Overview
Highlights
- The tour starts in the town of Longyearbyen (Longyear City). This town is the largest settlement on Svalbard, with approximately 2,500 inhabitants.
- Midnight sun! The sun is shining at all hours, and the long days open endless opportunities for beautiful spring ski touring.
- Traditional, warm, three course dinner served on the boat after a long ski day.
Ski and sail on the Arctic Outpost of Spitsbergen is one of the most exotic adventures a ski touring enthusiast can experience. Spitsbergen is the biggest island on the archipelago of Svalbard, and the islands consist of more than 60% glacial landscape. The weather is harsh during the winter, but when the spring arrives, the isolated Arctic nature becomes an eldorado for ski touring expeditions. Situated in the high north, Svalbard is inbetween mainland Europe and the North Pole. Due to its top northern position, the island has midnight sun between the 20th of April and the 23rd of August. Similar to the well-known areas as Lyngen and Lofoten, the mountains on Svalbard shoot up straight from sea level, creating a dramatic ski touring dream. Most of the mountains have an altitude around 1,000 meters above sea level (MASL), and the ascents are usually between 600 to 800 meters.
See you on Svalbard and Spitsbergen!
What's included
- All accommodations
- All meals
- Professional nature guide
- Transport within itinerary
See more of what's included under the "details" tab
Contact
Questions about the trip? Don't hesitate to contact our project leader below, or contact our office here.
Details
Difficulty
Level 3 out of 5. Please read more about our level of difficulty here. This trip is for people of minimum 16 years of age, who love a real adventure. You must have previous experience with ski-touring, ski gear and rescue gear, and some avalanche knowledge. You must know how to use a beacon, shovel and probe.
What to bring?
Have a look at the full equipment list by clicking "Equipment list" in the menu above.
How to get there?
Daily flights (3-4 hours) from Oslo to Longyear City. Please send us an email at hvitserk@norrona.com if you have any questions.
Wondering how to get from the airport to Oslo city? Read more here.
Accommodation
Our home for the week is the sailing boat, we will sleep in shared cabins for 2 people, bunkbeds or double beds.
Baggage
We ask that you bring one piece of luggage (we recommend a duffel bag, which is easier than a rolling bag to transport on this tour) with your clothes, toiletries and items necessary for when we are not skiing. We require you bring a day pack (hip belt strongly recommended) to use when hiking for food, water, beacon, shovel, probe, cameras and layers.
Insurance
You need a travel and health insurance, which also includes transportation back to your country and off-piste skiing coverage. Remember to bring your insurance card/information.
Languages
The guide will speak English.
Changes may occur
We reserve the right to make changes to the program, and the price. The day to day program is indicative, and changes may occur. Please have a look at our terms and conditions.
Number of participants
Minimum: 6 people; Maximum: 10 people.
Included in the price:
- Accommodation in twin cabin on the sailing boat
- Guide
- All meals during the trip, private chef!
- Search and rescue insurance(Special for Svalbard)
Not included in the price:
- Transportation to the meeting point.
- Drinks and snacks.
Day by Day
day
1
Welcome to Svalbard
You will meet your expedition leader at the pier in Longyearbyen at 10:00. Together, we get into the boat and spend some time to get to know eachother and the boat. After lunch, we set sail towards the wild and remote nature, perhaps we have time for a skitrip in the afternoon. In the evening, the captain will welcome you with dinner, the first of many dinners aboard the boat.
day
2
Ski and Sail
The mountains are lined up throughout the Isfjorden (literally, the ice fjord) outside of Longyearbyen.
All of the mountains you find in Isfjorden are between 600 and 1,000 meters above sea level. We reach land by the use of dingy boats, and you usually can ski straight from the ocean to the mountains. The guide will adjust the tours to the groups' skill level, and you will generally have many options for skiing. Svalbard has a rich wildlife, and more than 3,000 polar bears live on the different islands around. Because of the presence of the polar bear we must move with caution, and with respect for the wildlife. Glaciers cover more than 60% per cent of Svalbard. Look forward to a mighty sight of the blue and purple glacier fronts!
Which one of the big five (polar bear, walrus, actic fox, polar reindeer and the ivory gull) will we see this time?
day
3-4
Kongsfjorden, Krossfjorden and Magdalenefjorden
We spend the days searching and picking out the best places to ski in these amazing fjords on the northwestcoast. Our only plans is to ski, eat, sleep, sail and repeat. We let the weather and wind conditions decide where we go skiing. You are getting well used to the routines on the sailingboat now. You can probaly call yourself a proper sailor!
day
5
Towards Longyear city
We are up for the last ski trip of the week, so we better make it a good one. We find a trip on the way back to Longyear city, we might be able to stop by Barentsburg on the way back? Barentsburg is an old, russian miner town, which is still inhabited today. We continue towards Longyear city, and we will have our last dinner together. We will talk and eat in good company, and talk about the lovely week, full of adventures and memories.
day
6
A sad goodbye
On our last day, we will sail home through the Adventfjord. At deck, you can enjoy a healthy and tasty breakfast, before arriving in civilization around 09.00 in the morning. Most probably, there will be some sea ice around us, so be sure to look out for seals, walrus or even polar bears while we sail.
Most airplane flights scheduled will be reachable leaving Longyearbyen on the last day. Though, if you have never been in Longyearbyen, we highly recommend spending a day or two in this very interesting and unique settlement. Please ask us if you need accommodation or tips on what to do in Longyearbyen.
Equipment List
Take a good look at this list, and make sure you bring everything you need. We encourage you to use what you have for this trip, and purchase items if you're missing something important on the list below. We have divided the gear list into three categories:
- Required: If you do not own this gear, you must acquire it for your trip.
- Recommended: Gear we suggest to be comfortable, but it is not imperative.
- Optional: Fun, additional luxuries.
This is a technical ski touring trip, you need to have or borrow a beacon, shovel and probe, and know how to use them. You must have some degree of avalanche experience.
Layering is extremely important in a variable climate like Norway. This list will guide you through the essentials. Remember the Norwegian saying "There is no bad weather, only bad gear", and prepare appropriately for any weather. You can read about the weather where you're traveling here.
The video below is for SUMMER gear, but you can get a lot of great tips for winter hiking as well! Welcome to Norway!
Please contact us at hvitserk@norrona.com if you have any questions.
We always recommend wool in the Norwegian Mountains, but if you already have synthetic layers and don't want to buy new ones, synthetic is okay.
Required:
|
SKIS, BOOTS, POLES |
Touring skis, boots and backcountry ski poles. |
|
HELMET |
Safety first! Make sure it fits over your thin, windproof hat and does not move when you shake your head. |
|
SKI CRAMPONS |
To assist in steep ascents. Consider bringing an ice ax or whippet as well. |
|
BEACON, SHOVEL, PROBE |
Bring extra batteries for your beacon and make sure your beacon currently has above 90% battery. |
|
BASE LAYER - 2 SETS |
2 sets of wool long-sleeved top and bottom. Warm, Extra Warm or Expedition thickness is recommended. |
|
MID-LAYER |
A medium thickness wool or fleece top to go over your base layer. |
|
INSULATED JACKET |
A thick, warm, insulated jacket to put on during breaks. We recommend a puffy jacket with down or synthetic. |
|
SHELL / RAIN JACKET |
Gore-Tex or similar is mandatory. Extrememly important in Norwegian climate. The jacket must be waterproof, have a hood, and make sure you don’t get wet even if it rains all day. We recommend jackets with pit zips for ventilation. |
|
MEDIUM INSULATED JACKET |
Use a synthetic or down jacket that fits over your base layer and mid layer, yet underneathe your rain shell. Should be comfortable with full range of movement when all layers are on. |
|
EXTRA TOP LAYER |
Bring an extra medium thick layer to add underneathe your medium insulated jacket in case you get cold easily. |
|
GLOVES & MITTENS |
1 thin pair of wool gloves to protect your hands. 1 pair of over mittens for additional warmth with windproofing. 1 extra pair of thick mittens in case yours get wet. 3 in total. |
|
HATS |
2 warm hats. 1 thick, 1 thin. Make sure at least one has a windproof lining. 1 sun hat to protect your face. |
|
HIKING SOCKS |
4 pairs, we recommend wool, above the ankle or higher. 2 thin. 2 thick. We recommend a 5th pair that are extra thick for evenings. |
|
BOOTS |
Bring lightweight boots. |
|
SKI BACKPACK |
Ski pack for emergency gear and daily needs: food, water, beacon, shovel, probe, layers, first aid kit, etc... 40-50 liters recommended. |
|
SUNGLASSES |
UV rated, we recommend a strap to keep them in place and so they don't get lost. Bring dark lenses with plastic frames, not metal. |
|
SUNSCREEN / CHAPSTICK |
Make sure the Chapstick has UV rated sunscreen in it. We also suggest cold cream such as Dermatone to help protect your skin. |
|
WATER BOTTLES |
Insulated water bottle, 2 liter capacity. Do not bring a camelback bladder, this will freeze in cold temperatures. |
|
TOILETRIES |
Personal basics: shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, etc... |
|
PERSONAL MEDICATIONS |
Make sure you bring any personal meds you need on your trip, and ensure the Hvitserk office is updated on your allergies or needs. |
|
SHELL PANTS |
Waterproof shell pants. Gortex is best. We recommend heavier duty pants to keep you warm with zips for ventilation. |
|
HEADLAMP |
Make sure you bring extra batteries as they die faster in the cold. |
|
INDOOR SHOES |
It is customary to leave wet shoes at the door and change into indoor slippers. |
Recommended:
|
WOOL UNDERWEAR |
We highly recommend bringing wool underwear and bra. No cotton. |
|
COMPRESSION SACKS FOR GEAR |
Recommended for storing your gear, keeping it dry, and compressing your down jackets to create more space. |
|
BALACLAVA AND BUFF |
A wool layer to protect your neck and face. |
|
THERMOS |
We recommend a thermos for hot drinks to have with you all day. We suggest a large, 1 liter thermos. |
|
FIRST AID KIT |
If you have certain hiking aids specific to you: i.e. blister care or ibuprofen, etc... |
|
CAMERA |
Be prepared for the cold. Insulating your camera will keep it working for the entire trip. We suggest bringing an extra battery pack. |
|
CASUAL CLOTHES |
Cozy clothes to wear when we are not participating in activities and eating dinner. |
|
SITTING MAT |
Strongly recommended to insulate you from the ground. |
|
SWIMMING SUIT OR SHORTS AND BRA |
For sitting ine saunas. |
Optional:
|
ANTIBAC |
If you need it for the bathroom or lunch. |
|
WET WIPE OR TOILET PAPER |
If you have a bathroom emergency while hiking. We use "pack it in pack it out" ethics, so you will need to carry out your used items and throw them away later. |
|
EAR PLUGS |
If youre a light sleeper. |
|
JOURNAL AND PEN |
In order to take notes and write about the trip. |
|
SNACKS |
Chocolate, nuts or energy bars if there is something particular you enjoy eating. You will have the opportunity to buy snacks on your trip. |
|
HEADSET |
If you would like to listen to music or an audio book while skiing. |
Bed linens and towels are included all nights.
