Norwegen

The Roldal Freeride Challenge is the crowning finale of the contest season. Once again gnarly conditions, an enthusiastic crowd and fresh salmon.

The Lofoten Islands are no longer an insider tip for most people living in the Alps - but they are still a highlight for every continental skier. With long days and guaranteed snow, the Easter period is ideal for a trip to the steep island kingdom. But low budget? In the unaffordable Switzerland of the north? Yes, it works - provided you have a bit of luck, skill and a vehicle. Four cold- and odor-resistant students have tried it out.

For many, April is a time to reflect on the season and reminisce about the epic powder days and humming corduroy as the ski resorts begin to close down for the summer. Living very far north on the planet gives you more options. Scandinavia is known for Vikings and IKEA, but not so much for one of the best benefits, late season snow. In April we took splitboards and skis to Tromsø, ready to get lost in some of the many labyrinths of long fjords along the western coastline of Norway. When I first started to plan this trip, I sat in the library of Göteborg, Sweden reading in Jimmy Petterson book "Skiing around the world". He states that, "Norway is an appropriate place to begin a ski tour of northern Europe, for this is where it all started thousands of years ago. While skiing was primarily a form of transportation for many centuries, the Norwegians are given credit for starting and developing it as a sport as well." Looking back at our trip, a great feeling fills me. We met so many warm-hearted people during our adventure. We skied in breath-taking nature and could eat all possible variations of cod for dinner!

In the third part of the Arc'teryx web series Commit, the likeable Norwegian Pia Nic Gundersen talks about a torn cruciate ligament and her return to skiing.

In recent years, more and more manufacturers have presented wide touring skis that are also designed to deliver great downhill performance in powder. Thanks to modern materials such as carbon, these skis are also very light. Dynafit is also launching a real freetourer on the market with the Chugach. We were able to take a closer look at the ski in the local mountains and in the ski touring Eldorado of Norway.

Ever since I visited Norway for the first time, this country has stayed with me. The sheer endless expanse and the feeling of freedom are the reason why I keep coming back. That's why I've been to Norway for the third time in two years - but the first time I visited Norway was in the summer ...

It is not the legendary ship of the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, with which he sailed through the Northeast Passage at the beginning of the twentieth century. But the two-master is also called 'Maud': 'Maud of Ålesund'. The small fishing boat was launched a year after the famous original was trapped by pack ice on the American side of the Atlantic in 1930 and sank. Nevertheless, I feel a bit like the great polar explorer as the bow of the 'Maud' makes its way through the thin sheets of ice through the straits around Ålesund in the early morning.

The Lyngen Alps between the Ullsfjord / Sörfjord and the Lyngenfjord, with their sharp peaks, narrow ridges and crests, are undoubtedly one of the wildest, most alpine and least developed mountain regions in Scandinavia. There are numerous opportunities for ski tours, climbing and trekking in the breathtaking and lonely landscape, which leaves nothing to be desired at any level of difficulty.

The whole world is talking about ski tours in Norway: Beautiful shots and lots of rave reviews - or is it all just a commercial trend that shouldn't be followed blindly just because it no longer seems spectacular enough in the local mountains? We decided to see for ourselves and packed our bags for 10 days of ski touring in the Lyngen Alps...

While Dynafit skis have usually been quite clearly oriented towards either uphill or downhill, the manufacturer is entering new territory for winter 2014/2015. With the Denali, a new ski touring model is coming onto the market, which should impress with both ease of ascent and high downhill performance.

Zach Paley, a passionate year-round skier, has already spent his second spring in Norway and at least part of it on the Vulkana ski touring boat. Board, lodging and powder in exchange for helping with guest support and on board. A worthwhile deal for everyone, at least in Zach's opinion...!

Winter also ended early in Norway. Zach Paley and his ski friends took advantage of the stable good weather in May for an extended camping and couloir session in the Lyngen Alps...