Lyngen - a week in the sun at the top of Europe

So finally, some pictures and words from my Lyngen trip at Easter. First a video that Ed mixed together that gives a good taster of the week: lots of sun, lots of skiing.



Day 1. Ice climbing, start: Tamokdalen 270 m - top of icefall c. 500 m (230 m of ascent)





We rolled out of the car after a 17 hour drive through the night, and staggered up to climb a 120 mtr high icefall. I'm not really sure about the grade - OK to climb, hard to protect on the first steep pitch. WI3 or 4 at a guess.

Day 2. Skiing, start: sea level - Storgalten 1219 m (1219 m of ascent)





Storgalten was hard. Hard work going up with those endless summit slopes that just go on and on, and then hard going down in cruddy snow. But the views from the top - out across the Arctic sea and to the glaciers to its south, are just superb.

Day 3. Skiing, start sea level - Tafeltinden 1395 m (1395 m of ascent)





Tafeltind was great, as high as we went all week, but somehow easier with height gained over a much further distance so not as brutal. The snow was great for coming down as well and my first time skiing on a glacier - which was cool.

Day 4. Ed paragliding, me skiing, start: Kræmarvik 10 m - Ramnberget 158 m (148 m of ascent)





We went over to Kvaløya so Ed could fly with some Tromsø pilots. I took my skis up to the launch site and skied back down to the road so I didn't miss out on all the fun.

Day 5. Skiing, start: sea level - Uløytinden 1114 m (1114 m of ascent)





Two ferries needed to get to this island, but well worth it. An easy ascent and fun descent with absolutely stunning views across Lyngenfjord to Lyngen.

Day 6. Skiing, start: 32 m - plateau above Kvalvikhytta 573 m (541 m of ascent)



This was meant to be a rest day, but Dave never needs rests and somehow I got emotionally blackmailed into accompanying him "just a little bit higher" when Ed and Laura headed back down. But they got lost in the wood at the bottom whilst Dave and I got some nice turns and tree skiing. So that's gotta be karma...

Day 7. Skiing, start: 115 m - Fastdaltinden 1275 m (1160 m of ascent)





The best skiing of the week on some new snow at the top, and spring slush on the steeper slopes below. Looking down on where I had camped for a week 12 years ago was very cool as well.

So in total: 5807 m of ascent over the week's "holiday"! To give you a clue of how good a trip it was, we found ourselves in all seriousness having a discussion whilst skinning up Uløytinden as to whether this was the best view in the world or not. As a claim it seemed completely sustainable that day. Thanks to Ed, Dave, Laura and the rest of the 'surgical posse' (including those who aren't surgeons!) for making it such a magic week.