Svalbard Ski Touring: A Week Above the Arctic Circle

This spring, I had the opportunity to guide one of the most remarkable Svalbard ski touring expeditions I’ve ever experienced. For one unforgettable week, we explored the Svalbard Archipelago high above the Arctic Circle on Norway’s northern frontier. It felt worlds away from the mountains I call home in Montana’s Bitterroots.

Preparing for a Svalbard Ski Touring Expedition

I joined my longtime friend and fellow ski guide, Blake Votilla, as the second guide for a private group of four couples from Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

We began our journey in Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost town with a full-service airport. There, we spent several days skiing out of town, dialing in our equipment, and preparing for life in polar bear country. We also reviewed safety protocols and carried the required bear deterrents before heading into the backcountry.

Ski and Sail Through the Arctic

From Longyearbyen, we boarded the M/V Ulla Rinman, a beautifully restored ice-capable expedition vessel that became our home for the week.

Each evening, we sailed beneath the midnight sun along Spitsbergen’s rugged northwest coast. The captain anchored beneath snow-covered peaks, positioning us perfectly for the following day’s objective.

Every morning, we loaded into the Zodiac and landed on a remote Arctic beach. From there, we climbed directly from sea level into alpine terrain. Meanwhile, the ship repositioned throughout the afternoon, allowing us to wake up in an entirely new mountain range the next day.

Incredible Ski Touring in Svalbard

Spitsbergen is unlike anywhere I’ve ever skied.

Towering mountains rise directly from the Arctic Ocean. Massive glaciers, ice caps, and dramatic fjords surround every peak. Because there are no trees, every ridge and ski line remains visible for miles. As a result, route selection becomes an enjoyable exercise in studying maps, evaluating snow conditions, and scanning the mountains with binoculars.

No two days looked the same.

One day, we climbed beside active glaciers beneath brilliant sunshine. The next day, we skied boot-deep powder through brief whiteouts. We crossed rolling glaciers and enjoyed everything from smooth spring corn snow to wind-sculpted Arctic powder.

Along the way, we skied over a peninsula before descending a glacier into Ny-Ålesund, one of the world’s northernmost research communities. Later in the week, we also skied near a historic Russian coal mining settlement tucked deep inside a remote fjord.

Arctic Wildlife Encounters

The wildlife proved just as memorable as the skiing.

We saw Svalbard reindeer almost every day. We discovered fresh polar bear tracks during our very first tour. Walrus rested along the shoreline while thousands of seabirds returned for the short Arctic summer. Throughout the week, we continually scanned the landscape for Arctic foxes and polar bears before every landing.

Every excursion reminded us that we were exploring one of the world’s last truly wild places.

Why Svalbard Leaves a Lasting Impression

More than anything, I remember the immense scale and silence.

Standing on a summit only 3,000 feet above the sea, I looked across glaciers stretching to the horizon beneath twenty-four hours of daylight. The experience felt both humbling and inspiring.

At the same time, it was impossible not to notice the retreating glaciers and the changing Arctic landscape. Even so, Svalbard remains one of the most extraordinary mountain environments I’ve ever had the privilege to explore.

Join Us for a Future Svalbard Ski Touring Adventure

This truly was the trip of a lifetime, and I already look forward to returning.

Blake and I are planning future Svalbard ski touring expeditions that include both liveaboard ski-and-sail adventures and day-based ski touring from Longyearbyen. For guests looking to reach more remote objectives, we also offer snowmobile-supported access.

In addition, we guide similar Arctic ski touring experiences from Tromsø in northern Norway.

If skiing above the Arctic Ocean beneath the midnight sun sounds like your kind of adventure, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re joining an existing group or organizing a private expedition with friends, we’ll help create an unforgettable Arctic experience.

To learn more about guide and Downing Mountain Lodge owner John Lehrman, visit our Meet Your Guide page.