Our second visit to Lyngen Alps in late March 2024 reinforced why this one of the world’s premier ski-touring destinations in the world. Massive sea to summit mountains, glaciers, tree-skiing and wonderful backcountry journeys in a gorgeous winter landscape.
I drove up from the south with a small group after flying into Narvik’s Evenes-Harstad airport (EVE). There were two main reasons for flying to Narvik instead of the more obvious airport at Tromsø. One was the availability and price of rental cars. The price and choice at Tromso for the period of our travels was poor in comparison to Narvik. The other reason was combining the trip with a visit to the spectacular Lofoten Islands - another place that every lover of snow & mountains should visit at least once in their lives.
A major highlight of this trip to Lyngen were a few ski-tours into the Dalbotn conservation area east of Furuflaten village. The highest peak in this part of Norway, 1,834m Jiehkkevárriis here as well. We skied & explored the valley, peaks, glaciers & trees in this beautiful part of Lyngen Alps. There is a lot to do in here, but all the good stuff requires a pleasant, but tiresome 5km, 200m vertical, skin-in up the river valley before getting to the real stuff. Of course, at the end of the day, and after climbing & skiing your real target, that also means another 5km out too. A bit of a push and skate here and there and the exit can be done comfortably with just a little sweat. Splitboarders will find the exit a little more tedious, but such are the life-choices one makes.😊
On this visit we spent some quality time with Lyngen Outdoor Center on the island of Uløya. Heading across on a fast boat was a wonderful way to start a ski day. A 1,000m metre vertical tour up and a fun ski down in mixed snow conditions was a delight. A late lunch in Lyngen Outdoor Center’s main lounge (perfectly situated on the jetty of an old fish processing factory with a framed view of Kågen island) with the crew was fabulous. Then the ride back across the fjord to our car in the bracing air & afternoon twilight was one of those gorgeous endings to a ski day that will remain in my memory forever.
Unless paying a fortune to guarantee quality, accommodation in this region can be very good, bad, or indifferent. We stayed on both sides of the Lyngenfjord. A couple of nights at Solhov were very disappointing. Whilst this place has some attractive, renovated rooms, the ones we were in were very poor. The attitude of one of the owner’s was appalling and the overall vibe in the place was far removed from my stay the previous season. The place is just too cold to ever be comfortable. It was a shame that the communal kitchen is no longer available in winter. Self-catering here would be a much better outcome than the ‘home-style’, plain fare that was dished up for dinner as part of the half-board. Overall, staying here had a feeling of oppression & I was extremely happy to check-out (and even happier I hadn’t booked 5-nights as originally planned). I only recommend staying here if you can get one of the better renovated rooms for a night or two when nothing else in the region is available. And that’s a shame because it has so much potential to be a great lodge.
The next nights of our stay were on the opposite side of the fjord at Odin’s Hus in Olderdalen. Whilst the self-contained apartment was a little ‘tired’, it was nonetheless very well-equipped and provided a comfortable stay. The food market was just across the road so stocking up was easy.
There is one thing I must say about a lot of the accommodation I have stayed in throughout the parts of Norway above the Arctic Circle (or maybe it is throughout Norway?). And that is the Norwegians seem to have mastered the art of the incredibly badly designed shower! Cannot recall anywhere else I have skied in the world (even in India!) that has such a poor, uncomfortable, awkward and genuinely disappointing bathroom shower experience. From ridiculous folding glass doors, flooding floors and dribbling shower heads to toilets actually in the shower space behind the screen (unless you are on a small boat why would you do that?). Do Norwegians not enjoy showering? Or do they not shower at all? Suffice to say that if you enjoy a good shower after a long ski day in the cold, do your research when looking for accommodation. Alright, enough. Whingy whiney rant over…..
At the other end of the spectrum, the beds in Norway are amongst the most comfortable I have ever slept in. After the physical exertion of the day, a blissful slumber for an aging body is sensational.
The best bar on the trip was in Lyngseidet at the brand new ‘Trendy’ coffee bar. Whilst we weren’t interested in coffee, after a few long days on skis we did indulge in some fine beer & spirits. It was a welcoming refuge from the cold as the afternoon shadows take over the town. As with all things booze in Norway, be prepared for the hefty prices or a severe case of ‘bill shock’ will soon follow.
One of the great things about Lyngen Alps is the accessibility of the mountains from roads and boats. Using a rental car to get around and using the ferry system to get across the fjords or to some of the islands, allows for the most amazing adventures straight from the parking spot.
Lyngen Alps is one of those places in the world that has the perfect combination of snow, mountains, trees, sea & scenery. And the price is worth it. Accommodation, food, booze & guiding (if you need it) are not cheap, but they never are in the remote places in the world. The pleasure, the satisfaction, the peace, exhilaration & awe extracted from the place are more than enough compensation for the krone spent. As they say, we only have one life, make it a good one and spend some time in Lyngen Alps. Ok, I added that last bit…..
You can see our thoughts on the pros & cons of this incredible ski region via the Lyngen Alps overview page.
Such a diverse adventure. The ski touring/climbing & skiing options are amazing. Skinned up long valleys beside rivers to frozen lakes and glaciers, Skied fun snow and trees all by the seaside. Incredible geography and mountains. Physically demanding, but worth every breath.
Had an average couple of nights stay at Solhov Guesthouse. The company (my group and the other guests) was great but the accommodation wasn't. Thankfully, we then stayed in a self-contained apartment on the opposite side of the fjord which whilst simple (and a little run down) was still comfortable & fully equipped for an easy stay.
Went to Uløya on a small boat in our full ski gear. A vigorous skin up & ski down amongst breathtaking scenery was incredible.
This is a physically demanding and high adventure ski destination that provides an experience I wont forget any time soon.
Well tickle me pink. Spent a glorious week in Lyngen Alps as part of a northern Norway & Sweden ski safari in March 2023. Whilst probably not quite as visually spectacular as the Lofoten islands, the snow quality & scope of the ski terrain is off the charts incredible. What a magnificent ski touring nirvana is Lyngen Alps. Simply stunning in every way. You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. Let me tell you why….
Firstly, Norway, whilst definitely an ordered, rules-based society, is sensational to travel through because it is …. an ordered rules-based society (!). Everyone is polite ( even the traffic police – thank you officer!), road users are awesome, and stuff just works. Having been in Georgia the previous month, the contrast couldn’t have been more stark.
And then there is the scale of the place. Sooooo many mountains and opportunities for untracked freeride ski touring that it boggles the mind. Away from the rightfully popular mountains near Lyngseidet, there are generally very few people.
Thirdly, there are some wonderful self-contained accommodations along the coast. Converted or new ‘fisherman’s’ cottages, some located on the piers near boat harbours are often the pick. Along the journey we spent a few nights in Lyngseidet at the atmospheric Solhov Guesthouse (oft described as the Castle of the Lyngen Alps). Great people, food and convenient location.
And lastly, what a joy to ski from a mountain summit down to the seashore. Nd with the bonus of tree-skiing in the last few hundred meters vertical. Attainable summits up to 1,500m are possible, and despite wind impacts, there was always an aspect with wonderful snow.
I travelled here on road-trip from Narvik via Lofoten Islands & Swedish Lapland. An easy drive in a fully winterised rental (i.e. studded winter tyres etc.) with plenty of opportunities to see moose and ski the many peaks along the way. It is certainly way quicker and more convenient to come from Tromsø. If coming for a short time join a tour or get a local guide. If you love boats, you can book a tour that stays and travels on boats, or ones that stay firmly on land and then use fast boats to get around to more remote locations. If experienced and with a little more time, make you own adventure, using a rental car & the local ferries to get around.
Regardless of how you do it, if you adore backcountry ski-touring & freeride powder, just do it. Come to the Lyngen Alps……. We are coming back for sure.