Sail Ski Svalbard

Overview

Book now »

Sail Ski Svalbard

Introduction

Svalbard and its main island Spitsbergen, land of the isbjörn, is a high latitude paradise for sailors and ski mountaineers. This is probably the closest quality ski terrain to the North Pole. At just shy of 80°N Spitsbergen is the land of the midnight sun in summer and of near total darkness for several months during winter.

This trip is all about companionship with great skiing and sailing in one of the world’s most magical places. The north western part of Spitsbergen is only really accessible by sea and offers a limitless choice of remote ski objectives. We will sail there on our own yacht and ski what looks best.

We’re almost guaranteed to have the place to ourselves and with 24 hour daylight our ski legs should be tired at the end of the week.

Aleiga is the name of our vessel and she is owned and skippered by Niklas who lives in Spitsbergen and sails out of Longyearbyen. www.spitsbergensailing.com. Aleiga is an 45’ aluminium Ovni, perfectly suited to operating at high latitudes www.alubat.com/ranges/ranges-ovni/?lang=en. So as not to be over crowded onboard there is space for 5 skiers plus Niklas and Jim Blyth. We will all be required to help operate the yacht and we will be cooking for ourselves.

There was a great deal of interest in this trip so we have charted Aleiga for two trips which have identical programmes. Of course what is achieved always depends on weather and conditions. This is sure to be a superb adventure and a memorable experience for all.

What to expect

The area we shall visit is all on the 1:250 000 NW Svalbard map Stanfords. To get a feel for where we’re going the best thing is to spend some time on the amazing http://toposvalbard.npolar.no/ website. Zoom in on the map, look at the 3D feature and satellite imagery.

You will need the usual ski mountaineering kit for day touring. Therefore, although the terrain is glaciated your pack should not be too heavy. We shall be returning to Aleiga at the end of each day’s skiing.

Unless we decide we would like to night sail (it will be in daylight) we will be anchored up every evening and should sleep well. Sailing through the night on watches can be fun and would enable us to cover more ground in a shorter time.

Jim will do the food shopping in Longyearbyen and we will all help cook and keep Aleiga clean. At the end of our trip we will tidy and clean her to leave her as we found her. You will need to bring sleeping bag and towel. There will be limited hot water onboard.

Start point: Longyearbyen
Grade: 10B (Please contact us to discuss your skiing ability with Guide, Jim Blyth)

Share this on Facebook

Tailor Made Trips

We can organise this expedition on a ‘tailor-made’ private basis for groups of friends, families, clubs, charities or any other group. The cost of going private can be surprisingly reasonable. Please contact us to discuss the itinerary and your preferred dates. We will then send you a quote, with no obligation.

Additional Information

If you wish to discuss any aspect of the expedition or your suitability for it, please phone +44 (0)114 276 3322 or contact us.

What the price includes

• Charter of Aleiga including all associated expenses such as harbour fees and shore permits
• Two nights twin share bed and breakfast accommodation at www.polarriggen.com
• All food during the 10 days onboard
• Guides fees and expenses

What the price does not include

• International flights to Longyearbyen (if joining 'Land Only')
• Visa Fees
• UK and Foreign Airport taxes
• Lunch and dinner in Longyearbyen
• Optional sightseeing tours
• Travel Insurance
• Bar bills and laundry
• Tips

Tailor Made Trips

We can organise this expedition on a ‘tailor-made’ private basis for groups of friends, families, clubs, charities or any other group. The cost of going private can be surprisingly reasonable. Please contact us to discuss the itinerary and your preferred dates. We will then send you a quote, with no obligation.

Flights

Flights to Longyearbyen are via Oslo with http://www.flysas.com/ or http://www.norwegian.com/en/ can be booked for your by Jagged Globe - please contact us for a price.
Leader, Jim Blyth will have a night at an airport hotel in Oslo on both legs. http://www.osl.no/en/osl/services/60_Hotel Jim will probably fly SAS and the more expensive SAS Plus category of ticket which has a baggage allowance of 2 x 23kg.
First group – arrive LYR Friday 15th May, departing LYR Wednesday 27th May
Second group – arrive LYR Wednesday 27th May, departing LYR Monday 8th June

Insurance

You will need a travel insurance policy that caters for the activities you will undertake on your trip with Jagged Globe. It is a requirement of our booking conditions that you have such a policy. For a list of insurers who specialise in mountaineering, trekking and skiing, please see our Travel Insurance page »

Itinerary

Here is an outline itinerary for this trip.

Outline Itinerary

Day 1:	Arrive Longyearbyen in the afternoon, board Aleiga and settle in. Dinner in a restaurant ashore.
Day 2 - 10:	Set sail after breakfast for 10 days sailing and ski mountaineering.
Day 11:	Arrive back in Longyearbyen at the end of the day and leave Aleiga. Dinner ashore and night in a hotel. If we have time we will clean her in the afternoon, otherwise we return on Tuesday morning.
Day 12:	Day ashore in and around Longyearbyen. Hotel night.
Day 13:	Fly home.

Photos & Videos

No photos or videos available for this trip.

Reports & Reviews

Have you been on this trip? If you'd like to contribute a trip report then we'll post it up on the site.

Team Member Reviews

There are currently no team member reviews for this trip.