tucLofoten islands touring ski Norway

NORWAY-LOFOTEN ISLANDS SKI MOUNTAINEERING AND OTHERS ACTIVITIES

Sunday, April 4, 2021: International flight to Harstad/Narvik Airport -Evenes (EVE) Our guides will welcome you at the airport and take you to the nearby hotel where we will spend the first night.

Monday, April 5th: after breakfast at the hotel, we will start the journey to Svolvaer (Lofoten Islands) and midway through our first ski tour, which will give us a different point of view than the one we will find on the islands. Possibility of excursion in rackets for non-skiers. After this tour, we will continue to travel one more hour to our house on the island of Austvågøya, where we will spend the rest of the week.
That same afternoon we will also take the opportunity to buy the meal of the week in the nearby town of Svolver.

Tuesday, 6 April: The scheme of this day will be repeated the rest of the days in Lofoten. Breakfast in the house, route information by the guides, group delivery (skiers and non-skiers), departure by car to the starting point of the route and then return to the house to rest. The arrival time will depend on the route chosen, but it usually is longer on sunny days and somewhat shorter in case of wind conditions etc.
At dinner time, each day a volunteer will be offered to cook and the rest of the group will be able to collaborate.

Wednesday, 7th to Saturday 10th April: departure by mountain ski group or alternative activity according to preferences. Same scheme for every day, different routes every day.

Sunday, April 11th: After picking up the house, we traveled to the airport. 2h 15' journey. I'm flying back.

Included:

Transfer by private vehicle for all mountain activities during the week.
Transfer to and from Harstad/Narvik Airport by private vehicle as long as it suits the group's schedule. (Coordinate flights in advance)
1 night in hotel in a dormitory double room
6 nights at Lofoten's house in a dormitory double room.
1 high mountain guide for every 6 people.
1 half-mountain guide per group.
6 days of mountain and/or half mountain skiing activity.
Prior advice from Tuc Mountain Guides.
Reservation management for other activities.

Not included:

Plane tickets.
Any food or drink during the program.
Hire extra activities that have an additional cost, such as: surfing, fishing, museums, guides outside Tuc Mountain Guides.
Mountain material for activities.
Private taxis or transfers that do not suit the program and schedules of the group.
Accident insurance.
Any other items not mentioned above.

General Information:

Each participant must have the current year's federal mountain license, valid for mountain skiing in the area where the activity is carried out.
The practice of mountain skiing poses dangers. Each participant on this journey assumes responsibility individually.
The mountain guide reserves the right to modify the program according to the climatic, nivological, group factor or any other cause that he believes may be decisive.

Guides and activities in this program:

Mountain ski guide ratio: 1 high mountain guide for every 6 skiers.
Additionally, a guide to half-mountain activities for non-skiers.

This trip is designed to include both people who do mountain skiing as well as their companions or friends who do not ski, but wish to enjoy a week in Lofoten with different activities that we will propose every day. For the latter, we incorporate a mountain guide that will take the "non-skiers" to know some corners of the archipelago, whether making excursions with snowshoes, cross-country skiing, boat trips to get to know the coast, fishing, initiation to surf with monitor, fishing villages and Viking museum.

The group of skiers will leave independently of the other group, each morning to look for the best snow and mountain ski routes that best suit the conditions of the moment and the preferences of the participants according to the criteria of the guide. Always in small groups of one guide for every 6 customers maximum to achieve greater dynamism in each day.

Touring skis (adjusted bindings) soles and edges repaired
Touring ski boots
Telescopic touring ski poles
Skins
Wax for limiting the snow to build up under the skis

Anti snow plate crampons. Preferably made of steel
Ice axe
Helmet (optional)
Ski crampons

Snow shovel
Probe 240cm
Transceiver (batteries in charge)

Sunglasses
Goggles
Sun cream 50+
Lip balm 50+

Thin ski gloves
Thick ski gloves
Replacement gloves
Medium thickness socks + spare

Touring ski pants
Thermal underpants
Gore-Tex ski pants
Gore-tex ski jacket
Fleece
Primaloft

Thermal undershirt + spare
Buff
Hat
Cap

Backpack 40l max.
Snacks (sandwich, dry nuts, cereal bars,...)
Water bottle 1.5l or Camelback bag
Medicines for personal use

Headlight + batteries
Light harness
Dyneema ring 120cm
Ice screw
Two screw-lock carabiners

Silk sleeping bag
Isothermal blanket
Watch / altimeter
Après-ski shoes
Flip flop
Swimsuit

Mobile phone
ID
Driving license
Cash (provide foreign currency)
Mountaineering federation license valid for Norway.
Abroad Health insurance
Camera

For the outdoor activity that you plan to be successful it is very important that it accommodates to your level, both physical and technical. Here we present some guidelines so that you can get an idea of what your level is according to the programs we propose. However, we recommend reaching to us so we can help you personally and adapt the program to your conditions.

Ski touring & Freeride

TECHNICAL level

1 = Beginner. Never ski toured before. Is a regular ski resort skier that occasionally goes off-piste. Black runs are not a problem for its level.
2 = Starter. Has experienced ski touring, climbing with skins (skinning). Is familiar with all the ski touring gear. Capable of uphill kick turning on not very steep terrain. Knows how to place and use ski crampons. Ski climbs safely through all kinds of snows on a trace. Skies down efficiently on ungroomed terrain, even on steep but wide slopes.
3 = Intermediate. Regular touring skier, . Trained on the basic techniques of skinning and uphill kick turn. Can change directions on slopes of 35º. Able to place ski crampons and crampons in an autonomous way. Skies down effectively on all kinds of ungroomed terrain and steepness.
4 = Advanced. Masters the technique of skinning on slopes up to 40º - 45º. Moves safely with skins on steep and icy slopes. Basic knowledge of mountaineering, use of crampons and ice axe as well as rope work. Skies down safely on every snow condition and steepness.
5 = Very advanced. Extensive experience in touring and mountaineering ski. Moves effectively changing direction on all kind of terrain, even on exposed places. Very good skier on every snow condition and steep terrain, as well as in exposed passages. Goes frequently on one-day or multi-day ski tours, spending the nights in huts. Familiar using the ice axe and crampons on all types of mountain domain. Knowledge and training on rope work, protection and self-arrest.

FITNESS level

1 = Able to ascend 600 meters of elevation gain skinning for 3 hours carrying a light backpack of about 5 kg.
2 = Able to ski tour for 4 or 5 hours overcoming 800 meters of elevation gain with a backpack of about 5 kg at a 300 meters an hour pace.
3 = Able to accomplish 5 to 7 hours routes and 1000 meters elevation gain with a backpack of about 7 kg at a 300 meters an hour pace.
4 = Able to succeed on alpine routes of up to 8 hours and 1200 meters of elevation gain with a backpack of about 8 kg at a 400 meters an hour pace.
5 = Able to carry out alpine routes of more than 8 hours long and between 1500 and 2000 meters elevation gain with a 10 kg backpack at a 400 meters an hour pace.

Next Dates :

April 4-11, 2021

Description

The Lofoten archipelago is located on the parallel 68o north latitude, within the Arctic Circle. Its natural richness, rugged mountains and endless options for skiers have made Lofoten a must-see destination for every mountain skier.

But it is also a valuable destination for any outdoor lover wanting to explore its landscapes, its fishing villages combining coastal tourism and excursions with rackets, surfing, boating, northern lights watching, fishing, etc. For all this, in this program we include a guide who will accompany part of the group to discover all the possibilities of the archipelago while the other part of the group practices mountain skiing.

We will stay in a house located on a quiet icy lake and very close to most routes, although we will need to travel about an hour's drive to access some excursions.

The house has a large living room, terrace, kitchen with table for breakfast and meals that the same group will prepare each day, five double bedrooms and an additional living room with floor-to-ceiling windows on the top floor. Recently built, it is ideal to share this activity, or just to enjoy its tranquility and mountain views.