N as in… Nordland! Ski mountaineering in solitude around Narvik in Norway

Everyone knows that finding the magic combination for a truly successful trip is always hard. More often than not, a good dose of plain luck is what turns a good trip into a great experience.

But this time, I have to say, we really nailed it. Whether it was the bond between us, the perfect weather and snow conditions, or certainly the excellent technical and physical level of Andrea and Oscar, our 2026 Norwegian trip will stay with us for a long time.

We were looking for a beautiful, wild place where exploration still mattered – somewhere you don't have to queue up like you do in Norway's more famous spots. But also a place where, even if the weather turned bad, we could still salvage the trip by following our noses, as we're used to doing. The spark came while chatting with my friend and colleague Christian, Swedish by origin but now living in Italy. He gave me a simple but not obvious suggestion: Narvik.

Narvik is located in northern Norway, in Nordland, about 250 kilometres from Tromsø, in a typically Nordic setting: fjords, small villages, big mountains and, above all, vast white expanses. That said, the town offers everything you need for a ski mountaineering trip: supermarkets, rental apartments, an airport about 45 minutes away by car, and a huge choice of routes.

Once again, little by little, the trip takes shape. This time, however, we don't have many days. We have to start on the right foot; we can't afford to waste a single day. The first objective we pick doesn't convince us: the conditions are good, but the amount of snow at the car park suggests too much portage. So we head north, where it seems snowier – and we get lucky. The choice happens almost by chance: a photo in the guidebook immediately catches my eye. A magnificent, continuous, sustained slope leads straight to an alpine-style finale – more of a north face environment than a ski tour. The price to pay? A long (but beautiful!) flat section on a surface that resembles a vast frozen lake. And that's how we bagged Rivtind, one of the region's must-do peaks, standing a "full" 1452 metres.

As they say, the die is cast. The next day we change direction and head south. We find an outing – Storfjellet, 1633 metres – starting from an altitude of 300 metres, skis on. This too proves an extraordinary choice: 9 kilometres of touring, 1300 metres of elevation gain. From sparse woodland to a hanging glacier, deep in an immense glacial basin – and all in total solitude.

The quality of the place, as far as ski mountaineering goes, is confirmed by the outing the next day. We look for something shorter, with a south-facing orientation – in short, as Oscar puts it, the classic "Panettone". I open the guidebook; this time we want to move towards the Swedish border. The choice falls on Nevertind, 1420 metres – but a full 13 kilometres of touring! As artificial intelligence says when I search online: "It's part of a 'wild' mountain setting, with long distances and technical itineraries."

On the fourth day – finally! – we find a more classic outing. Spanstinden, with its straightforward 1050 metres of elevation gain, brings us back to a more traditional style of ski mountaineering. Even here, though, the summit is spectacular: the fjord in the distance, vast white expanses as far as the eye can see, and a beautiful slope perfectly skiable all the way – this time leading us straight back to the car.

And so, with laughter and some magnificent runs, this wonderful new adventure comes to an end. We leave with great memories, plenty of sore legs, but above all a deep longing to return to these vast, open spaces.

INFO
Where: Narvik (Nordland), Norway.

Logistics and travel tips: In April we didn't find many flights. The simplest option was to fly to Oslo, then take a second flight to Harstad/Narvik airport, about fifty minutes' drive from the town. The airport is small but does have car rental. NB: Watch out for tolls – many bridges, tunnels and some access roads are pay‑to‑use, and the charges are added to your car rental bill. In Narvik you can find various hotels and apartments, and there are supermarkets where you can buy everything you need. We opted for a rental apartment (extremely cosy!) with a kitchen.

Guidebook: The excellent guidebook Ski touring around Narvik by Mikael af Ekenstam is essential for orientation and choosing itineraries.

General considerations and useful tips: During our outings, all done on magnificent high‑pressure days with excellent snow conditions, we met very few people – almost nobody. On top of that, in poor visibility, navigation can be really tricky. Good map‑reading skills are essential so you don't get lost. Don't underestimate the constant changes of equipment setup during the tours – they often lengthen the travel time. As for gear, we used standard ski mountaineering equipment. We found very hard spring snow and often used ice axes and crampons.

In Narvik we recommend a visit to the "La Dolce Vita" café, run by an Italian couple (who are passionate ski mountaineers!). If you need any gear, opposite the café we recommend "Sportcentret AS", very well stocked for all outdoor activities. Another important thing: beer is sold in supermarkets only until 5 pm – plan accordingly. Safe skiing!

- Giancarlo Muyo Maritano, San Carlo Canavese, Turin

Info: muyo74@libero.it, special thanks to Grivel