Using a comfortable yacht as a mobile base camp, moving each day to drop you on the shore of a island or a fjord of Lyngen Alps, you will climb each day a different summit, where Sea and Snow join up, in the country of Trolls and northern lights. Imagine each day a 3,000 feet descent with your tips skiing in North Atlantic.
Norway, thanks to an excellent snow cover due to her northern latitude, and to a winter climate softened by the Gulf Stream, offers many good mountain ranges for classic ski touring, with nights in mountain huts. But, thanks to the multiplicity of fjords of her coasts, navigation is the fastest way to have access to the most beautiful slopes, avoiding any tiring travel.
Sail and Ski, or Ski and Sail, has been created in Norway around 10 years ago. A comfortable 55 feet yacht, l'Esprit d'Equipe (winner of the Whitread race around the world in 1986), welcomes a skipper, a crew member, a Mountain Guide and 6 or 7 skiers in Tromso harbour. This floating base camp, comfortable and efficient even when the sea is heavy, is equipped with all the required equipments: radars, fixed and mobiles radios, two GPS, fax, generator, outboard motors, dinghy.
It will be your open sea hut, as it has been especially equipped for navigation in polar areas: central heating, cabins with 2 or 3 personal berths, hot shower (to use in moderation as the stocks of fresh water are limited), 2 toilets, a wide kitchen-room and a small living room to relax after skiing. Regarded as a crew member, you will give a hand for life on board, being on watch and taking part in the manoeuvre, following the skipper's advices. You will also give a hand to prepare meals and to do the washing-up.
Each morning, the yacht's dinghy will drop you on the shore of one of the thousands of islands or fjords of Norway coastline, on a little beach covered with birchs. From there, going up in ski touring, you will climb the slopes of Ullstinden (1093 m), Blatinden (1142 m), Uloytinden (1114 m), Kjelvagtinden (1164 m), Storgalten (1219 m), Arnöya (1050 m), Stein-Fjellet (797 m) or Björnskard (703 m), ascending a side of the peak, and skiing down another side to meet there your yacht, which, during your ski tour, has sailed around the island or to another fjord to pick you up with its dinghy at the end of your descent.
As these sites are rarely frequented by skiers, blank tracks descents are usual. The atmosphere is fantastic, with sceneries where Sea and Snow flow into each other, offering some blissfully happy moments. Group: 6 or 7 skiers, with a French Mountain Guide, expert of Sail and Ski in Norway, speaking fluently English, with a near-native comprehension.
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Tour Itinerary
Day 1: After your flight, you will meet your guide by Trömso Airport, in the Arrivals hall. Transfer in taxi or bus from Airport to Trömso harbour. Boarding in l'Esprit d'Equipe where you are welcomed by the skipper. Night on board, by the harbour.
Day 2: Ullstinden (3,586 feet asl). At dawn, the yacht goes under way to Lyngen Alps. After 3 hours sailing, we anchor at Snarbybukta anchoring. A short transfer in the dinghy brings us on the beach, surrounded by silver birchs. Ascent in ski touring in a beautiful wooded small valley, then trough coombs till the final ridge which leads us to Ullstinden Peak (meaning the "Wolf peak"), 3,586 feet.
During our ascent, the yacht has moved to Oldervik anchoring on the other side of the island. We ski down on the South face, till a shingle beach, where the dinghy will pick us. Short sailing till Sandneset anchoring where we will spend the night. Duration of the stage: 4 to 5 hours. Difference of level: 3,586 feet up, 3,586 feet down.
Day 3: Uloyä Island summits, crossing from North to South. Very early in the morning, we go under way to Ulöybukta, on the North-East shore of Uloyä island. Transfer in the dinghy. Ascent in a steep forest, then through alps till a small pass, height 2,600 feet. Fantastic panorama on islands, fjords and mountains in all directions. A short and steep ascent will be made walking, before to ski up the nice ridge leading to Blatinden (3,747 feet), Uloytinden (3,655 feet) and Kjelvagtinden (3,819 feet). We ski down just before sunset on a huge spur till Haynnes anchoring, where we will spend the night. Duration of the stage: 5 to 6 hours. Difference of level: 3,937 feet up, 3,937 feet down.
Day 4: Crossing Storgalten from East to West. After a short sailing to Skipperneset beach, we climb up, through the alps and lakes of Gammvikdalen slope, till the summit dome named Storgalten, 3,999 feet. We ski down on its West slope till the shore. Short transfer to Sandneset anchoring, where we spend a second night. Duration of the stage: 5 hours. Difference of level: 3,999 feet up, 3,999 feet down.
Day 5: Arnoyä. Short sailing to Neset harbour. Easy ascent of Arnoyä, 3,445 feet, where stands a television relay station. The summit dome offers an astonishing wiew on North Atlantic. We ski down the ascent route till Neset. Boarding and night on board. Duration of the stage: 3 to 4 hours. Difference of level: 3,445 feet up, 3,445 feet down.
Day 6: Crossing Renöya Island from East to South. Short sailing to Söreidet anchoring. Up through the small valleys of Söreiddalen and Grötnesdalen, we come up to Stein-Fjellet, 2,615 feet. We ski down the South slope of the peak, between small rock faces, till our "floating hôtel", l'Esprit d'Equipe. Duration of the stage: 4 hours. Difference of level: 2,615 feet up, 2,615 feet down.
Day 7: Björnskard. Short sailing to the starting point of this ascent. The track goes on a frozen lake, then up through a wooded cirque and a long ridge with cornices, till Björnskard peak, 2,306 feet. A final steep descent will end this technically quite difficult day. Sailing to Trömso. Night on board, by the harbour. Duration of the stage: 4 hours. Difference of level: 2,306 feet up, 2,306 feet down.
Day 8: After breakfast, we disembark, and we catch a taxi for Trömso airport. Flight back home.
Your mountain guide will do everything possible to make this tour being a success. But, in Lyngen Alps, like in all mountains, exceptional risks may exist : storms, avalanches. Your guide, responsible for your life, may change the programme of this tour for your safety.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
The price includes:
- roundtrip taxi from Trömso airport to Trömso harbour
- accomodation in l'Esprit dEquipe with your personal berth, in 2 or 3 berths cabins (7 nights)
- full pension on board from Day 1 dinner included to Day 8 breakfast included
- guiding by a mountain Guide
- sailing with a skipper + a crew member
- the following group equipment in Ski touring: radio linked to l'Esprit dEquipe, pharmacy, survival blanket, ropes, maps, compass, GPS, altimeter, rescue sledge
The price does not include:
- your drinks on board, except water and tea during meals, and tea for your thermos water bottle
- your personal expenses in Trömso
- the personal equipment and the technical equipment required for this tour
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Norway
Skiing & Snowboarding
Boating and Sailing
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