> What is the best guidebook to buy?
The lyngen alps is probably the best one right now. Ski touring in Troms is the one I've used and is excellent.
Apps are:
Norgeskart, it's about 5 pounds for all the features. It has a steepness overlay which is very useful, although not always perfect in couloirs.
Ut.no app also website, this is a map with cabins and tours marked
Regobs this is a map with in the field avalanche observations from people who've been out skiing. It also does the steepness overlay, but it doesn't always work on my phone
Varsom.no this is the avalanche forecast app. The English version is pretty good now.
Varsom, regobs, the steepness map, and the weather forecast are an essential part of planning before each tour.
> Should we hire a 4x4 car?
Car hire is expensive, the roads are full of potholes so drive carefully, but you don't need 4wd. Most tours start from the side of the road
> Any recomendations for places to stay - 2 people, prefer self-catering, happy to pay a bit extra for quality.
Use airbnb or search feriehus lyngen on Google and finn.no. Near lyngseidet is the most central.
> I expect weather forecasting to be tricky/unreliable, but is there an obvious website I should look at?
Yr.no, storm.no. Weather forecasting is difficult in Norway, and they've had some epic fails, but it's all there is.
> Any recomendations for don't miss ski tours/great descents/summits. (we have plenty of skiing/ski touring and mountaineering experience, happy on steep-ish terrain, climbing exposed ridges etc, upto 2000m ascent per day).
The jiehkkevarri traverse is the classic, it's a big day, about 30km, and 2500m, it took us 13hrs, although we had a long walk out as the snow didn't go all the way.
If you like couloirs, lyngen is paradise. Lots in the book, however the "godmother of all couloirs" on forholttinden/rødbergtinden isn't I think, search on the web.
Finally, if you're there April 14, there is the skittentind rando race open to all.
> Any recommendations for bad weather days
Go fishing.