- A journey on skis and by train, from the Atlantic Ocean to Swedish Lapland.
- Experience spectacular mountains and enjoy the comfort and solitude found in remote mountain cabins.
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.
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 Sildviktinden, 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
We will organize this four-day ski traverse (Thursday-Sunday) on the following dates in 2025:
- 27 February-2 March
- 13-16 March
Price
The price per person is NOK 15 950,- (provided that we get a full group of four guests). You may get a discount on this price, depending on how you choose to travel to Narvik.
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
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.
Who will you meet
Mikael af Ekenstam will be your guide on this ski traverse.
Mikael has been living and ski touring in the area around Riksgränsen and Narvik area since 1993. He 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.
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).