal Greenland in 1924, the first such factory in Greenland. Fishing remains the primary occupation of Sisimiut inhabitants, with the town becoming the leading centre of shrimping and shrimp processing . Until 2008 Sisimiut had been the administrative centre of Sisimiut Municipality , which was then incorporated into the new Qeqqata Municipality on 1 January 2009, with Sisimiut retaining its status as

4067-459: The factory trawlers, the plant processed an annual amount of 20,180 tons of shrimp, around 1,680 tons per month. This was roughly constant throughout the year, although when fish catches were larger the fish was frozen. The plant eventually sold around 6,019 tonnes of shrimp. Hunting is also important to some of the local livelihoods, mainly seals , walrus , beluga whale , narwhal , reindeer and muskoxen . KNI and its subsidiary Pilersuisoq ,

4150-592: The far north. M/S Akamalik , one of the largest ships in the fleet of Royal Greenland , is based in Sisimiut. Home to the first shipyard of Greenland dating from 1931, the port also handles more than 50 cruise liners per year. The local kayak club operates at the bay harbor east of the port. Roads in Sisimiut, including the road to the airport, are surfaced, but there is no proper road linking Sisimiut to any other settlement, like in all of Greenland. The town has its own bus network. In winter dog sled routes are used to link to settlements further north. Snowmobiles are, as

4233-513: The following waves of migrants in the millennium following their disappearance, the Saqqaq left behind a substantial number of artifacts, with plentiful archeological finds on the coast of Davis Strait, from Disko Bay ( Greenlandic : Qeqertarsuup Tunua ) in the north—to the coast of Labrador Sea near Nuuk in the south. Research at the Asummiut excavation site near the airport has uncovered

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4316-462: The foxholes" ( Danish : Beboerne ved rævehulerne ). The site has been inhabited for the last 4,500 years, first by peoples of the Saqqaq culture , then Dorset culture , and then the Thule people , whose Inuit descendants form the majority of the current population. Artifacts from the early settlement era can be found throughout the region, favored in the past for its plentiful fauna , particularly

4399-485: The ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs . First used as portable homes by nomads , tents are now more often used for recreational camping and as temporary shelters. Tents range in size from " bivouac " structures, just big enough for one person to sleep in, up to huge circus tents capable of seating thousands of people. Tents for recreational camping fall into two categories. Tents intended to be carried by backpackers are

4482-604: The hunting grounds being found. Despite recent advances in DNA research based on hair samples from the ancient Saqqaq migrants (which gives insight into their origin), the reason for the decline and subsequent disappearance of the culture are not yet known. After several hundred years of no permanent habitation, the second wave of migration arrived from Canada, bringing the Dorset people to western Greenland. The first wave of immigrants, known as Dorset I, arrived around 500 BCE , inhabiting

4565-429: The last two decades, running from 20% in 1991, to 13% in 2000 and 2010. Nearly 10% of the town's inhabitants in 2010 were born outside Greenland, a decline from 16.5% in 1990 and 11.8% in 2000. Most families in Sisimiut live in single-family houses, most often the traditional colorful wooden prefabricated homes shipped from Denmark, and almost always raised or supported by a concrete foundation due to permafrost . In

4648-473: The main street. Greenland stones and sealskin products are created in the Natseq and Panigiit workshops. Sisimiut Airport is located 4.1 km (2.5 mi) to the northwest of the town, at the mouth of the Kangerluarsunnguaq Bay. Before the airport was opened in the 1990s, Sisimiut had been served by the now-closed heliport, located on the eastern outskirts of the town, in the Sisimiut valley. The airport has

4731-406: The manufacturer thinks can use the tent, though these numbers do not always allow for any personal belongings, such as luggage, inflatable mattresses, camp beds, cots, etc., nor do they always allow for people who are of above average height. Checking the quoted sizes of sleeping areas reveals that several manufacturers consider that a width of 150 cm (4.9 ft) is enough for three people; snug

4814-625: The material of choice for added strength and durability. For ease of transportation, these poles are made in sections some 30 to 60 cm (0.98 to 1.97 ft) long, with one end of each section having a socket into which the next section can fit. For ease of assembly, the sections for each pole are often connected by an internal elastic cord running the entire length of the pole. Inflatable pole supports, also known as airbeams, serve as rigid structural supports when inflated but are soft and pliable when deflated. Tents using such technology are neither commonly used nor widely accepted and are available from

4897-489: The military are temporary sleeping quarters (barracks); dining facilities (DFACs); field headquarters; morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) facilities; and security checkpoints. One of the most popular military designs currently fielded is the TEMPER Tent, an acronym for Tent Expandable Modular PERsonnel. The United States Army is beginning to use a more modern tent called the deployable rapid assembly shelter or DRASH,

4980-479: The need for passenger and freight exchange at Kangerlussuaq Airport, the Air Greenland hub. The cost of around €40 M for a proper paved road prevented construction, but instead a decision was made to build a very simple gravel road for terrain adapted vehicles. The road was in construction along the route during 2021 and was finished all the way during 2022, at a cost of 25 million DKK (€3 M ). Sisimiut

5063-651: The north of the present-day town. It was not until Jacob Severin was granted a full monopoly on the Greenlandic trade and permitted to act as an agent of the Danish navy that the Dutch were finally removed in a series of battles in 1738 and 1739. The present town was established in 1764 by the General Trade Company as the trading post of Holsteinsborg ("Fort Holstein"), named for the first chairman of

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5146-698: The north, it is bordered by the Qeqertalik municipality. The waters of the western coast are that of the Davis Strait , separating Greenland from Baffin Island . With an area of 115,500 km (44,594.8 sq mi), it is the third-smallest municipality of Greenland. Qeqqata's municipal council consists of 15 members, elected every four years. Like all of Greenland, there are no roads between settlements. There are three airports in Qeqqata, Kangerlussuaq , Maniitsoq and Sisimiut , where Kangerlussuaq

5229-469: The only months of the year in which the average lows are above 1 °C (34 °F), both at 3.3 °C (37.9 °F). Precipitation is very low in Sisimiut, with the greatest amount of rainfall occurring in the second half of the year, between July and December, with August and September being the wettest months. The sea winds from Davis Strait moderate the climate, with the area known for its fogs . Sisimiut has midnight sun from 3 June to 9 July, but there

5312-418: The open sea by a series of skerries in the west. Both the local port and the local sailing harbor are located on the southern shore of the bay. The 2.2  NM (4.1 km; 2.5 mi) road to the airport passes through the bridge over the Kangerluarsunnguaq Bay. Halfway between the town and the airport there is a small beach of dark sand. The beach, as well as the skerries off the coast, are very popular in

5395-656: The outer skin or the inner skin may be the structural component, carrying the poles; the structural skin is always pitched first, though some tents are built with the outer and inner linked so that they are both pitched at the same time. Components: Many factors affect tent design, including: Shelters are not normally used for sleeping. Instead they may act as a store or provide shelter from sun, rain, or dew. With modern materials, tent manufacturers have great freedom to vary types and styles and shapes of tents. Many tents which use rigid steel poles are free-standing and do not require guy ropes, though they may require pegs around

5478-492: The potential for 7,200,000 m (9,400,000 cu yd) annually. To the southeast, the valley is bounded by the Nasaasaaq massif with several distinct summits, the highest of which is 784 m (2,572 ft). The Nasaasaaq ridge has several summits. The main summit is the most prominent, rising over the remainder of the ridge in a tall 150 m (490 ft) cone at 784 m (2,572 ft). The ridge terminates in

5561-689: The pressure of water needed to penetrate a fabric. Heavy or wind-driven rain has a higher pressure than light rain. Standing on a groundsheet increases the pressure on any water underneath. Fabric with a hydrostatic head rating of 1000 mm or less is best regarded as shower resistant, with 1500 mm being usually suitable for summer camping. Tents for year-round use generally have at least 2000 mm; expedition tents intended for extreme conditions are often rated at 3000 mm. Where quoted, groundsheets may be rated for 5000 mm or more. Many tent manufacturers indicate capacity by such phrases as "3 berth" or "2 person". These numbers indicate how many people

5644-470: The ramps to the saddle between the main summit and its western trabant. The passage on the top cone is secured by ropes for unprepared tourists. One of the variants of the Polar Route follows the coast of Amerloq Fjord at the base of the southern wall of Nasaasaaq. The main summit is visited for its long-range view of the coast, although more limited to the north than that of Palasip Qaqqaa to the north of

5727-479: The region for the next 700 years. The early Dorset people were followed later by the Dorset II people, although no artifacts have been discovered from the later era around Sisimiut, and few artifacts from the era of Dorset I have been uncovered in archaeological sites, with the finds often limited to harpoon heads and numerous animal bones. The largest number of Dorset culture artifacts can be found further north in

5810-602: The retention of body heat and (to a lesser extent) radiation. Tent fabric may be made of many materials including cotton ( canvas ), nylon , felt and polyester . Cotton absorbs water, so it can become very heavy when wet, but the associated swelling tends to block any minute holes so that wet cotton is more waterproof than dry cotton. Cotton tents were often treated with paraffin to enhance water resistance. Nylon and polyester are much lighter than cotton and do not absorb much water; with suitable coatings they can be very waterproof, but they tend to deteriorate over time due to

5893-447: The rocky pedestal was built in 1926, further extended in 1984. The entrance to the yard with the old church and other protected historical buildings is decorated with a unique gate made of whale jawbone. In 1801, a smallpox epidemic decimated the population of Sisimiut and other coastal settlements, although the population growth quickly resumed due to plentiful marine life on the coast. The 20th century saw industrialization , through

5976-692: The school itself. The other educational centres in Sisimiut are: Sanaartornermik Ilinniarfik , the construction engineering school with capacity for 200 students, the Arctic Technology Centre; Piareersarfik , the vocational institution for the service industry professionals, and Oqaatsinik Pikkorissarfik , a foreign language school. Located in a historical building near the harbor, the Sisimiut Museum specializes in Greenlandic trade, industry and shipping, with artifacts based on ten years of archaeological research and excavations of

6059-445: The smallest and lightest type. Small tents may be sufficiently light that they can be carried for long distances on a touring bicycle , a boat , or when backpacking . The second type are larger, heavier tents which are usually carried in a car or other vehicle. Depending on tent size and the experience of the person or people involved, such tents can usually be assembled (pitched) in between 5 and 25 minutes; disassembly (striking) takes

6142-474: The summer. To the east, a wide valley extends into the interior of the peninsula, bounded from the north by the conjoint massif of Palasip Qaqqaa and Majoriaq, dissected by the Qerrortusup Majoriaa valley alongside which leads the Polar Route from Sisimiut to Kangerlussuaq. Depending on variants, the route is between 150 km (93 mi) and 170 km (110 mi) long. In the middle of

6225-495: The tents listed here had a canvas fabric and most used a substantial number of guy ropes (8 to 18). The guys had to be positioned and tensioned fairly precisely in order to pitch the tent correctly, so some training and experience were needed. Pup tents might use wooden or metal poles, but all the other styles mentioned here used wooden poles. These larger tents are seldom used for sleeping. Tent design has influenced many large modern buildings. These buildings have in turn influenced

6308-669: The town airport. An alternative route to the top of interest to mountaineers leads through the hard to find low pass to the east of the main summit, and from there directly on the summit cone ridge. Sisimiut has a polar tundra climate ( Köppen climate classification ET ). The average high temperature is 10 °C (50 °F) or lower throughout the year. The coldest months on average are February and March which have average highs of −10.2 °C (13.6 °F) and −10.1 °C (13.8 °F) respectively. The warmest months are July and August which have average highs of 9.8 °C (49.6 °F) and 9.3 °C (48.7 °F) respectively and are

6391-535: The town authorities and the Government of Greenland in order to address potential environmental and social concerns. The Sisimiut Hydro Power Plant is located north of the town. The plant has two turbines providing 15 megawatts of power and the electricity from the plant is transferred to Sisimiut by a 27.4 km (17.0 mi) long high voltage line. Although rainfall is low, Sismiut has abundant natural supplies of fresh, drinkable surface water, collected from

6474-556: The trail partially overlapping with the Polar Route from Sisimiut to Kangerlussuaq. The race was inaugurated in 1998, since then becoming an international competition. The Knud Rasmussen High School ( Knud Rasmussenip Højskolia ), founded in 1962, is located on the eastern outskirts of the town, west of the old heliport site. Apart from the traditional curriculum, it provides specialized courses in Greenland history and culture including skin preparation and ski instruction. The school

6557-410: The use of a manual pump to inflate the airbeam to the desired level. Airbeams have the unique quality of bending, rather than breaking, when overloaded. Tents that use inflatable airbeams are structured almost identically to those that use flexible poles. Most of these tent styles are no longer generally available. Most of these are single-skin designs, with optional fly sheets for the ridge tents. All

6640-450: The valley towers a standalone Alanngorsuaq mountain (411 m (1,348 ft)), surrounded by several lakes, one of which serves Sisimiut town as a water reservoir . The entire area of the valley is another popular picnic destination, with easy access to the water reservoirs by a gravel road in the middle part of the valley. The reservoirs in the valley provide the town waterworks with 882,000 m (1,154,000 cu yd) of water, with

6723-526: The western coast of Greenland, and through Kangerlussuaq Airport , to Europe. Sisimiut has been a settlement site for around 4,500 years, with the people of the Saqqaq culture arriving from Arctic Canada during the first wave of immigration, occupying numerous sites on the coast of western Greenland. At that time, the shoreline was up to several dozen meters above the present line, gradually decreasing in time due to post-glacial rebound . The Saqqaq remained in western Greenland for nearly two millennia. Unlike

6806-542: The world, such as Native Americans , Mongolian, Turkic and Tibetan Nomads, and the Bedouin . Armies all over the world have long used tents as part of their working life. Tents are preferred by the military for their relatively quick setup and take down times, compared to more traditional shelters. One of the world's largest users of tents is the U.S. Department of Defense . The U.S. DoD has strict rules on tent quality and tent specifications. The most common tent uses for

6889-416: Was a centre of the trade in reindeer skins. Several 18th-century buildings still stand in Sisimiut, among them the 1725 Gammelhuset ("Old House") and the 1775 Bethel-kirken ("Bethel Church") or Blå Kirke ("Blue Church"), the oldest surviving church in Greenland. The buildings were moved from the former site of the settlement at Ukiivik (Holsteinsborg) together with the rest of the settlement. The new church on

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