Fjell Tours Noorwegen Specialist

16 Days Ski-Tour Spitsbergen

Ski Tour from Hoglandlake to Tempelfjorden

A 16-days trip with a 12 days ski-tour, April 15th - 30th 2015

This long ski-tour take place in the northern part of Spitsbergen and goes mostly in a North-South direction (see the map). After a long snowscootertransport we will be dropped off at the end of Billefjorden at sea level. From here we ski up a small valley and ascend a small glacier. When we our out in the field we will sleep in tents. Almost every day we will continue this trip and go to a next camp. So this is an demanding trip, it takes some time/energy to take down a tent, start the daily ski-tour with a pulk behind and pitch the tent at the next camping place. We will mostly ski a daily distance between 10-15 km.
This doesn't look much, but we ski with a heavy pulk behind us and we don't ski many days on flat glaciers. We ski between sea level and 900 meter a.s.l. going up and down on many days. During this 12 days trip we go up and down 2500 meters.
    * Click here to see a map of this trip.


Skiing over the Nordenskiold glacier.

This tour has been done in April 2011 with participants, every day we were facing new elements, other snowconditions, going up or down and seeing new views. Every day has its own highlights and its own adventure.
This tour take place in a very remote area of Spitsbergen, far from the settlement Longyearbyen. We won't find halfway this trip a Supermarket, a Mc Donald or repair store. So, to be able to repair all kind of damaged equipment we will carry with us all kind of small/smart parts for repairs/replace.
During camping you will always be busy with doing things: making the campsite better, melting snow, drying clothes, eating (you eat much more than mormal) observing and enjoying the surroundings, at the end jumping into your warm sleepingbag for a well deserved 8 hours sleep.
During nice sunny days with less wind, camping becomes very easy and it looks like paradise. Allthough the weather can change very fast on the Spitsbergen glaciers, the months April and May (the best months for ski-touring) very often have nice weather.


Steep rocky mountains on Spitsbergen.

Here a brief description of the programme for this 16 days Ski Tour (programme structure might change):
  • 1. First day: April 15th, Arrival with plane at Longyearbyen.
  • 2. Sightseeing Longyearbyen (this sightseeing day can also be moved to day 15, due to weatherconditions).
  • 3. Packing the equipment in Longyearbyen.
  • 4. Going with a snowscootertrip to the start of this trip in Billefjorden
  • 5. Skiing up the glacier to the Mc Whae glacier.
  • 6. Daytrip to Hoglandlake.
  • 7-13. Skitour to Tempelfjorden (including 2 spare days*)
  • 14. Daytrip in the Murdoch glacier area.
  • 15. Skiing down the Murdoch valley to Tempelfjorden, pick up by snowscooters and transport to Longyearbyen.
  • 16. Last day: April 30th, Departure with the plane from Longyearbyen.

    Spare days*: These days are mostly used as bad weather day. Due to bad weather it might happen that we have to wait 1 or more days inside our tents. If we have still spare days left at the end of this trip, we can make another daytrip.
    The whole programme is very flexible and the ski distance every day is not long.

    Visit also these pages: Winter- & Summertrips from Fjelltours on Spitsbergen ; here you will find much more important background information about these trips.

    Take also a look at this page: Walking & skiing with a pulk (sledge) over the Spitsbergen glaciers.


    Skiing down the Murdoch glacier/valley (with pullingframe between the pulk).

      Startingdate 2015:
  •   April 15th

    The price of this 16-days Ski Tour is € 2430,- p.p.
    Travelcode: LT15L

      In this tour price is included:
    1. 4 overnights in Longyearbyen in chambers with more people (3 overnights at the start and 1 overnight at the end),
    2. 11 overnights in 2-3 persons wintertents/igloo's.
    3. A travel insurance which also covers all the cost of an emergency rescue if necessary,
      during our 12-days fieldtrip on Spitsbergen.
      This insurance is an obligation when you go out on a long fieldtrip in Spitsbergen.
    4. The use of a 2-3 persons wintertent with an isolated foil for under the inner tent.
    5. The use of a sledge with pullingframe and harnass.
    6. The use of cooking equipment to make hot water, a petrol stove with all the fuel.
    7. All the meals (food) during the 12-days fieldtrip.
    8. The use of a snowshovel.
    9. Professional guide, the guide will take care that the programme (as mentioned here above) will be done safe. The guide take care that all the necessarry and obligated equipment, which is needed to make a multi day backcountry glacier trip on Spitsbergen, will be used/carried during this trip .
    10. Transport with a snowscooter to the start of this trip and the pick-up at the end of this trip.
    11. The participants will receive information and instructions about the necessary clothes (detailed packing list),
      about camping on Spitsbergen and about the safety aspects on Spitsbergen (Polarbear protection).
      Not included:
    1. Meals during the 4 nights in Longyearbyen: It is possible to cook and have meals together durings the overnights in the Longyearbyen guesthouse or use the breakfast- and dinnerservice in the guesthouse.
    2. Cross country ski's for back country skiing (no randonnee ski's), the skins.
      It is possible to hire these equipment by Fjell Tours (only if booking is made before March 1st 2015). The participants will receive information about this.
    3. The flight to and from Spitsbergen.
    4. Transport from/towards the airport to/from our overnight stay in Longyearbyen.(about € 6,- one way)


        The amount of Participants: min. 3, max. 8



    • Drying the clothes at a campsite in the sun.

    The participants can hire specific equipment/clothes (like ski's, downjacket, extra sleepingbag, extra matrass etc.) by Fjell Tours, (only if booking is made before February 1st 2015), see for this:
    Winter- & Summertrips from Fjelltours on Spitsbergen

    To join this trip the participant must have:
    1. Good cross country ski touring experience.
    2. Some Winter camping experience is handy to have but not necessary
    3. a Good condition, although the daily skiing distance is not long, this is a trip with many fielddays (12 days)!!
    4. Patience, participants must be aware that it might happen that we have to wait 1 or more days inside the tents
      due to bad weather or other circumstances.
    5. Flexibility, The plan for the day can change rapidly, or the daily schedule is changing.
      It might happen that we ski during the night.
      This makes no difference on Spitsbergen, There is no darkness in this time of the year.

    The guide knows how and where to ski save on these glaciers. Sometimes we can ski easy over the glacier, sometimes it takes extra time if we have to avoid difficult places on the glacier.

    To join this trip and to sign in, please send an email to: info@FjellTours.nl
    Also for further questions about this trip, please send an email


        * Back to Wintertrips in Norway (Dutch Language).

        * Back to Living on Frozen Water Expedition Spitsbergen (English Language).

    For more pictures/information about Spitsbergen and to see previous expeditions, done by Fjell Tours, visit the "Living on Frozen Water" website. Direct link to this website: www.fjelltours.nl/2010.html 


    Last update:october 2014































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