Svalbard 2016 – Spaces Available
Through some sort of lucky harmonic convergence, I’m going to be joining Todd Offenbacher as an Ice Axe Expeditions guide on two trips up to Svalbard this May. This is a very cool and unusual place, not to mention that it also has excellent skiing, sailing adventures and wildlife, including Ursus Maritimus, or polar bears. In 2011, I spent close to a month in Svalbard on a three-part skiing adventure which started with Noah Howell and myself tent camping out on the ice for about ten days and then finished with two separate weeks of sailboat based ski mountaineering guiding.
Noah Howell in the hole with Pryamiden in the background.
Starting out at 78 degrees north, this trip has a distinct Arctic flavor to it, but without the burdensome polar logistics. After flying a commercial airliner into Longyearbyen (LYR) airport and spending a night in a nice hotel, we board a cruising sailboat and head out into the passages and fjord to go ski touring for a week. All of the meals on the boat are prepared by the crew and included in the price. The guiding is also included in the price and comes with the added benefit of the guides packing a very heavy rifle for polar bear protection whenever we go ashore.
Scott Reynar and Elizabeth Dupree following an arete. Prinz Karl Island.
The client/guide ratio is 4:1 and there are two weeks to choose from:
May 15-22, 2016 (one spot available)
May 22-30, 2016 (3-4 spots available)
As always, the Mistress of Ceremonies is Karyn Stanley of Ice Axe Expeditions, which means the trip will run flawlessly. If you have any questions about pricing, dates, logistics or similar trips, contact Karyn or check out the Ice Axe Expeditions website.
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- The town of Longyearbyen, the largest settlement on Svalbard and home to what is probably the farthest north commercial airport. This is where you fly into to begin the skiing adventure.
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- Jermey Jones sorting gear in a hanger. 2011.
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- Downtown Longyearbyen with a statue memorializing the town’s mining heritage. The town is named after an American, John Longyear, who owned the Arctic Coal Company.
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- When camping on the ice or snow, it is possible to set up a bear perimeter trip wire around your camp.
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- Noah lets his sled do a bit of free-doggin’ on a descent. This seemed like a good way to avoid getting clipped in the legs by the sled, but on a later attempt, my sled took off and was immediately out of sight and lost. Only then did it occur to me that it had everything I needed to survive in it. Luckily, we found it perfectly parked about a mile later.
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- Yet another “Farthest North” landmark – the farthest north Lenin bust in Pyramiden.
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- Noah in a keyhole with Pyramiden below. We were trying to find a way up to the summit and later found it around the backside.
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- Probably the creepiest campsite I’ve ever had. This was in the town of Pyramiden next to the long abandoned swimming pool.
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- A seal peeking through an ice hole. Photo by Keoki Flagg.
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- A curious Arctic Fox in the midst of changing over from his/her white winter coat to a darker summer version.
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- Noah crusing past an abandoned building in Pyramiden with the town’s namesake peak in the background. Most of the buildings have been gutted for salvage value.
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- A reindeer cruising out in the open. Photo by Keoki Flagg.
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- Within sight of Longyearbyen, our snowmobiles get bogged down in thin/soft ice and need to be hauled out.
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- A momma walrus and her pups. Photo by Keoki Flagg.
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- A momma walrus and her pups. Photo by Keoki Flagg.
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- Noah Howell getting the shot on a rime covered sailboat.
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- Fresh produce in unlikely places. Laura C. takes stock.
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- Heading up from the sailboat.
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- Doug Stoup packin’ heat and Scott Reynar (right) looking neat.
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- Gear locker galore! The forward compartment of the Jonathan IV in full ski mode.
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- Cool bands of lighting in Svalbard.
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- A time-wasting trick from my days as a ski racing coach – balancing poles. In this case, the outboard motor was flooded, so we were in the “hurry up and wait” mode.
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- Scott Reynar and Elizabeth Dupree following an arete. Prinz Karl Island.
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- These things are heavy!
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- The inner Raynor comes out.
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- Noah takes the plunge.
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- The Russians inspect the Bottle Building. The green bottles are water, the white vodka and the brown were beer.
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- Doug Stoup in his element and happy to be there.
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- Hanging out in the cockpit.
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- A pile of walrus. Walrii? Keoki Flagg photo.
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- Russians in the mist.
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Category: Announcements, Trip Reports
