A week of splitboard touring in Finnmark, arctic Norway. Based in comfortable, warm fisherman's cabins right by the sea, with touring starting right from the door. Finnmark is the most northerly point of continental Europe and holds snow very late into the season - the only major landmass further north is the island of Svalbard, even Iceland lies well to the south. The terrain is stunning, with spectacular 1,000m mountains rising straight from the sea. We also have the option to use boats to cross the fjord on some days to reach new terrain. Most importantly, this is a mostly un-discovered area with very few touring groups. On last year's trip, we only saw a handful of other skiers, all from a distance, and didn't cross another track all week. A uniquely adventurous week in an incredible location.
Program:
Arrive in Alta on Saturday in time for mid-afternoon departure to accommodation. Five days of guided riding across the next six days (one rest day). Rest day options include whale watching and fishing! Drive back to Alta on Saturday and fly home.
Accommodation:
Traditional Fishing Lodge
Meals:
Unlike most of my trips, meals are not included in the course cost. Going fully-catered in Norway needs a budget that would fund a few miles of high-speed railway. Our cosy lodge has full kitchen facilities and we'll be fending for ourselves. We'll run a kitty for food and drinks and use the kitchen chores to build some team spirit!
TRAVEL:
Finnmark is in the far north of Norway and the region includes the northernmost point of continental Europe! Fly to Alta airport and we will meet there, then travel by van to our accommodation (around 2hrs plus a short ferry). Due to the ferry timetable, we will need to leave Alta mid-afternoon on Saturday 25th, so it may be difficult to both fly to Alta and travel to Finnmark on the same day. It may be necessary to fly on Friday 24th, overnight in Alta (not included), then travel to Finnmark early on Saturday morning. For the return journey, we expect there to be an early ferry, so it should be possible to catch a Saturday flight out of Alta as long as it's not too early in the day.
Riding level:
This course is for intermediate and up level riders with some backcountry experience. You should have at least 8-10 weeks riding experience and have at least some experience of enjoying turns in off-piste conditions. While splitboard experience is not required, it is very helpful. If you're not an experienced splitboarder, you should be a strong and fit rider as it's tough to be behind the curve on all fronts! Get in touch if you're interested in this trip and you haven't tried splitboarding before.
fitness level:
You should have a good level of cardio fitness from regularly taking part in sport, such as hillwalking, running or cycling. There are no lifts and we'll be climbing as much as 1000m each day. We will, at least, be starting from sea level which does make things a lot easier than climbing at 3000m in the Alps!
Equipment required:
Splitboard gear (split, skins, crampons, poles) plus avalanche safety gear. Avalanche safety gear is included in the course price if you don't have your own. Consider bringing some emergency warm gear in case of sudden changes in the weather. Wetsuit if you fancy braving the beach. Cards, chessboard, hip flask and copies of The Shining could also be useful.
additional costs (not included):
Flights, meals (self-catered), Alta accommodation if required.