Guided Ski Touring on Svalbard
Ski Spitsbergen by sailboat with IFMGA mountain guide
We operate in Svalbard since 10 years. We truly love the nature and skiing and in this spectacular place far from human developments. By now we have spent many months of skiing in Svalbard and know the area very well.
Svalbard is an arctic paradise for ski touring, full of wildlife and unexplored terrain. A cost line full of beautiful mountains rising straight from the ocean, surrounded by huge glaciers.
Spitsbergen Ski Touring
Svalbard (the largest island in this Norwegian polar region) is larger then Switzerland with a population of only 2667 people. Today 59% of the landscape is covered by glaciers. Here, at 79 degrees latitude, you find the northernmost settlement in the world with a permanent civilian population. With a road network of only 50km, the mountains are best accessed by boat. However, we need to await late spring in order to sail through the otherwise ice covered archipelago of Svalbard. This time of the year the sun never sets, and we have 24h daylight for skiing and sailing.
Being so remote, sparsely populated, yet easy to get to, makes Svalbard a perfect destination for an arctic ski and sail adventure.
Best time
Ability
Ski and Sail Spitsbergen
Duration
Season
Group size
Price
The Svalbard ski and sail expedition is a trip of a life time!
Ski touring from our mobile home – a 46 foot steel sailboat built for sailing in the arctic – we have endless possibilities for great descents.
Even though the mountains are not very high, the mountains are very alpine. Combined with big the glaciers, the environment is often serious and demands a certain level of ski mountaineering, as well as confidence skiing in somewhat steeper terrain.
Life on an arctic ski and sail trip also involves many other activities and challenges. We will get to admire wild animals (whales, rain deers, birds, walrus and maybe even polar beers), we will fish for our dinners, and of course sail through the landscape to a new fjord each day.
Additional to our normal ski mountaineering equipment, we carry a rifle and flare gun for polar bear safety at all time on land. Your guide has experience with managing the safety of the group in polar regions, and will educated the group about the routines on land. Likewise our skipper will inform you on the special safety measures demanded when sailing in the arctic ocean.
This trip is designed for a small private group of 3 – 5 clients with one IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide. Our home is a comfortable 46-foot Bruce Roberts steel sailing yacht, designed for sailing in remote arctic regions and warm and dry inside. With us on the sail boat we also have the captain and one deckhand. All clients will be asked to participate in sailing and steering the boat. We will spend 7 days on the boat and have about 6 ski-days.
The trips start and finishes in Longyearbyen. There are regular flights to Longyearbyen from Oslo and also via Tromso (with SAS and Norwegian). Svalbard is relatively easy to reach by plane.
Program
Sunday
Arrival in Longyerbyen.
Monday
Morning meeting in Longyearbyen for breakfast, making last arrangements before departure, boarding the boat just after an early lunch.
Monday – Sunday
Ski and sail as we please, 6 – 7 ski days.
Sunday evening
Return to Longyearbyen after the skiing.
Price:
Please contact us for a quote.
Included
– Charter of the boat including skipper and deck hand
– Safety equipment for sailing (life wests, harnesses)
– Permits for all areas we may visit
– Group safety equipment: gun and flare gun for polar bear safety, satellite phone, plb emargancy beacon
– Gas and harbour fees
– Mountain rescue insurance at the amount demanded by the governer of Svalbard
Not included
– Flights to Longyearbyen (sas and Norwegian have flights on regular basis)
– Hotel night in Longyearbyen before departure
– Food (including food for the guide, skipper and deckhand): we buy the food together in the supermarket before we board the boat. The cost for that depend a bit on what you would like to eat (about 200€ per person including drinks). Dinners and snacks after skiing will be prepared by our deckhand, breakfast we make ourselves.
FAQ’s
– Bruce Roberts NY 46
– 14.8m steal yacht
– 5 cabins / sleeps a max 10 people ( 3 cabins for you: one double cabin with a bunk bed, 2 double cabins with a double bed or 2 beds with bed separation)
– Water tank 600lt + water maker / so you can have a daily shower
– 2 x toilet / showers
– Sail area 111m2 (genoa, gib, mainsail)
– Engine: 85HP Diesel engine 2014 year – Fuel tank 1240lt
The boat is designed for sailing in remote arctic regions and warm and dry inside.
We have used the same boat since 2017, the crew is great and we love the boat. This winter the boat will be refurbished and all the wood inside will be replaced.
All clients will be asked to participate in sailing and steering the boat.
More info about the climate, history and tourism to Svalbard at Sysselmannen.no.
Contact us to get your tailor made program for guiding in the most beautiful skiing and climbing locations on the planet!