Wow, nice one

[randoskier]

That's a nice ski in Alaska but not as challenging as the NPL in Norway which is 1,864 miles long (from the southern coast of Norway to the northern coast of Norway). My Norwegian friend Thor has the second fastest time ever skiing it- 62 days, and he skied that in his late 50s.

https://www.snowindustrynews.com/articl ... onal-1000/

[aclyon]

That's a nice ski in Alaska but not as challenging as the NPL in Norway which is 1,864 miles long (from the southern coast of Norway to the northern coast of Norway). My Norwegian friend Thor has the second fastest time ever skiing it- 62 days, and he skied that in his late 50s.

https://www.snowindustrynews.com/articl ... onal-1000/

she has a really interesting collection of other records/FKTs. pfiffner traverse, annapurna circuit, r2r2r alt routes... all really tough.
i find it interesting she used a universal binding with a regular boot... there's a lot more information i'd like to know about the effort! might have to see if she has an instagram or something that goes into more detail.

[randoskier]

That's a nice ski in Alaska but not as challenging as the NPL in Norway which is 1,864 miles long (from the southern coast of Norway to the northern coast of Norway). My Norwegian friend Thor has the second fastest time ever skiing it- 62 days, and he skied that in his late 50s.

https://www.snowindustrynews.com/articl ... onal-1000/

she has a really interesting collection of other records/FKTs. pfiffner traverse, annapurna circuit, r2r2r alt routes... all really tough.
i find it interesting she used a universal binding with a regular boot... there's a lot more information i'd like to know about the effort! might have to see if she has an instagram or something that goes into more detail.

The Iditarod is fairly flat with a couple of hills (2 small passes) so I imagine you can use any binding. Maybe she walked (or ran) the barren parts of it too, they often have to re-route the dog race because of lack of snow in certain areas. That would explain the choice of shoe set up.

She skied 53 km per day. For 30 days. Total: 1528 km On a relatively flat trail graded for stock....fast but she is not quite Norwegian fast...

My friend Thor has the 2nd fastest NPL time on skis.

The NPL is skiing (or walking in summer) Norway from bottom to top, just over 3000km total, from 57°N at the start to 71°N at the finish.

He did it in 62 days- so skiing 48,3 km per day (he only took two rest/weather days). He was 56 years-old when he did that.

That is an extremely rugged ski with a massive gain and loss of elevation and every snow and weather condition imaginable. The elevation gain is 176,000 feet in summer, somewhat less in winter because sometimes you can ski along frozen rivers in valleys.

Thor is still a very fast skier at 68.

[Theme]

Did NPL last winter but took 82 days, of which about two weeks were waiting for logistics due to gear malfunctions etc. Definitely demanding physically but honestly not the toughest trip out there. Very doable by most folks if you know what you are doing. More harsh weather than I had previously faced. But it is very respectable, regardless

I am currently looking for another more challenging adventure but it seems like a challenge itself to find something slightly longer/more challenging but still preferrably no avy danger grades most of the time. Anyone have any suggestions? Not really into expedition style heavy hauling, but smart gear choices, swift skiing and a resupply every week or two, or more often if possible.

Many North American destinations I have no knowledge of and it is tough to find information of anything like that, when winter hiking online mostly refers to basically fall time in our conditions. Finding out the typical snow condition is a bit tough. I would imagine there to be vast wilderness areas up in Canada, Alaska or something

I could not really get ahold of what this particular race is about. To qualify for the race it requires trail running and fat biking... I have no interest in that in winter time, but a race like this I'd definitely ski. XP boots also proved to be walkable enough to cover any snow free stretches if that's an issue.

[randoskier]

Did NPL last winter but took 82 days, of which about two weeks were waiting for logistics due to gear malfunctions etc. Definitely demanding physically but honestly not the toughest trip out there. Very doable by most folks if you know what you are doing. More harsh weather than I had previously faced. But it is very respectable, regardless

I am currently looking for another more challenging adventure but it seems like a challenge itself to find something slightly longer/more challenging but still preferrably no avy danger grades most of the time. Anyone have any suggestions? Not really into expedition style heavy hauling, but smart gear choices, swift skiing and a resupply every week or two, or more often if possible.

Many North American destinations I have no knowledge of and it is tough to find information of anything like that, when winter hiking online mostly refers to basically fall time in our conditions. Finding out the typical snow condition is a bit tough. I would imagine there to be vast wilderness areas up in Canada, Alaska or something

I could not really get ahold of what this particular race is about. To qualify for the race it requires trail running and fat biking... I have no interest in that in winter time, but a race like this I'd definitely ski. XP boots also proved to be walkable enough to cover any snow free stretches if that's an issue.

Did you stay at Umbukta Fjellstua during your NPL trip?

14 days is a lot of downtime and rest. Thor-Inge when he did it in 62 days while n his late 50s took one rest day and one weather day. His 62 days are still the second fastest time, a much younger Frenchman was a couple of days faster.

You can ski all over America from late fall and late into the spring in the Rockies, Cascades, Sierras and in Alaska. There are vast wilderness areas to ski all over the West- in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Wyoming, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, and Alaska. You need to carry everything.

If you want a real challenge- ski the Stauning Alps in Greenland with a big loop on the pack-ice of Scoresby Sund. Practice your marksmanship with an Enfield first!

France has a lot of nice tours- Vercors, Queryas etc. but they are short 4 to 7 days.

You can also ski the Haute Route from Cham to Zermatt, it has been done numerous tomes by telemarkers, hut to hut.

These girls did a nice 1400 km stroll on Baffin Island in Canada-

[Theme]

@randoskier Yes I went through Umbukta! Got there in the evening 3 minutes before reception closing, took a serious sprint. Longest day that far about 65 km, with a resupply in Tyin.

I waited 7 days in Abisko alone for new ski boots that the courier would just not deliver... took a train to Kiruna to get the package.

In the beginning I got sick so I took it real slow. Then was stuck due to weather multiple times. Some other skiers were trapped for 9 days in one go. Very harsh weather in the beginning and a lot of it. Southern Norway had some snow records

I think I took two full rest days otherwise only related to rest. In the beginning had some days off due to sickness and weather.

[randoskier]

@randoskier Yes I went through Umbukta! Got there in the evening 3 minutes before reception closing, took a serious sprint. Longest day that far about 65 km, with a resupply in Tyin.

I waited 7 days in Abisko alone for new ski boots that the courier would just not deliver... took a train to Kiruna to get the package.

In the beginning I got sick so I took it real slow. Then was stuck due to weather multiple times. Some other skiers were trapped for 9 days in one go. Very harsh weather in the beginning and a lot of it. Southern Norway had some snow records

I think I took two full rest days otherwise only related to rest. In the beginning had some days off due to sickness and weather.

Thor-Inge owns Umbukta- he is the guy who did it in 62 days.

[Theme]

@randoskier Yes I went through Umbukta! Got there in the evening 3 minutes before reception closing, took a serious sprint. Longest day that far about 65 km, with a resupply in Tyin.

I waited 7 days in Abisko alone for new ski boots that the courier would just not deliver... took a train to Kiruna to get the package.

In the beginning I got sick so I took it real slow. Then was stuck due to weather multiple times. Some other skiers were trapped for 9 days in one go. Very harsh weather in the beginning and a lot of it. Southern Norway had some snow records

I think I took two full rest days otherwise only related to rest. In the beginning had some days off due to sickness and weather.

Thor-Inge owns Umbulta- he is the guy who did it in 62 days

Oh wait sorry, I messed up. It was Fondsbu I was talking about. Get confused with the names. I passed by Umbukta did not stop, made a last minute choice to ski another way. All the other guys went through Umbukta I heard

[randoskier]

@randoskier Yes I went through Umbukta! Got there in the evening 3 minutes before reception closing, took a serious sprint. Longest day that far about 65 km, with a resupply in Tyin.

Thor-Inge owns Umbukta- he is the guy who did it in 62 days

Oh wait sorry, I messed up. It was Fondsbu I was talking about. Get confused with the names. I passed by Umbukta did not stop, made a last minute choice to ski another way. All the other guys went through Umbukta I heard

That is too bad, because Thor-Inge lets people on the NPL stay free of charge- they make a great Cheeseburger there too. He has a little house in the back for the NPLer to stay- pic.