Lyngen Alps Ski Tour

Our Guides

Meet your guides.

Ode Siivonen

Chamonix, France

Andrew McLean

Park City, Utah

Questions

Get ready for the journey.

How do I reserve my trip?

Book your Expedition through our website or call +1-530-582-1246

What happens if there are delays?

If any trip must be delayed due to bad weather, cancelled or delayed transportation, sickness or any other situation for which Ice Axe Expeditions cannot make provisions, all costs incurred during such delays must be borne by trip members.

What is the cancellation policy?

All requests for cancellations must be received in writing (via email). Cancellations received up to 180 days prior to departure are refunded less an administrative fee of $500 per person, with no exceptions. If cancellation is received between 180 and 95 days prior to departure, the 50% deposit is forfeited. Please note that for cancellations received within 94 days prior to departure, all deposits are forfeited.

If cancellation occurs within the 94-day period and full payment has not yet been received, the full penalty will still apply and unpaid monies are due immediately. If for any reason the voyage on the vessel is cancelled, passengers will not be entitled to make any further claim for compensation or damages, for any loss, consequential damage, expenses, loss of time or inconvenience which may result from such cancellation arising, whether or not such cancellation arises in whole or in part as a consequence of any act or omission of Ice Axe Expeditions or its servants or agents. For these and other reasons mentioned below, passengers are strongly encouraged to obtain trip cancellation insurance.

*Please refer to specific expedition pages for varying cancellation policies. 

Is travel insurance required?

We require that you have at least $100,000 in medical evacuation insurance coverage. Your insurance policy should cover ski mountaineering/hazardous sports. We cannot confirm each client’s policy individually; it is your responsibility to make sure your policy will cover you while you participate in your activities of choice on the expedition. We recommend including TRIP CANCELLATION/INTERRUPTION coverage in addition to the mandatory medical evacuation coverage.

You can find medical evacuation insurance resources here.

Some expeditions have different coverage minimums, please refer to specific expedition pages for requirements.

How do I get to Tromsø?

SAS has flights serving Tromsø, Norway (TOS) from Oslo (OSL) daily. It is advised to book roundtrip airfare from your home city to Oslo (OSL) to accommodate for a SAS roundtrip flight from Oslo to Tromsø. Sometimes, you may need to overnight in Oslo to accommodate for flight times. There are multiple hotels at the airport in Oslo that allow for an easy transfer and overnight layover.

What is the weather like?

Being right on the water and that far north, Lyngen can feel a notch colder than the Rockies or Wasatch, even though the temperatures are similar on paper. The winters are ripping cold, but it should be pleasant in May with close to 24 hours of sunlight. Much like Svalbard, which is just above Norway, the Lyngen Alps gets cold Arctic air coming down from the north and mixing with the relatively warm and humid Atlantic Ocean air, which can create a thin layer of flat-light clouds. Oftentimes you can climb above this, but flat-light goggles or glasses may help. 

What is the terrain like?

Located high above the Arctic Circle at 69° north, the Lyngen Alps share many similarities with the famed Valdez skiing in Alaska. Being right on the water, both of them have a relatively stable Maritime snowpack which enables snow to stick to steep faces. But, unlike other Maritime areas, the far northern latitudes mean colder temperatures and thus colder snow instead of Sierra Cement or Cascade Concrete. Lyngen’s highest point is a mere 6,014’ but the monstrous runs go all the way down to the water. 

The mountains offer up an endless variety of skiing from mellow powder runs to couloirs, long tours, peaks, glaciers and wide open faces. There is some crevassing and at times we may ski with harnesses, but it is rare to travel roped up as there are many safe options available. Most days involve driving anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour to reach the trailheads. A big part of this is due to the fjords, where a mountain might only be 2 miles away, but you have to drive 50 miles around the head of the fjord to get there.

What ski/snowboard mountaineering gear is required?

Skis/Splitboard (appropriate for ski mountaineering)
Skins (fit to skis/board)
Alpine touring boots
Ski poles
Ski crampons (compatible with bindings)
Ski backpack (30-40 liters)
Avalanche Transceiver
Avalanche Shovel
Avalanche Probe