Their expedition is not the first to Greenland's remote regions. The Fox Jaw Cirque earned its name after a 1999 expedition by climbers Dave Briggs and Mike Libecki during which the dynamic duo stumbled across an arctic fox and thought it’s teeth resembled the jagged mountains that surrounded them. On that trip, they established the 1,400-foot Lovin’ All the Right Places (5.10). The late New Zealand-born climber Karen McNeill also established new routes on the Trillingerne — three large peaks that lie just north of Fox Jaw Cirque — in 2001.

Climbing caught up with Furman after the team's return to the States:

What sets climbs in Greenland apart from other international climbing spots?
The opportunity for a unique cultural experience. Greenland really is quite different than most places. Unlike other areas in the northern latitudes, the government restricts the use of snow machines to a large degree, so Greenlanders are highly dependent on dog sleds for getting around most of the year. We did see a few trekkers and skiers, but we were there for 37 days and nearly all of those days were spent alone. 

What do climbers visiting need to know?
The first supply boat from Denmark usually arrives in mid-to-late June. If you arrive before then, your selection of food might be pretty grim. We got there before the re-supply boat and we ate some horrible cheese that was past its expiration date. The first two times I tried it, I dry-heaved. Climbers can bring food from home but the flight from Iceland to Greenland will charge you astronomical rates for extra baggage. Also, make sure you have your boat-travel arrangements in writing. We had a snafu with that, which ended up costing $400. 

What else?
Climbers heading there for the summer should count on highs in the upper 50s and lows in the high 20s. Mosquitoes weren’t as bad as we feared, but we still went through some DEET. 

Are polar bears a concern?
Technically it is polar bear habitat, and bears can travel something like a million miles a day, but there was nothing around (except for us) that they could've eaten. They like seals and they need icepack to get them, so they usually migrate farther north. We brought a rifle.  We brought a rifle but felt a little silly for having it.