A hut-to-hut ski touring and train adventure 28 April-2 May 2027
- Meet other highly experienced industry leaders and mountain enthusiasts in a collaborative touring summit, travelling on skis and by train, from the Atlantic Ocean to Swedish Lapland.
- Together we will learn about relevant sustainability topics and co-create tomorrow’s solutions.
Powerful experiences
Deep insights
Description
The contrasts between the steep mountains that rise out of the Atlantic Ocean near Narvik in Northern Norway and the vast mountains on the Swedish side of the border is striking. On this ski traverse we will traverse across the border and through wild, dramatic and remote landscapes.
By ski touring along the Iron Ore Railway, that runs from Sweden to Norway, we will be able to connect some great mountain areas by hopping on and off the train at different places on the traverse.
We will stay at mountain cabins and tourist stations along the way. After a day of ski touring you will enjoy the luxury of having a hot sauna and a well-tasting meal while sharing moments from the day with the other participants.
The physical experience and the environment we’re touring in, will serve as a powerful platform to co-develop and train leaderships skills to run the progressive businesses we need in a time of disruption and crisis. Topics covered may include innovative thinking, climate risk, impact investment, and future-fit leadership – we will adapt it to the collective thoughts, competence and experience in the group.
Itinerary
Day 0
We meet at 8 pm at Quality Hotel Grand Royal in Narvik for a briefing and packing of equipment. This is also where you will stay overnight.
Day 1
After a nice breakfast at the hotel there is some time for complementing your equipment before we catch the train at 10:30 am. After a short train ride we arrive in the small idyllic settlement of Katterat. Here we can step directly into our skis and tour up to the summit of Hunddalstoppen, where the view of the Rombaken fjord is amazing. After an enjoyable run down past Katterat we have a short walk up to the scenic and isolated Vokterboligen cabin, where we will be the only guests for the night.
Day 2
From Vokterboligen we start ski touring up towards the national border to Sweden and the mountains south of Riksgränsen. Here we have plenty of terrain to choose from when we try to find the best available snow on our traverse eastwards across the border. We will eventually turn our skis down to Katterjokk Turiststation, located right by the railway. Here we will enjoy one of the nicest saunas in the area.
Day 3
Since we have the railway and the mountains situated right outside of the front door we can choose to start the day by a short train ride to our next touring objective, or start touring directly from tourist station. Either way, we have plenty of good touring and skiing options before we reach the place where we will stay for our final night: the Låktatjåkko Mountain Lodge high up in the mountains. A stay overnight here is a really memorable experience.
Day 4
Since we’re waking at almost the same level as the surrounding summits, our final day on the ski traverse will involve more vertical meters skied down than what we have to walk up. Björkliden is our final destination and we will find a route with good skiing and a beautiful backdrop.
On this traverse we have plenty of alternative routes to choose from and we will find a route that is adapted to the current snow and avalanche conditions as well as the weather and the wishes of the participants.
Dates
- 28 April-2 May 2027 (9 spots available)
Price
The price per person is NOK 17 450,- (provided that we get a full group).
Included in the price:
- A guide for four days
- Accommodation for four days/nights in double rooms (you will share room with a person of the same sex)
- Use of the saunas at the cabins
- Three two-course dinners, breakfasts and lunch packs
- Transports on the traverse and from Björkliden to Narvik at the end of the traverse (if you need it)
Not included in the price:
- Dinner on the first night (day 0) in Narvik
- Soft drinks or alcohol at the cabins
- Sheets on the cabins (bring your own sleeping bag liner)
- Personal ski touring gear and clothing
- Avalanche equipment (can be rented)
- Transportation to/from Narvik
Level of difficulty
This is a relatively demanding ski tour, where you must have basic touring experience and skiing or splitboarding abilities so that you can manage different types of snow conditions in off-piste terrain. The physical condition of participants should be at a level where one can comfortably run for 5 km without stopping.
We will adapt the program continuously to fit with the group’s skiing ambitions and the topics that we wish to discuss. By having two guides we can split into two separate groups, with touring objectives of different length and difficulty.
The organizers and guides
Brita Staal is an experienced climate leader with a demonstrated history of change- and sustainability management successes working in the NGO and environmental services industry. She has created and monitored sustainability- and climate strategies for Nordic corporations and scaled and coordinated Protect our Winters to 10 nations across Europe. With strong founder and business development skills, and experiences from climate risk tech, and impact investment Brita look forward to facilitate meaningful discussions at our high camp.
Mikael af Ekenstam has been working professionally with sustainability issues for the last 20 years, together with ambitious clients in Norway and abroad. Mikael has skiing merits that include wins in both the Norwegian and Scandinavian Championships in free skiing as well as starring in several big ski movies. He’s also authored two guidebooks on ski touring in Northern Scandinavia, including the Narvik region. When ski guiding, he strives to facilitate strong and insightful nature experiences.
Carl Lundberg is an internationally certified mountain guide and ECO-Travel pioneer. After pursuing a lifestyle based on international travel as a climber, skier and mountain guide he realized the impact it entailed and started a rapid transition towards low impact travel and lifestyle. Carl’s past includes a military career to the rank of Major in parallel with M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in engineering. Carl is the President of the Swedish Mountain Guide Association and a member of the Environmental Committee of the International Mountain Guides Association, IFMGA. His NGO engagement includes being one of the first Europeans selected to be a Protect Our Winters Ambassador.
Practical information
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?
— Boots and skis or split board for touring
— Clothing for ski touring
— A sleeping bag liner
— Backpack of 40-50 liters
— Poles, ascension skins and ski crampons
— Shovel, probe, and transceiver
— Helmet
— Avalanche airbag if you wish
For those of you who need equipment, you can rent it at Narvikfjellet – Please let us know your needs and we will help you organise.
The event is insured under the liability insurance of the organizer, but each participant is strongly encouraged to have a personal insurance/travel insurance to cover any damages or injuries that may happen.
TRAVEL INFO
You can arrive at Narvik train or bus station, or EVE airport with a bus transfer to Narvik. After arriving in Björkliden we will take the afternoon train or car back to Narvik. We will make sure to arrive in Björkliden in time for the afternoon night train to Stockholm. It will be possible to leave a bag in Narvik with things that you don’t need to bring on the ski traverse (we will arrange transport of the bags to Björkliden for those that wish to hop on the afternoon night train to Stockholm).