Hi folks! New to TT, excited to join the community. Planning a trip this spring with some closest backcountry friends up the Northwest Coast of Norway.
We fly in Molde and then a friend with a boat will be taking us up the coast for a week and accessing the skiing via fjords. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I'm beyond excited to explore this amazing country.
Has anyone here ever skied in the 'mother country' of our beloved sport?! I'll have a few days on each end of the trip to explore. We are on the boat the entire last week of March. Looking for any packing tips, must-sees or must-ski areas!
Thanks in advance.
-- Tele_Gnome
Northwest Coast of Norway!
-
Tele_Gnome
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2017 11:19 am
- Location: Colorado
Northwest Coast of Norway!
“Do you think it’s possible to jump on skis over our rooftop, Eivind?” he asked his brother.
“Don’t think so, Sondre.”
“Let’s give it a go!”
“Don’t think so, Sondre.”
“Let’s give it a go!”
-
Woodserson
- Posts: 2996
- Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:25 am
- Location: New Hampshire
- Ski style: Bumps, trees, steeps and long woodsy XC tours
- Occupation: Confused Turn Farmer
Re: Northwest Coast of Norway!
Well... seems like you're on your own, but when you come back how about some pictures and a trip report! Please!
-
randoskier
- Posts: 1229
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 2:08 am
- Location: Yank in Italy
- Ski style: awkward
- Favorite Skis: snow skis
- Favorite boots: go-go
- Occupation: International Pop Sensation
Re: Northwest Coast of Norway!
Hej!
I skied over 800 km up there last April and May, two trips. One from Hemevan Sweden across the border to Steikvasselv, Norway then north up to near Bodo. Second one- from Lonsdal Norway to Hemevan, Sweden via the Saltfjellet, Ranafjellet, and the Vindalfjellet (fjellet = mtn range). Hemevan has a prop-plane service to Stockholm which is about 1500km south. I skied cabin to cabin (DNT cabins- unattended, bring your own food!) , Nordic BC. Most of this was around the arctic circle.
Are you looking for a long tours like that or just skinning up and skiing down (what the Norwegians call "topptur")? I also hike up there and over the past 12 years have walked over 6.000 km there again mostly in the arctic but also in Trondelag in the Snaasa mountains.
If you have a boat a real nice trip would be to take the boat up the Tysfjord- to the terminus of it's northern fork (forget the name of it) debark at the hydro-dam at the head of the Fjord and ski to Ritsem in Sweden (I'd have to look at my maps but probably 3 or 4 days skiing) , you can get a bus to the rail line and then get a Swedish train to the Norwegian port of Narvik.
You have to be a strong land navigator (it is a huge wilderness) as there is no winter marking in northern Norway (north of Trondheim) , on the Swedish side many of the ski routes are over-marked, and there are also way more snowmobiles in Sweden and Finnland. On the first trip I saw only one other party- seven French skiers with pulks and I saw them on the second to last day- we skied out to the road behind them- it was like a bob-sled track. Royal!
On the second trip I saw one Norwegian party in Sweden, a couple of Sami people working, then on the last two days when closer to Hemevan (a small Alpine ski area and home to Ingemar Stenmark- the greatest skier ever)- I saw seven or eight snowmobiles.
You also have to have all the gear you need to survive severe weather events up there.
For sites- nothing beats the Lofoten Islands, Bodo is a nice "city", Tromso is a jewel, and the indigenous Sami people have an interesting way of life, one of my best friends is a Sami reindeer herder with a wonderful family- they lead a beautiful life in the moutains.
This April I will ski from Storlien, Sweden to Snaasa, Norway- about a two week trip then will do another week-long trip in May. Short days up there before April.
I have a lot of logistics and transport info if you need it. Check DNT.NO for cabins and general info, and the maps on UT.NO, for weather yr.no
Oh yeah very important they have an amazing geo-info system that produced an incredible avalanche map of the whole country- important if you are doing topptur. If you like I can dig up the link.
You will have a great time up there!
Ciao from Italia
I skied over 800 km up there last April and May, two trips. One from Hemevan Sweden across the border to Steikvasselv, Norway then north up to near Bodo. Second one- from Lonsdal Norway to Hemevan, Sweden via the Saltfjellet, Ranafjellet, and the Vindalfjellet (fjellet = mtn range). Hemevan has a prop-plane service to Stockholm which is about 1500km south. I skied cabin to cabin (DNT cabins- unattended, bring your own food!) , Nordic BC. Most of this was around the arctic circle.
Are you looking for a long tours like that or just skinning up and skiing down (what the Norwegians call "topptur")? I also hike up there and over the past 12 years have walked over 6.000 km there again mostly in the arctic but also in Trondelag in the Snaasa mountains.
If you have a boat a real nice trip would be to take the boat up the Tysfjord- to the terminus of it's northern fork (forget the name of it) debark at the hydro-dam at the head of the Fjord and ski to Ritsem in Sweden (I'd have to look at my maps but probably 3 or 4 days skiing) , you can get a bus to the rail line and then get a Swedish train to the Norwegian port of Narvik.
You have to be a strong land navigator (it is a huge wilderness) as there is no winter marking in northern Norway (north of Trondheim) , on the Swedish side many of the ski routes are over-marked, and there are also way more snowmobiles in Sweden and Finnland. On the first trip I saw only one other party- seven French skiers with pulks and I saw them on the second to last day- we skied out to the road behind them- it was like a bob-sled track. Royal!
On the second trip I saw one Norwegian party in Sweden, a couple of Sami people working, then on the last two days when closer to Hemevan (a small Alpine ski area and home to Ingemar Stenmark- the greatest skier ever)- I saw seven or eight snowmobiles.
You also have to have all the gear you need to survive severe weather events up there.
For sites- nothing beats the Lofoten Islands, Bodo is a nice "city", Tromso is a jewel, and the indigenous Sami people have an interesting way of life, one of my best friends is a Sami reindeer herder with a wonderful family- they lead a beautiful life in the moutains.
This April I will ski from Storlien, Sweden to Snaasa, Norway- about a two week trip then will do another week-long trip in May. Short days up there before April.
I have a lot of logistics and transport info if you need it. Check DNT.NO for cabins and general info, and the maps on UT.NO, for weather yr.no
Oh yeah very important they have an amazing geo-info system that produced an incredible avalanche map of the whole country- important if you are doing topptur. If you like I can dig up the link.
You will have a great time up there!
Ciao from Italia
-
fisheater
- Posts: 2721
- Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:06 pm
- Location: Oakland County, MI
- Ski style: All my own, and age doesn't help
- Favorite Skis: Gamme 54, Falketind 62, I hope to add a third soon
- Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska, Alico Ski March
- Occupation: Construction Manager
Re: Northwest Coast of Norway!
Just curious, can one communicate in Norway in English?
-
randoskier
- Posts: 1229
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 2:08 am
- Location: Yank in Italy
- Ski style: awkward
- Favorite Skis: snow skis
- Favorite boots: go-go
- Occupation: International Pop Sensation
Re: Northwest Coast of Norway!
Yes, 95% of the population speaks perfect English.
-
Thierri011
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2019 12:24 am
Re: Northwest Coast of Norway!
Hello!Tele_Gnome wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2017 12:30 amHi folks! New to TT, excited to join the community. Planning a trip this spring with some closest backcountry friends up the Northwest Coast of Norway.
We fly in Molde and then a friend with a boat will be taking us up the coast for a week and accessing the skiing via fjords. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I'm beyond excited to explore this amazing country.
Has anyone here ever skied in the 'mother country' of our beloved sport?! I'll have a few days on each end of the trip to explore. We are on the boat the entire last week of March. Looking for any packing tips, must-sees or must-ski areas!
Thanks in advance.
-- Tele_Gnome
This is a good article because there are many tips and also many advices that will be very useful for me.
-
Musk Ox
- Posts: 542
- Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 7:53 am
- Location: North
- Ski style: Bad
- Favorite Skis: I am a circumpolar mammal
- Favorite boots: Hooves
- Occupation: Eating lichen, walking about
Re: Northwest Coast of Norway!
Hello gnome.
I live in arctic Norway and can confirm it is a playground. We’re so far north that Molde is basically considered the start of the Mediterranean, and I’m not sure I can recommend much about down there other than you’ll definitely have a wonderful, wonderful time on the fjords. The only thing I can recommend you pack is beer because beer costs more than I’m comfortable with. In fact, best bring all your money because you’ll probably need it. And a hat. Don’t forget a hat. And skis, of course.
English is spoken everywhere, perfectly, by young and old.
I live in arctic Norway and can confirm it is a playground. We’re so far north that Molde is basically considered the start of the Mediterranean, and I’m not sure I can recommend much about down there other than you’ll definitely have a wonderful, wonderful time on the fjords. The only thing I can recommend you pack is beer because beer costs more than I’m comfortable with. In fact, best bring all your money because you’ll probably need it. And a hat. Don’t forget a hat. And skis, of course.
English is spoken everywhere, perfectly, by young and old.
-
Cannatonic
- Posts: 983
- Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:07 pm
Re: Northwest Coast of Norway!
what's up with this "gnome" stuff, I noticed this store has a "troll" section
https://oslosweatershop.com/
I've been migrating my clothing back over to wool after wearing fleece for the last 30+ years - tired of wearing plastic. High quality wool is so much better. I've got some Dale and Devold sweaters & baselayers.
https://oslosweatershop.com/
I've been migrating my clothing back over to wool after wearing fleece for the last 30+ years - tired of wearing plastic. High quality wool is so much better. I've got some Dale and Devold sweaters & baselayers.
"All wisdom is to be gained through suffering"
-Will Lange (quoting Inuit chieftan)
-Will Lange (quoting Inuit chieftan)
Re: Northwest Coast of Norway!
hi there, i have tried all brands of knitted sweaters, norway, sweden ...and the last was Estonian woolen sweaters, https://woolestonia.com i think it is the best price for this qualityi have ordered this one^
https://woolestonia.com/en/men/61-men-s ... -star.html