SVALBARD

GUIDED SKI & SPLITBOARD EXPEDITION

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The Arctic. At 74 to 81º North, the Svalbard archipelago is located above the Arctic Circle, midway between continental Norway and the North Pole. There isn’t a word describing Svalbard that we don’t love: remote, unknown, extreme, mountainous, cold. Polar bears outnumber the human population, reindeer and whale are on the menus of restaurants in the tiny “metropolis” of Longyearbyen, and the only way to access and explore the vast glaciated wilderness during the winter is by snowmobile, dog sled, skis, or boat.

Come spring the frigid temperatures of the arctic winter begin to ease up and it’s prime riding season on Svalbard. April into early May in particular is a special time of year on the islands, with stunning light conditions resulting from the return of the midnight sun, a 4-month period when the sun never sets. During the first half of April, just before the arrival of the midnight sun, it’s pretty much sunrise/sunset all day long—perpetual golden hour with the mountains bathed in pink and purple. Starting later in April the sun literally never dips below the horizon, meaning 24-hour daylight and the possibility of shredding around the clock.

2024 DATES

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ITINERARY ONE: APRIL 7-15

7 DAYS RIDING/9 DAYS TOTAL

ITINERARY TWO: APRIL 29-MAY 8

7 DAYS RIDING/10 DAYS TOTAL

DETAILS

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ITINERARY ONE

For 2024 we are offering a new itinerary that will highlight snowmobile-assisted riding, based from an old mining settlement called Barentsburg. Our goal with this itinerary was to offer a Svalbard option that is a little less committing and “in tents” than our trademark basecamp option (get it?). Think returning to the comforts of a hotel every night, and dining/thawing out over local brews and great food. When deciding if the base for this itinerary should be Longyearbyen or Barentsburg, our lead guide, Ptor Spricenieks, pushed heavily towards what he dubbed “the most beautiful ugly place in the world”: Barentsburg. And we quickly jumped on board. Barentsburg today is a Russian coal mining town situated on the shores of the Grønfjorden fjord, a few hours west of Longyearbyen—accessed by snowmobile or boat. It's a wildly fascinating place that is seeing a bit of a renaissance with a great hotel and amazing restaurant called Krasniy Medved, the “Red Bear” in Russian. The Red Bear is actually the first brewery to open on Svalbard, back in 2012, and is described by Ptor as one of his all time favorite restaurants. In addition to the totally unique cultural experience of basing in a Russian settlement in the Arctic, the other real draws to Barentsburg are the lack of tourists compared to Longyearbyen, and the endless and jaw-dropping terrain on all sides of the fjord.

After an initial night in Longyearbyen, we will point our snowmobiles towards Barentsburg, with the option of stopping to tag a few lines along the way or holding out for an afternoon/evening session once there. The days that follow will be open to exploration, using snowmobiles to reach different zones for riding. Again, the options are endless, and actually the location where we've had our basecamp since 2015 is only 1.5-2 hours away, so there’s the possibility for at least one day of riding there. After 5 very full days based from Barentsburg we’ll head back to Longyearbyen with the option of, again, tagging lines along the way. A final night in the world’s northernmost town will give us the chance to sample another of Svalbard’s best restaurants, of which there are many!

Worth mentioning: the dates for this itinerary are unbeatable as the light will be unreal. It doesn’t get any more stunning than the few weeks surrounding the return of the midnight sun!

ITINERARY TWO

Our second itinerary is intentionally scheduled for two weeks later, when the midnight sun will be a little higher off the horizon and temperatures will have ticked up a few degrees. The itinerary is the same as we’ve been offering since 2015: a basecamp expedition in one of Svalbard's most spectacular locations, Nordenskjøld Land National Park, on the largest island of Spitsbergen.

We’ll begin with a prep day in Longyearbyen, as basecamping on Svalbard is the real deal with many things to consider like 24-hour polar bear safety, arctic weather and exposure, etc. We’ll meet with our partners for safety briefings, pack the snowmobile sledges with camp infrastructure, and just enjoy the vibe and awesome dining experiences offered at local restaurants. The next morning we’ll get an early start and head off into the arctic wilderness—winding our way through glacially-carved valleys, past distant reindeer herds, and onto the massive Vestre Grønfjordbreane and Fridtjovbreen glaciers before arriving at our final destination beneath two of the most aesthetic peaks in the zone.* The snowmobile journey itself is remarkable, typically taking 3-4 hours but sometimes much longer depending on weather and snow conditions. And whereas most winter tourist visits to Svalbard involve only snowmobiling, that's just the beginning for us. Upon reaching our destination, we will spend the afternoon setting up a styled-out basecamp—our home for the next 7 days—and then attack our first of many lines under the midnight sun.

The camp location was selected years ago for immediate access to a handful of dramatic peaks, two of which are literally slotted with couloirs, perfectly illuminated by the morning light on one side and the midnight sun on the other. Neighboring valleys also provide objectives that have never before been ridden, and are perfect for days we feel like getting our tour on.**

*For 2024, we are keeping options open for a possible new camp location, which would be as, if not more, epic than our traditional location. Access is, however, heavily dependent on the condition of the sea ice leading up to the trip, so the decision would be made quite last minute.

**Pricing includes snowmobile transport to and from the basecamp location (drop off and pick up). Another option is to keep the snowmobiles with us at camp for the duration of our stay, for use to access further zones. To commit to this we’d need everyone in the group on the same page and there would be an additional cost of ~$850/person.

PHOTO GALLERY

As words just don't do it justice, be sure to scope the full basecamp expedition photo gallery and keep an eye on this year’s missions using the hashtag #svalgnar2024.

GUIDES

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Itinerary One will feature a lead guide plus local tail guide, who is well-versed in arctic safety and snowmobile travel on Svalbard. Itinerary Two will feature the same lead/tail duo and additionally two camp guides (cook and manager) for a 2:3 guide-to-client ratio. Our lead guide for both 2024 itineraries is Ptor Spricenieks. Ptor guided our Svalbard basecamp expedition in 2019. Meet our guides.

For support we will be working with a Longyearbyen-based outfit with extensive experience supporting logistically-complicated expeditions throughout Svalbard.

SAFETY

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POLAR BEAR SAFETY

Polar bears separate Svalbard from other mountainous regions of the world. Our guides take this danger very seriously. On both itineraries guides will be equipped with flare guns and large game hunting rifles at all times. For Itinerary Two we will additionally be equipped with a trip wire system, or, if desired or deemed necessary due to bear sightings in the area, the entire basecamp crew will share in a bear watch rotation that allows for an uninterrupted night’s sleep every other night.

ADDITIONAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Both itineraries include Norwegian Search and Rescue insurance, and guides will have satellite phone communication with emergency service providers based in Longyearbyen. Norwegian SAR is some of the most advanced in the world and boasts Super Puma and Sea King helicopters that can fly in the most challenging conditions.

CAMP SCENE

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CAMP SETUP

The Arctic is no place for a weak camp setup. Our basecamp for Itinerary Two will feature a spacious and super comfortable kitchen/dining/chilling tent, heated by wood stove, along with separate 4-season sleeping tents.

CAMP FOOD

Svalbard’s geography and climate may be fully unsuited for growing food, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to eat well! Breakfasts and dinners will be prepared from scratch and served hot by our camp guides—nothing dehydrated, reheated or served out of a bag. Lunches will be dehydrated, as it’s great to premix these in a thermos to throw in your ski pack. There will also be plenty of snacks available at all times. For serious coffee drinkers, we should mention that we are too!

BOOKINGS

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ITINERARY ONE: USD $6,425/PERSON

7 DAYS RIDING/9 DAYS TOTAL

ITINERARY TWO: USD $6,225/PERSON

7 DAYS RIDING/10 DAYS TOTAL

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ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE REQUIREMENTS

ITINERARY ONE: Participants will need to arrive in Longyearbyen (airport code LYR) on April 7. We will return to Longyearbyen by evening on April 14 for departures on or after the 15th.

ITINERARY TWO: Participants will need to arrive in Longyearbyen (airport code LYR) on April 29. We will return to Longyearbyen by evening on May 7 for departures on or after 8th.

PRICE INCLUDES

ITINERARY ONE: 40 Tribes Lead Guide and local Tail Guide; Airport transfers on specified arrival and departure days; 2 nights hotel accommodation in Longyearbyen—nights of April 7 and 14—breakfasts included; 6 nights hotel accommodation in Barentsburg—nights of April 8-13—breakfasts included; Snowmobiles (2 passengers per) and fuel for the entire trip; Pack lunches; Polar bear protection managed by local guides; Norwegian Search and Rescue coverage for emergency support/evacuation to Longyearbyen/Tromsø; 7 days of epic guided skiing/splitboarding!

ITINERARY TWO: 40 Tribes Lead Guide and local Tail Guide; Dedicated camp staff including camp cook and camp manager; Airport transfers on specified arrival and departure days; 3 nights hotel accommodation in Longyearbyen—nights of April 29, 30 and May 7—breakfasts included; Snowmobile transport between Longyearbyen and the basecamp location (drop off and pick up)*; 6 nights basecamp accommodation in 4-season sleeping tents with a separate kitchen/dining tent heated by wood stove; All meals, coffee and snacks at camp; Polar bear protection managed by local guides; Norwegian Search and Rescue coverage for emergency support/evacuation to Longyearbyen/Tromsø; 7 days of epic guided skiing/splitboarding!

*As mentioned above, another option is to keep the snowmobiles with us at camp for the duration of our stay, for use to access further zones. To commit to this we’d need everyone in the group on the same page and there would be an additional cost of ~$850/person.

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

Airfare and baggage fees; Lunches and dinners in Longyearbyen; Dinners in Barentsburg (Itinerary One); Medical/evacuation insurance (for onward emergency transport from Longyearben/Tromsø, if required); Alcohol; Tips for guides.

BOOKING POLICY

A 20% deposit is required to secure your spot, with the remainder due 4 months prior to the expedition start date. Our cancellation/refund policies can be found here.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Our general terms & conditions can be found here.

RELEASE & WAIVER OF RIGHTS

All participants are required to sign our Release and Waiver of Rights.