3 Countries Ski Expedition
Overview
| Duration: | 8 days (incl. travel) |
| Departure date: | March 2022 (2021 expedition is now full, we’re taking bookings for 2022- just 4 places remaining) |
| Fees: | €2,590pp + flights |
| Additional costs: | Flights (approx €450), excursions, travel insurance. |
Highlights
- Arctic Exploration
- Awe-inspiring Arctic tundra
- Hanging glaciers and granite rock walls
- Frozen lakes and deep snowdrifts
What`s included
- All bus transfers in-country
- Accommodation
- Specialist equipment hire
- Specialist cold-weather equipment
- All meals
- Expert tuition
3 Countries Ski Expedition
Backcountry ski tour hut-to-hut through Arctic Tundra: 3 Countries Ski Expedition.
Join us on a 5-day backcountry ski circuit through Finland, Norway and Sweden. Including travel, this is an 9-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.
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.
3 Countries Ski Expedition: Who’s for it
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 Ski Expedition: Accommodation
The first two nights and the final night will be in basic comfortable cabins. The remainder of the nights will be spent in remote huts. These huts vary in their level of comfort, all are shared accommodation/dorms. There may be other people using the huts. We’ll 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
- Backcountry ski equipment
We’ll provide you with a full kit list. All participant 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 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 the afternoon of day 2.
Daytime temperatures will vary from -4 to -12 and night time will vary from -12 to -25. As we’re travelling 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) qualification and have considerable experience of reading avalanche terrain and avoiding it.
Flights, you can arrange these yourself or we can have our travel partner. 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.
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).
This expedition is provided by counterparts in German: Sustainable Adventure Experiences WHR UG.
All images @catvinton
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This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to push yourself, learn new skills and survive the extreme cold of the arctic regions.
