3 Countries Arctic Ski Expedition
Overview
| Duration: | 8 days (incl. travel), 6 days on snow |
| Grade: | Strenuous |
| Departure date: | 26th Feb to 5th March 2023 |
| Group size: | 8 people max |
| Fees: | €2,990pp/£2,750 + flights €450 approx Fees payable in installments |
| Additional costs: | Flights (approx €450), excursions, travel insurance. |
Highlights
- Arctic Exploration
- Remote, off-grid wilderness
- Awe-inspiring Arctic tundra
- Hanging glaciers and granite rock walls
- Frozen lakes and deep snowdrifts
- Surreal sunsets
- Northern Lights potential
What`s included
- All in-country fees.
- Pre-departure training in advance of the trip
- All specialist equipment hire: skis/sleeping bags/jackets etc
- All meals
- Internal transfers
- Accommodation
- Expert tuition & guiding
3 Countries ARCTIC Ski Expedition
Backcountry ski tour hut-to-hut through Arctic Tundra: 3 Countries Arctic Ski Expedition.
Join us on a 5-day backcountry ski circuit through Finland, Norway and Sweden. Including travel, this is an 8-day trip.
Traveling as a self-sufficient team, we will be skiing hut to hut across the bewitching and awe-inspiring Arctic tundra. This stark, unforgiving, yet beautiful landscape gives us the opportunity to enhance our backcountry winter skills, where each person plays a vital role in the team’s success.
A high level of fitness is essential for this expedition, please contact us before booking if you have any questions. Ski experience is an advantage.
Along the way we will ski past hanging glaciers and granite rock walls, across massive frozen lakes and deep snowdrifts.
Your sense of space, distance and time will get distorted as the incredible clarity of the light leads to a false sense of perspective. Learn to embrace the meditative rhythm of breaking new trails on fresh snow, as the silence seeps into your consciousness.
All specialist equipment hire is included.
3 Countries Arctic Ski Expedition: Who’s it for?
Fit outdoors people who are looking for the next step! Those who want to dip their toes into Arctic Exploration, preparing for one of the major crossings. Maybe you’ve done a big trek or one of our other expeditions and feel there’s more out there calling you…
Expert tuition
We also include a briefing/training day in Wicklow and ongoing support in advance of the course.
There are no hidden extras – all specialist equipment hire is included: sleeping bags, down jackets, skis etc.
3 Countries Arctic Ski Expedition: Accommodation
The first two nights and the final night will be in basic comfortable cabins. The remainder of the nights are spent in remote huts or tents. The huts vary in their level of comfort, all are shared accommodation/dorms. There may be other people using the huts. Camping is also a possibility. We cook communally as a group each evening.
Equipment
We will provide you with all the specialist equipment as follows:
- Sleeping bag
- Down Jacket
- Mitts
- Sled (known as a pulk)
- Backcountry ski equipment
- Snowshoes
- Camping equipment if necessary
We’ll provide you with a full kit list. All participants receive a 15% discount on purchases in our store in advance of departure.
We also include a briefing/training day in Wicklow and offer ongoing support in advance of the course.
3 Countries ARctic Ski Expedition: FAQs
Fitness is very important. You will be joining a team who will be depending on each other for the success of this expedition. You need to be able to sustain 5 tough days, back-to-back. There are no rest days, there are no shortcuts.
Everyone will have concerns about their fitness. Best thing to do is talk to us. Don’t turn up in the Arctic hoping for the best!!
Preferably yes, but if you’re fit and a fast learner we can get you up to speed quickly. We’ll have a training session on your first day on the snow.
Daytime temperatures will vary from -4 to -15 and nighttime will vary from -12 to -25. As we’re traveling through the Arctic Tundra we are very exposed to the weather, especially wind. If winds pick up then temperatures we feel will drop and it may make progress very slow and result in very long days on the skis.
They are similar but with the following differences:
– Skis are a little wider with metal edges to help turn
– Boots are bigger- like a chunky trekking boot
– We don’t ski in the tracks like Cross Country, instead we make our own!
Being caught in an avalanche is a problem, avoiding one is a skill. Our guides hold the professional International Mountain Leader (IML) and Level 2 Arctic Guide qualifications and have considerable experience of reading avalanche terrain and avoiding it.
Flights, you can arrange these yourself or we can have our travel partner assist you. The extra kit as per the kit list. If you’re missing anything we can advise on how to best purchase, any extra tours etc. Travel insurance. And any comfort munchies you’d like to bring.
Once you’ve secured your place by paying the €200 deposit you can then pay the balance of your fees in installments up to the end of December before departure. You can pay whatever you like as often as you like.
We are limiting this expedition to 8 participants. There will be at least 2 guides.
It is essential that all participants take out additional insurance for the trip. This should cover repatriation to UK/Ireland and rescue fees. Your insurance must list guided backcountry skiing. Let us know if you need details on insurance companies. We also advise that you apply for your EHIC (formally E11).
Don’t miss this amazing experience in a stunning location.
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