Iceland Ski Touring

The Troll Peninsula in northern Iceland offers ski touring that can’t be replicated anywhere else. In the late season you can ski at any hour of the day or night under the rays of the Arctic Sun. There are non-stop runs that start from the top of a mountain and end on an ocean beach of volcanic black sand. The coastal snowpack is exceptionally stable, and combined with the lack of trees this makes route finding both low stress and filled with opportunity. If something looks interesting you can hike over and claim it as your own. There are vertical descents of up to 1500 meters (5000 feet) and slopes that range from mild to wild. You can skin to the top of a peak for a shot down narrow couloirs, or drop off the ridgeline earlier for a smooth ski down rolling terrain.

The season runs much later than most Northern Hemisphere skiing, starting in late February and running to early June. This means your ski fitness will be well developed and you can take advantage of Iceland’s spring ski touring which is a bit of a specialty. Consistently good weather, long days of constant daylight, and ego-boosting corn snow are a recipe for the trip of a lifetime. If you plan a date earlier in the winter for your Iceland backcountry skiing trip, you can trade the ever-present sun for the beauty of the Northern Lights. Winter weather in the Arctic can be exciting with little protection in the treeless landscape, but not as bitter cold as you may think with averages ranging from -4 to 2 above Celsius (20-35 degrees Fahrenheit).

Ski touring in this volcanic terrain is pleasantly predictable while still offering endless variety. The steep peaks gradually mellow to moderate flanks and vast, open faces. Narrow chutes open onto broad slopes and then form wide gullies to play in. High, steep ridges soften into smoother, round shoulders.