Ski touring & freeriding on Senja, Norway
8 days, 16 participants, level 2
North of Lofoten and south of the Lyngen Alps, Senja offers a mountain landscape that is unparalleled, especially in spring. Racy summit tours alternate with gentle and enjoyable descents down to the sea. Our starting point is Hamn i Senja. Here you can enjoy the comfort of a lodge built directly by the sea, fresh home-prepared fish and of course the well-deserved beer or another favorite drink after a great day of ski touring.
This ski tour is led and organized by the ski pros Alemax Maier and Andy Schauer. Both have mastered their skis like few others and, after many years of racing experience (with Andy crowned by a World Cup victory and Olympic participation in 2014 in Sotchi), have logically turned their hobby into a profession. (You can find out more about Alemax and Andy in the vivalpin.blog)
Alemax and Andy (together with ski school director Max Pohl and Vivalpin mountain guide Moni Hümmer) are established members of the instructor team of the German Ski Instructors' Association and founders of Skisportlerei Tegernsee, the first address for race camps in Germany.
But their true love is the wide slopes and endless possibilities on Senja, Norway's second largest island with fantastic skiing (touring) opportunities around the 1,000-metre-high Breidtinden. Year after year, the two make a pilgrimage to Senja, always on the lookout for new runs, the best snow and new lines.
Program and schedule
- Guiding and supervision by state-certified ski guides and guides
- 7 x overnight stays in Hamn i Senja, lodges with separate bedrooms and bath/shower and WC
- All necessary ferry trips
- All transfers in local minibuses or rental cars as per itinerary
- Free participation in our online training: Snow - Avalanche - Risk (1 h)
Day 1 Welcome to the country that makes every ski touring heart beat faster. After arrival in Tromso (TOS) drive to our cozy accommodation in Hamn in Senja, which we reach in the evening. Our driving time is about 2,5 hours. On the way to our lodges we have the opportunity to buy the basics for the first days. We have a leisurely dinner and discuss the week ahead.
Day 2-7 We have here on Senja countless ski touring possibilities in individual difficulty levels. We will choose the most suitable depending on snow and weather conditions. From gentle, good-natured pleasure tours to 45 degree steep couloirs, there is everything up here. Depending on the group and your wishes, we can go on completely different tours on the same day. The starting point is almost always sea level and the highest mountains are just under 1,000 meters high.
Here are some, possible ski tours: Krokelvtinden (756 m): Gentle introductory tour. The varied landscape allows us to ski several flanks. Ideal for the start of the week, where you can also check your skiing technique. Also a good option in bad weather. Walking time approx. 03:00 h - ascent approx. 600 m - descent approx. 600 m - travel time approx. 00:45 h Keipen: We go to the north to go to the top Keipen (938 m). A scenic and beautiful tour. Just below the summit we set up our ski depot and walk the last meters. On the same route we ski pleasantly and steadily downhill. Walking time approx. 04:00 h - ascent approx. 700 hm - descent approx. 700 hm - travel time approx. 01:00 h Husfjellet (632 m): We drive to Skaland and walk from the sea to today's summit, Husfjellet (632 m). Here, too, we cover the last few meters on foot. The view of the surrounding peaks and fjords of Senja is incredibly beautiful. Walking time approx. 03:00 h - ascent approx. 630 m - descent approx. 630 m - driving time approx. 00:45 h Kaperdalen: We drive to the high plateau of Kaperdalen. The choice of unmanned peaks is huge! The high plateau is ideal for a circular tour, which can be arranged according to the local conditions and our ideas. Tredje Svanfjell (898 m) is just one of the many peaks. Everything is possible on this day, from powder snow to the finest firn. Walking time approx. 07:00 h - Ascent approx. 1,200 m - Descent approx. 1,200 m - Travel time approx. 00:45 h Skolpan: Two enjoyable tours to Flobjorn (611 m) and Skolpan (780 m) await us today. Pleasant and easy ski tours with fantastic descents. With a bit of luck, we may surprise huge herds of reindeer on Flobjorn. Walking time approx. 06:00 h - ascent approx. 1,300 m - descent approx. 1,300 m - travel time approx. 00:30 h Kvaenan: The route leads directly from the fjord through a sparse birch forest and then into beautifully hilly terrain to the summit of Kvaenan (963 m). Due to the nature of the terrain, the descent offers an unforgettable experience. Walking time approx. 05:00 h - ascent approx. 1,000 m - descent approx. 1,000 m - travel time approx. 01:10 h
Day 8 Saying goodbye to Norway - after our hearty breakfast we pack up and drive to the airport in Tromso. There we have to say goodbye to beautiful Senja, which we leave with unforgettable impressions and wish we were not flying home, but just arrived...
Good skiing technique in all types of snow, experience in ski touring, fitness for up to 1,000 m and a 4-hour ascent
"Ski touring in the far north of Europe is a highlight in every skier's life. Lyngen, Sunmore-Alps and Senja are the hot spots. Our favorite is Senja. This is certainly also due to Alemax and Andy, who will accompany you on this trip and have taken Senja into their hearts for many, many winters. An unforgettable experience awaits you with these two ski pros!"
Christof Schellhammer
State certified mountain and ski guide
Mountain School Director