Photo by Clement Delhaye
How many people do you know who have skied deep into the heart of the northernmost Arctic while using a sailboat as their base camp?
None, right?
Heliski Guides Sweden operates in Svalbard. This ski touring program (not heliskiing) is your chance to check a box on your skiing destination list that few will venture to!
If you’ve heard of Svalbard, it’s probably as one of the northernmost places in the world where people have settled. On top of that, Svalbard is also known for incredible Arctic wildlife like polar bears, walruses, and reindeer.
Despite everything wild about Svalbard though, it’s surprisingly accessible and Heliski Guides Sweden can make touring through it safe and comfortable. The Arctic can be challenging and unforgiving region, so you'll need a solid operator / guide with experience!
Ski Touring in Svalbard with Heliski Guides Sweden
Svalbard is dominated by bitter cold and darkness throughout Arctic winter as you might expect, but once winter eases up and the sea ice retreats from Svalbard’s coast there are endless fjords and mountains with untouched snow waiting to be skied through. In fact, Svalbard’s remote location allows for there to be over 40,000 km of untouched terrain, much of it covered in snow year-round, waiting for you to make a first descent on it. Fortunately, ski season is in May and June when the sun stays in the sky 24 hours a day and gives you more time to skin up and ski or snowboard down everything from powder to spring corn.
Most of that terrain would take weeks to reach over land due to how much of Svalbard is uninhabited, but Heli ski Svalbard operates tours from a sailboat which means you get to see more terrain faster, and more comfortably.
That’s a common theme with them though, since from the moment you reach Svalbard you’ll be under the care of some of the most experienced guides in the world. We say that because the founders are a husband and wife team who run ski tours and heli-skiing adventures on 5 different continents and have the experience to make your Svalbard ski trip unforgettable.
Traveling to Svalbard: What to Expect
After flying into Oslo’s international airport you will need to take a three-hour flight north to the town of Longyearbyen, which is the northernmost airport in the world that receives regular flights.
From there the guides will meet you and you’ll board the sailboat that will be your home for the next 10 days. After you set sail you’ll be completely off the grid with the only thing to do being picking lines from the boat, taking a short ride to the coast, and skinning up before touring to the top of your line. After a glorious day of touring, you’ll be welcomed back on the boat where you can après under the midnight sun and spot wildlife like whales, walruses, and polar bears from the comfort of your sailboat.
