Ísafjörður Ski Touring

Photos

A selection of multi day!

Ski in the fjords surrounding our picturesque home town

Not all great skiing in the Westfjords requires boat access and sea transfers. Ísafjörður offer many great mountains and the comfort of good food and a nice place to stay in the center of Ísafjörður, all you could possibly want for some great days of skiing is right around the corner.

Enjoy the warm small town's hospitality while being treated with some incredible skiing and a good possibility to do first descents down the mountain of your choice. The Westfjords of Iceland are known for its thick snowpack and from the mountain tops you will be rewarded with panoramic view of the sea and vast mountainous landscape.

While staying in town and driving short distances to our skiing locations, guests will still be able to enjoy the feeling of skiing close to the Arctic Circle with no other skiers around. The best mountains in the area are in very short driving distance and we put the skis on right next to the car and start skinning to the top of the peak of our choice that day.

Backcountry skiing in Westfjords

Ski some of the same runs that the European Marmot Pro Team used for their winter catalog and promotional video in 2014. Watch the movie below!

Season: February through April

Availability: Upon request for a minimum of 4 people.

Price: ISK 214.000 per person

Included:

Same day airport transfers in Ísafjörður
Three nights accommodation in Ísafjörður in a nice guesthouse
Transport for skiing
Professional guiding

Not included:

Travel to and from Ísafjörður, Iceland unless specifically mentioned in itinerary
Food
Personal medical insurance
Personal equipment. All ski equipment can be rented from us.

Day 1

We will meet in the morning at our office in Aðalstræti 17 (downtown main street) , guests who arrive to Ísafjörður in the morning will be picked up from the airport. From there we will gather our ski equipment and prepare for the days adventures. We will drive about 20 minutes, from Ísafjörður through the tunnel to Botnsdalur Valley. After a through gear check and beacon training, we begin to ski up the ridge to Búrfell Mountain (745 m), taking in the panoramic view from the top. Once at the peak we will ski down to the frozen lakes below us. There we will take time for a well deserved lunch break. After lunch we will make our way around Mt Burfell and up to the top of Kistufell. Once atop, we prepare for the exhilarating final run down the bowl and valley floor to the car. With the day coming to a close we will drive to Suðureyri village for a soothing evening in the pool before going back to Ísafjörður for dinner.

Day 2

Today we embark on a mission to ski the highest mountain in all of the Westfjords. After a drive that takes us part way up the valley we will begin our ascent up Mt. Kaldbakur. The mountain peak sits at 998 m but with a good winters snow we should be able to get our feet up to 1,000 m. The mountains in that range are totally different from other mountains in the Westfjords, characterized by jagged peaks that resemble the Alps. There is an easy route up to the top, where on a clear day, an amazing view awaits us. If snow conditions are not favorable on Kaldbakur, there are many other beautiful mountains close by that are very nice to ski. The day will finish with dinner and accommodation in Isafjordur.

Day 3
We start the day with a short drive, about 20 minutes to the small town of Sudavik. We start skinning up to the bowl under Sauratindar and up to the top, reaching 856 meters. We then make a beautiful ride down to the valley floor between the rock pinnacles. After few high fives and snacks, we get going again up the valley and head for the top of Mt. Rauðkollur. From the top we have a picturesque view over Isafjordur and a few glacier-carved bowls to choose from to ski down. Very beautiful run to the valley of Engidalur where our transport is waiting.

Day 4
On our final day we plan to make a ski tour across the mountains between the town of Bolungarvík and Ísafjörður. We start with a 15 minute drive over to Hanholl Farm in Bolungarvik. We will follow the snow covered river up to Heidarskard Pass and climb the beautiful ridge of Mt. Heidnafjall. After taking in the beautiful panoramic view we will carve some nice turns down to Hnífsdalur Valley. After lunch we maintain our altitude and head up to Mt. Eyrarfjall. From there we ski pass the remains of what was once the best ski lift in Iceland, before being destroyed by an avalanche in April 1994. The run ends with us passing through some of the best... make that the only tree run in Iceland, before reaching the valley floor in Tungudalur, just minutes away from the center of town. Guests will be back in time to catch the evening flight to Reykjavik but we always recommend staying an extra night and/or day to enjoy our lovely town of Isafjordur.

Ski touring gear and avalanche gear can be rented from us for an additional fee of ISK 25.000 per person.

Skis, boots, poles and skins. Make sure the glue on the skins is good. If wearing new boots, make sure you have tried them out few times to see if they fit properly. Blisters are never fun.
Avalanche gear (beacon, shovel and probe). It´s a must to carry all three items. We have a few beacons and shovels that you can rent for a small fee. Just ask us before leaving home.
Thermal underwear, at least two sets of shirts. Wool or synthetic. No cotton!
Wool or fleece thermal mid layer, take two thin layers instead of one thick one.
Waterproof and breathable pants and jacket.
Thermal jacket (down or fiber) optional.
Wool / fleece hat.
Two pairs of gloves and one pair of mittens.
2 to 3 pairs thick wool / synthetic skiing socks (not too thick).
Ski goggles.
Dark sun glasses.
Sunscreen / after sun cream.
Swim suit and towel.
Backpack. 30-40L is the right size. Make sure it has ski straps.
Personal medical kit to include personal medication and i.e. band aids, throat lozenges, lip salves, sea-sickness tablets etc. Don't forget regular medication you may need (e.g. Asthma, bring your inhaler, even if you do not always need it).
1 litre water bottle or thermos.
Don't forget your camera!