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Experience the mountains and fjords of the Troll Peninsula and join your guide for six days of intensive, yet fuss-free ski touring in North Iceland. Ascend the mountains offering arresting views of rugged junctures of land and sea, shred the abundant corn on treeless slopes all the way to the ocean, and relax in soothing hot tubs and swimming pools. Everything you could wish for a perfect skiing getaway miles from the Arctic Circle!
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Your guide will pick you up from your accommodation in Reykjavík at 8:00, followed by a departure to the north of Iceland. The first destination is located west of the Eyjafjörður fjord, where you will arrive in the early afternoon. The first skiing objective will take place in Öxnadalur and at Kinnafjall (1104 m/3620 ft), where you will skin up before skiing down the 570 m (1300 ft) of elevation gained. Your accommodation will be a country guesthouse.
Skiing: 3 hrs
Ascent/Descent: 570 m (1900 ft)
Meals: Dinner
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On Day 2 skiing will take place between the villages of Dalvik and Ólafsfjörður. During a gentle climb up the Gvendarskál valley, you will be rewarded with views of the Eyjafjörður fjord and the Atlantic Ocean. There are different possibilities when it comes to descents from this point. You can either ski down to the valley, or take a steeper approach which includes skiing in the direction of the fjord, with the ocean right below you. After a long day of skiing, you can relax in the hot tubs of the swimming pool in the village of Dalvík.
Skiing: 5 – 7 hrs
Ascent/Descent: 900 – 1200 m (2900 – 3900 ft)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
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On Day 3, the tour will take you to the east side of the Eyjafjörður fjord and a mountain named Kaldbakur (1200 m/3900 ft), boasting one of Iceland’s longest descents. Humbling views await you atop the mountain featuring multiple peaks of the Icelandic Highlands and the impressive fjord. After removing your skins, get ready for a good dose of adrenaline as you hit the slopes leading you all the way to the coast. Experience a little bit of the local culture with a visit to a tuff farm at Laufás and the town of Akureyri, a great place for relaxing baths in the jacuzzis.
Skiing: 6 – 7 hrs
Ascent/Descent: 1100 m (3500 ft)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
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This day will be centered around the mountains overlooking the village of Dalvík, which boast many ski routes, namely those found around the Sauðaneshnjúkar peak (992 m/3250 ft). The climb to the top is relatively easy and from there you’ll ski down the couloir taking you back to the valley.There is also an option of going deeper into the valley and opting for the steeper descents. Relax in a nearby microbrewery and get a taste of the local beer.
Skiing: 6 – 8 hrs
Ascent/Descent: 1000 – 1500 m (3280 – 4920 ft)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
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Moving further north, on Day 5 you will enjoy a couple of ski routes at the very tip of the Troll Peninsula. Your first destination is in the uninhabited fjord Héðinsfjörður at the foot of the Vatnsendahnjúkur mountain. Skiing today ends with another impressive descent that offers arresting views over the fjord and the ocean. Spend your last evening of the tour by relaxing in your guesthouse and taking a dip in the soothing hot tub.
Skiing: 5 – 6 hrs
Ascent/Descent: 850 m (2780 ft)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
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Before heading back south to Reykjavík, take advantage of the Siglufjörður ski area and their lifts for a great slackcountry experience. The target will be Illviðrishnjúkur, dubbed the Bad Weather Peak. A rather steep descent that will take you right back to the vehicle. You can expect to return to Reykjavík in the late afternoon, marking the end of your trip. Say goodbye to Iceland or continue touring on your own.
Skiing: 3 – 4 hrs
Ascent: 250 m (820 ft)
Descent: 700 m (2300 ft)
Meals: Breakfast
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What you get in this adventure:
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- An experienced, certified ski guide with extensive knowledge of the area
- 6 days of backcountry ski touring
- Backcountry permits
- Cottage accommodation with made up beds
- Meals during the adventure as indicated in the itinerary
- All transportation during the adventure in a minibus
- Safety equipment
What’s not included:
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- Lunch on day 1 or 6 (restaurant stop)
- Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
- Entrance fees to swimming pools
- Accommodation in Reykjavik before and after the trip
- Transportation to and from Reykjavik
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To enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to be in excellent physical shape. You will be on your feet for up to 8 hours a day for 6 days, along with daily ascents of up to 1000+ m. You will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black-level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain. That said, your guide can pick more and less challenging routes according to your skill level, including more gradual and less demanding slopes.
Clients takes full responsibility for meeting the physical fitness level requirement of the trip. Clients that are physically unfit or not equipped for their tour can be dismissed from the tour at their own expense.
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To participate in this tour, previous backcountry skiing experience is highly preferable. You will be skiing on varied terrain for up to 8 hours every day. If you’ve never backcountry skied before, but feel comfortable on blue and black resort pistes, heading out with a guide is your best bet. They will take care of the planning, oversee your technique, and teach you the backcountry basics such as skinning and steep skiing. They also have the experience and avalanche training necessary to keep you safe.
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For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
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- Alpine touring skis, telemark skis or splitboard with skins (can be rented)
- Touring boots and poles (can be rented)
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
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- One triple-action locking carabiner or two conventional locking carabiners
- Repair kit and Leatherman for your equipment (can be shared between several people)
- Backpack with straps for skis (30 – 40 liters)
- Small first AID kit including a blister kit
- Ski socks
- Warm underwear (wool or synthetics)
- Pants, e.g soft-shell
- Light fleece jacket
- A soft-shell jacket or other windproof and breathable layer
- Waterproof jacket and pants
- Light puffy jacket (e.g. down or Primaloft)
- Ski-goggles
- Sunglasses
- Warm hat
- Water bottle/thermos (1-2 liters total)
- Gloves – two pairs thin and thick
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Ski helmet (optional)
- Ski strap
- Favorite sweets/energy bars (optional)
- Camera (optional)
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All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:
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- Avalanche safety pack, including backpack, beacon, shovel and probe from Fjallakofinn
- Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots and poles can be rented from Fjallakofinn
- Splitboards can be rented from Fjallakofinn
Keep in mind that renting ski touring equipment in Iceland can be tricky, and you’re better off bringing your own equipment if possible.
Ski rental locations are in Reykjavik and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.
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Group sizes and pricing:
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- This trip is not private, meaning that solo skiers are welcome!
- For this adventure, the max client-to-guide ratio is 8:1. All prices are per person.
- The minimum number of clients that have to book for the tour to operate is 4.
- The maximum number of participants is 12, with the second guide joining the tour if 9 or more clients book.
Ski touring in Iceland’s Troll Peninsula can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
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- If you are older than 16, you’re good to go.
- Minors older than 14 may join the tour on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
If your group has skiers under the age of 16, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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To get to the Troll Peninsula, most people fly into Keflavik International Airport, 40 minutes from Reykjavik. Your guide will pick you up in the city at around 8 a.m. on Day 1, so an overnight stay in Reykjavik the day before is recommended. You will arrive at your first skiing destination in the Troll Peninsula in the early afternoon.
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Iceland, the “Land of Fire and Ice”, has forever lived with volcanic activity. Minor and major eruptions have occurred every few years since the island was formed. Some of Iceland’s appeal, aside from sheer natural beauty, surely stems from this very fact.
However, every new eruption, such as the recent Reykjanes Peninsula fissure, will make some travelers, tourists, and adventurers uneasy, especially given the fact that sensationalist media is not immune to misinformation and speculation.
Since we work with a number of expert local guides in Iceland, we thought we’d share their input and fill you in on what’s actually going on.
First of all, air traffic has not been affected. Flights to and from Keflavík International Airport and Reykjavík Domestic Airport are operating as they always do.
Second, the effects of volcanic activity have been localized, with some roads closed, and all services in Iceland operating as usual. Reykjavik, the capital, is around 40 km (25 miles) away from the volcanic fissure, and life there is as normal as ever.
And third, trips offered by 57hours are taking place much further away, and are thereby even less likely to be affected by the volcanic activity, being perfectly safe for adventurers. Naturally, the authorities (and guides) are monitoring the situation and doing everything possible to keep both local residents and visitors safe and well informed.
In case you have any additional questions or dilemmas, feel free to get in touch with either your guide or 57hours. For more information, please visit:
https://safetravel.is/
https://www.visiticeland.com/article/volcano-info -
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in North Iceland, please refer to these official COVID-19 guidelines for traveling to and from Iceland.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
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