20 Steps to Heaven: Ski Tour Norway's Frozen North

Home to perhaps the finest collection of ski touring peaks in the World, here's the best of what northern Norway has to offer.

Charlie Boscoe

Images

Top of the couloir

Great skiing lower down

The west facing slopes of Trollfjordtindan

Unusual ski scenery.

Climbing the line.

Skiing above the coast; magnificent Lofoten couloir skiing.

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View towards Storstolpan and Storsteinnestinden from the summit

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

Creative Commons: Attribution

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The lake you cross

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

Creative Commons: Attribution

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First slope from the parking

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

Creative Commons: Attribution

The lake and the last South-facing slope to the summit

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

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View to the west from the summit

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

Creative Commons: Attribution

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View down to Ersfjorden from the summit

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

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Start of the last ascent to the summit

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

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The last North-West facing slope

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

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The view to Skamtinden

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

Creative Commons: Attribution

On Redotinden (848 m)

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Store Kågtinden (1228 m) from the summit of Redotinden (848 m)

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Looking back to Stokknesdalen

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Midnight sun during the ascent of Storsandnestinden

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Dropping into the north glacier route on Store Kågtinden

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Storsandnestinden (1097 m)

Havnnes and Lyngen Alps, seen from Rotsund

by Peter Schön

Ascending Blåtinden

by Peter Schön

View to the Lyngen Alps

by Peter Schön

Ascending Blåtinden

by Peter Schön

Road in Havnnes

During the ski descent of the NE route

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Starting the descent of the NE face route

by Peter Schön (copyright)

On the summit ridge

by Peter Schön (copyright)

The traverse beneath Peak 822 - watch overhead hazard

by Konrad Ehelebe (copyright) - skier: Peter Schön

On the summit ridge

by Konrad Ehelebe (copyright) - skier: Peter Schön

On the lower section of the route

by Peter Schön (copyright). Skier: Konrad Ehelebe

The summit of Arnøhøgda - and the tricky last part of the ridge (taken in January)

by Peter Schön (copyight)

The summit of Arnøhøgda - and the tricky last part of the ridge (taken in April)

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Lookin back from the summit to the ski depot on the ridge

by Peter Schön (copyright)

January sunrise on Arnøyhøgda (1170m)

by Peter Schön (copyright)

On the top plateau towards the summit of Jiehkkevarri

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

Creative Commons: Attribution

Skinning towards Kveita

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

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Balcony

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

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The Southwest Glacier

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

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Balcony

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

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View over Lakselv massif

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

Creative Commons: Attribution

Mind-blowing views from midway up the main bowl

by Charlie Boscoe

Skinning up through the trees low down

by Charlie Boscoe

Beautiful mellow skiing at the end of a long day

by Charlie Boscoe

Looking up at the route from the treeline

by Charlie Boscoe

Perfect conditions in the Tomas Couloir.

by Charlie Boscoe

Licence Free

Approaching the Tomas Couloir in murky weather.

by Charlie Boscoe

The view across the Lakselvdalen.

by Charlie Boscoe

Enjoying the incredible views on the way up.

by Charlie Boscoe

Low down on the ascent.

by Charlie Boscoe

Looking up at the Tomas Coulior from Lakselbukt village.

by Charlie Boscoe

Starting out on the ascent.

by Charlie Boscoe

Dropping into the couloir in atmospheric conditions

by Charlie Boscoe

Looking up at the line during the approach

by Charlie Boscoe

Earning the turns!

by Charlie Boscoe

Skinning up towards the line

by Charlie Boscoe

This is the view you want to see - the alternative would be having to break the trail yourself!

by Charlie Boscoe

The 'Axe cleft'.

In the tight upper section.

Hard snow, maximum concentration.

Working those jump turns.

Quality skiing

by Peter Schön (copyright)

On the way up

by Peter Schön (copyright)

On the way up

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Melkefjellert from the road. The right one is the west summit

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Tredjetoppen north side

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Nice turns on the middle section

by Peter Schön (copyright)

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Nice turns on the middle section

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Storsteinsfjellet summit as seen from the SE glacier

by Peter Schön (copyright)

View from the summit (looking NE)

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Looking down the SE glacier during the ski descent

by Peter Schön (copyright)

The Norddalen road - good clearance and spare tyre are advised

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Just above the step bottom section. Head lookers left here to avoid the prominent crevasse zone visible

by Anders Stormo

Just before entering the glacier

by Anders Stormo

The route up (approximate), seen in April from Rienatčohkka (1555 m)

by Peter Schön

Huinnarčohkka (1788 m) seen from Lossihytta

by Peter Schön

The lower section of the route in Juli - you can still access the upper sking pitches from the NE route

The upper section of the glacier as seen from the NE route.

by Peter Schön

Huinnarčohkka and its glacier (right of summit) in April

by Peter Schön

Ippočohkka as seen from Lossistua to the north

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Descending Ippočohkka

by Peter Schön (copyright). Rider: Maik Heuer

The lower section of Ippočohkka

by Peter Schön (copyright)

Skiing "the Finger"

by Peter Schön

Linken (1003 m) as seen from the way to Andretoppen

by Peter Schön

Skiing "the Finger"

by Peter Schön

by Peter Schön

Start of Lyngsdalen

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

Creative Commons: Attribution

View from the summit to the north

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

Creative Commons: Attribution

At the end of Lyngsdalen and you look up towards the summit

by Gard Johannes Gauteplass

Creative Commons: Attribution

Description

Give a ski tourer a rental car plus a commitment-free month and most would choose to go to northern Norway. The reasons? Truly epic scenery, perfect ski terrain of all shapes and sizes and reliable, cold snow. It's a dream combination and in this guidebook you'll find 20 adventures which, when linked together, will provide you with a logical route through this legendary area. The ideal way to do the trip would be to start with the southernmost routes in mid to late March and then work your way north over the following weeks.

You'll start out with some of the finest backcountry ski tours around Narvik (including a couple of lift-assisted routes), and head north-west onto the mythical Lofoten Islands and then continue further north to the legendary peaks of Lyngen and some of the unique islands of the Norwegian north coast such as Kvaløya, Kagen and Arnøya. As if all that doesn't sound like enough, we've also included the Oksehugget Couloir - the best steep couloir in the high and wild Tamokdalen range - and a fun ski tour from the E6 highway between Narvik and Tromsø.

So, that's your roadtrip route sorted, now you just need a month off work!