Spend six days sailing, shredding, and ski touring in the most remote reaches of Iceland! Join an experienced local guide and embark for the Westfjords in a cozy, rustic sailboat. Tour the fjords and glacial valleys, find your ideal summit-to-sea line, and shred pristine mountain pow far from the crowds. Off the slopes, chill out on your spacious deck, have fun on the onboard SUPs, or take a dip in Iceland’s refreshing seas.
We meet at Ísafjörður harbor at 11 am for a safety briefing, then board Örkin. From there, it’s about a 6-hour cruise north into the Hornstrandir fjords, where we drop anchor in a secluded cove. If conditions line up, we head out for a short introductory run before dinner.
Meals: Dinner
Skiing: About 2 hours
Accommodation: Örkin
After a big breakfast, we cruise along the coast until we find a good slope in the right conditions. We spend the days touring fjord to fjord, chasing summit-to-sea lines and, when the snow allows, steep couloirs that run all the way down to the water. Back on board, there’s time to relax on deck, grab a SUP, or brave a dip in the icy Arctic water.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Skiing: 5–6 hours per day
Elevation: +600 m (+1,970 ft) per day
Accommodation: Örkin
We set out early for one last run, then motor back to Ísafjörður, arriving in time for the afternoon domestic flight to Reykjavík.
Meals: Breakfast
Included:
Add-ons (leave us a note at checkout if interested):
Not included:
In order to join this Westfjords ski touring trip, excellent fitness is required, as well as prior backcountry skiing experience. The most you’ll ski in a day is 5–6 hours, with around 600 m (1,970 ft) of elevation gain.
You should feel confident on challenging blue or black resort runs and be comfortable skinning uphill with a loaded daypack. Expect complex, glaciated terrain and steep descents in variable conditions, and to be on your feet six days in a row. The good news is that you return to the boat every night, so there’s no heavy pack to haul from hut to hut.
This tour is meant for intermediate to advanced skiers with previous backcountry skiing experience. You will be skiing, touring, and summiting on steep, complex, and glaciated slopes for 6 days. Your guide will take care of the planning, oversee your technique, and teach you how to better manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training necessary to keep you safe.
If you’ve never backcountry skied before, we suggest joining a guide for a 6-day beginner-friendly backcountry skiing and van trip in Iceland.
For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
You will be sailing on the oak boat Örkin, beautifully restored to provide comfortable accommodation for Hornstrandir explorers.
All amenities are included, with generous breakfasts and tasty meals to ensure strength for the days ski touring.
During downtime, there are perfect opportunities to make use of the on-board SUP’s, or enjoy quiet moments on deck. You can even try a fortifying dip in the ice cold waters of the Westfjords peninsula!
All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:
Skis, skins, crampons, and avalanche safety equipment can also be provided by your guide for an additional fee.
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.
Group sizes and pricing:
Ski touring in the Westfjords can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
To get to the Isafjordur harbor, the starting point of this tour, most people fly into Keflavik International Airport near Reykjavik, Iceland. From there, take one of the 2-3 daily 40-minute flights to Isafjordur Airport. To ensure that you arrive at Isafjordur in time to meet with your guide, which will usually be around 11 am, we recommend flying into Reykjavik at least one day before the tour.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at the Isafjordur harbor or a predetermined location. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.
Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.