5 of us have a ski trip booked to the Lyngen Alps in March. Got a map , car hire and accommodation sorted. Staying at Magic Mountain Lodge i think where we can hopefully get an on-the-ground update on conditions etc..
It's quite hard to make much sense of the map at the moment- everything looks steep! and very little is marked in the way of access.
I've done a search on here and come across all the great videos including Andreas Fransson's couloir stuff.
Can anyone who's been independently or otherwise recommend must do peaks/descents etc so we can start working out logistics of where all the best/classic stuff to do actually is. We wont have speedboat access so that excludes a lot of those amazing looking lines that drop straight to the sea! We're all fairly capable skiers and all bar one have done plenty alpine climbing too. Looking for a whole range of days out- easy, long, short, steep, bad weather options etc..
Should we get any other maps than the one for the main peninsula? and can anyone tell me if this the right guidebook.
I have no direct experience but that is the right guidebook (in the sense that it does cover Lyngen!). You might consider getting the Tromso Fastland map for some easier/less serious days.
(We are going in April, but have more moderate ambitions, and will be based on Kvaloya).
When we did it a couple of years ago, we based ourselves in Nordmannvik in Kafjord, across the fjord from the peninsula. We had access to a small boat, but never got to use it, as it was super windy every day, so never got to do any of the Lyngen side descents.
Having said that, there was a huge amount to go at on the Kafjord side as well and we did Sorbmegaisa, Svartfjelte, Uloya island, something on Kagen island that I can't remember, and Storehaugen. We had hire cars and for Uloya we used the ferry to get across.
In reply to craigloon: Brilliant, all info much appreciated. Just trying to get the head aound all these names and places. Just not quite sure where everything is yet. The Lyngen Lodge blog seems like it should be useful as the season progresses.
In reply to graeme gatherer: > It's quite hard to make much sense of the map at the moment- everything looks steep!
It's not, honest. I'm a telemarker of very moderate skills, so anything I can do, a half decent alpine skier should be able to do with ease. I'd aim to do Tafeltinden, that was a fantastic day. http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=141183 You do go on a glacier but its very straightforward.
> and very little is marked in the way of access.
You generally just park on the road along the coast and start from there. It's all pretty straight forward. As long as you don't go through their gardens, the locals don't seem bothered in the slightest. Everyman's right and all that.
Kavringtinden, above Lyngseidet is a classic. The locals seem to go up on skinny touring skis and tele down way more stylishly than I do on fatter skis with placcy boots, but of course they would! It the one of the left: http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=35145 The one of the right, Rørnesfjellet, is also a nice day, with great views down the fjord that nearly splits Lyngen.
The stuff across the fjord on the Kåfjord side is fantastic with lots of great skis for the less hardcore (me) http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=141324. It's a nice ferry ride from Lyngseidet - does cost a bit, but OK and fun in its own right. Of course, whilst the slopes aren't so steep there and wide and open, it doesn't mean the normal dangers don't apply - that's where the big avalanche that killed all those poor folk was last year.
On UKC, both Dave and HeMa have done really quite a lot in Lyngen so they can give more advice. Dave has done lots on the SW side, from the Lakselvbukt valley. I've only been round there in the car, and to climb Piggtinden in summer.
In reply to Kimberley: Very sobering! We're usually pretty cautious in areas we don't know. Hoping for great snow, some blue skies and an adventure somewhere new. Thanks for the link
> (In reply to graeme gatherer)
>
> I have no direct experience but that is the right guidebook (in the sense that it does cover Lyngen!). You might consider getting the Tromso Fastland map for some easier/less serious days.
>
> (We are going in April, but have more moderate ambitions, and will be based on Kvaloya).
When in April? I'm going to be out there for the first 2 weeks with a few mates. No great ambitions beyond getting out there. Well, I have, but the others think/know I am crazy.
Was staying with a friend who lives in Breivikeidet that week. When we turned up, she told us about the strange conditions that they had in the mountains, that had created the weak layers, and to stay off anything steep. That Monday we skied on Ullstinden, to the north east of Tromso. Very sobering to hear the news that night, sadly confirming what she had told us. We spent the week on fairly benign slopes.
I can't offer much help with Lyngen, as we only went for a day, and we did probably the least exciting mountain on the peninsula! Should you find yourself in the area, the mountains in the Tromso area are amazing as well. The birch tree skiing is fun! A few pictures here: http://www.scomuir.com/scoweb/routes/season.asp?theDayID=429&SeasonID=5...
I suspect you will find, like I did, that you spend most of the time with your jaw hanging open!
> When in April? I'm going to be out there for the first 2 weeks with a few mates. No great ambitions beyond getting out there. Well, I have, but the others think/know I am crazy.
The Troms Topptur guide is rather good... gives pretty all the good (and obvious) lines in around Troms... including Lyngen.
There's a lot to ski, and just like Toby said, from mellow telewanker lines to stuff Fransson does.
Sadly the guidebook has sort of spoiled that area... Part of the charm used to be lookin' at the maps (and talkin' with frieds who'd been there) and trying to figure out what to do tomorrow...
> Sadly the guidebook has sort of spoiled that area... Part of the charm used to be lookin' at the maps (and talkin' with frieds who'd been there) and trying to figure out what to do tomorrow...
Not having the guide, that's what we have always done. But the area does seem to get ever more popular and well known. I'm trying to think, but I think on all the mountains I did in 2010, each day there were a few other teams about. Wasn't like that back in the old days!
We are heading back on the 14th so virtually no overlap. Will probably be propping up a bar in tromso trying to get rid of the last of my krone. Given my experience of Norwegian pubs it won't take long '
In reply to graeme gatherer: Have toy read, "We Die Alone"?
It is a story of survival set against Nazi occupied Norway and is based around that area if I remember correctly. Makes Touching the Viod look like a walk in the park. Highly recommended!
You should have been in the Pyrenees. Pic d'Aneto area: six days touring, we met three parties total.
Mind you, Spanish hut breakfasts were therefore cr@p. 1200m/day on a breakfast of stale cake and black coffee ? Made "The Way Back" look like "Seven".... I was contemplating eating the glue off my skins.
Been there a couple of times and stayed on Uloya both times. Say hello to Hege if you go there - she's the lady who more or less greets you as you get off the ferry and will be running the shop there. Very, very helpful and a real character.
I'd recommend the book mentioned previously but it is (or was - I don't know that there's a translation) all in Norwegian. Fortunately we had a few natives with us.
There's all the usual stuff - Uloya, Sorbmegeisa, Store Huagen etc. One of the best days I've had was on Daltinden a couple of years ago. A bit of a slog in along the valley bottom on the north side (we went from a few miles south of Lingseidet - a school car park if remember right - so its very handy for you) and there were quite a few other parties around which did take a bit away from it, but the snow was really good and we got a really good long descent in superb untracked powder from top to bottom.
I forget the names of the peaks north of Lingseidet, but I've had a couple of good days on them. And Kagen is definitely worth thinking about... If you have a few hours to kill on the way out or on the way back to Tromso then the peaks to the north east are pretty good and you get some great views over to the west of the Lyngen peninsula.
Enjoy ! Might be heading back in March myself. Or to Lofoten.
> (In reply to Eagle17)
> There are some open huts but you are meant to pay for them on an honesty basis as far as I know.
Yup, and some are closed for the evenings (ie. daytime huts).
The only one that I know for being free for the night is the skihytte on the way up Kavringstinden...
The nice hut below Fastdalstinden was not spendy thouhg... I think it was like 20 NOK per person per night... drop the money in the box on the wall kind of thing.
only got one map? recomend you get all you can now as can be remarkably hard to find in Norway - you will not find them in petrol stations like in UK/ consider one for kafjord to the east of lyngen, one for the west of tromso, and one for the area south from Lyngen. then you have more options for weather. although Lyngen is so well known the entire of Troms is a playground
that book should be grand, i have topptur i norge but the one you show will be better.
take your glacier kit.
Dont worry about not having a boat, it isnt a problem. Jaekavarri is my next objective, its quite a mountain. Hoping to spend 2 weeks during April if anyone is theere could hook up i havnt a partner yet
make it up as you go along, its easy. you wont have any difficulty finding objectives.
ps nedkjoring = down driving = the way to ski down, bratt = steep, oppstignen/oppover etc = climb up, vanskelig = difficult, lett = easy, veldig = easy. done!
>
> Sadly the guidebook has sort of spoiled that area... Part of the charm used to be lookin' at the maps (and talkin' with frieds who'd been there) and trying to figure out what to do tomorrow...
Have to say I agree. It had a semi-exploratory feel. Mind you there is still absolutely loads of mountains to go at that most people don't go near so there is lots of opportunity for studying the map and going and taking a look. Like most places there is a set of popular peaks that most will stick to! Graeme if you want to PM me I can possibly help you with some more ideas and routes than have been mentioned above, which are all good suggestions.
Dave
In reply to graeme gatherer: Just back from Lyngen. An incredible 7 mountain days. Great snow, great weather, simply fabulous skiing. Aurora borealis. Big thumbs up to Magic Mountain Lodge- great place to stay with fantastic (unlimited) food and very fairly priced.
Blizzard as we left yesterday.
Powder to the people!
Thanks everyone for links, advice etc...
I can certainly offer some now too.
In reply to TobyA: I'll post them later tonight otherwise i'll get all the spelling wrong!
Yeh we did Tafeltinden on a spectacular day. Did the one on Ulloya. One away up north, one in the south and a few closer to where we were staying. Avalanche risk was pretty high (think someone died on our first day closer to Tromso at just 200-400m above sea level). Pretty much had to stick to south and southeast facing stuff due to the snowpack and nothing too steep. Did one 40 degree slope that gave us a bit of a scare as wind picked up out of nowhere and sent down powder quicker than we could get off the hill! I think all the new snow at the end there was coming in on northerlies so there will be some dangerous layers on all aspects for a while.
In reply to graeme gatherer: Just had a quick look and couldn't find any news about Lyngen but seems there was a big rescue in Lofoten of French party, and further south on the mainland of Brits.
In reply to TobyA: Day1- Rornestinden- nice powder, Day2- Fastdalstinden- first tracks, Day3- Russelvfjellet- SW line- steepish- rapidly forming slab with a sudden change in wind direction, Also 300m unmarked top near Svensby- deep powder. Day4- Tafeltinden- spectacular day. Fresh tracks all day, Day5- Kjelvagtinden on Uloya- first tracks again, Day 6- Lille Piggtinden- Scottish day out- every type of snow encountered, Day7- Rundtinden- deep powder. Then played all afternoon on the jumps at the local Lyngsedeit ski run.
Can't remember the name of the mountain but I think it was in the Tromso Fastland that someone got avalanched on Sunday 17th March. Pretty sure it was a W or NW slope 200-400m alt.
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